Special Shades of Color Launches New Video Blog Website

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Jan. 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Over the recent months, we’ve seen stories of families like Dorothy and Alex Spourdalakis of Illinois, Delicia and Randle Barrow of Alabama, and Wisconsin residents April and Damien Veraghen and it raises the question “What can we do to prevent parents from taking the lives of their disabled children?” According to Special Shades of Color, building easily accessible, no “shame” support groups where parents can truly feel that they are not alone, can make the real difference in supporting parents through the journey of raising their child or family member with disabilities.

Special Shades of Color recently launched a video blog website depicting real-life stories of parents raising their children and young adults with special needs. They share their experiences, challenges, and joys in order to help other parents navigate life with their child. Not only can parents feel supported, but after watching the videos parents can come away with tangle tips and resources to implement in their daily lives.

“As a mother of a son with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism, I’ve long seen the problem of accessible support systems for us parents,” states Special Shades of Color creator DeJuana Golden.

While it is certainly true that there are a multitude of support groups for parents of special needs children, the need to attend meetings outside of the home or the inability to bring your children with you, presents a noticeable obstacle for parents seeking help. Finding babysitting for a disabled child, trusting someone with your disabled child, the embarrassment of sharing with others “how you really feel” can oftentimes be a barrier for parents to seek help, especially for mothers.

“Society tells us that we have to be supermoms and have it all together, regardless of obstacles, unique situations, etc. It builds a lot of pressure, stress and subsequent depression in parents and it’s especially true for special needs parents,” indicates DeJuana Golden.

Parents can easily tune in to Special Shades of Color blogs at the click of their fingers or merely listen to the audio while washing dishes, caring for their children, and tackling daily tasks. While support groups usually meet one day per week, the video blogs are available 24/7 for parents to view. It’s support away from the support group, which these parents often need.

From a basic level, the video blogs allow parent contributors to vent, share and help others in the process. For parent viewers, because of the transparency and honesty of the parent contributors, it let’s them know it’s okay not to be perfect. It gives parents the space and the breath of fresh air to know that the community of special needs parents are all navigating and learning together. It’s a small step, but through the easily accessible online resource it can potentially make a huge difference in the lives of families and children with disabilities.

Special Shades of Color

Started by DeJuana Golden, a mother of CJ, her 12-year-old son with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism; Special Shades of Color is a video blog project aimed at offering parents of special needs children real-life experiences, support, and tips to help them through their journey. Various parents across ethnic and economic status come together to share their journey – it’s candid, natural, no filter account covering everything from development, feeding, social skills, speech, divorce, sibling relationships and much more.

To get more information about Special Shades of Color or be a parent contributor visit: www.specialshadesofcolor.org

Get connected on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialshadesofcolor
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOcTWBdAdsHqF13C_Kkq5tw
Twitter: @SpecialShades