Author: Mariah Z Leach

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Ravyn’s Doll – How to explain fibromyalgia to your child. By Melissa Swanson Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. Ravyn’s kindergarten class is learning about health, and each child is assigned to make a paper doll patient to represent someone they love who is…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! The Perfect Shelter by Clare Helen Welsh Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. Two sisters are building a shelter out in the woods – the perfect shelter – but the little girl…

If at all possible, I try to avoid having my kids tag along to my medical appointments. Having kids in the exam room with you can make it difficult to focus, it can be distracting and disruptive, and it can be downright exhausting – particularly if it’s an appointment you didn’t really feel like going to in the first place. But, as a mom living with a chronic illness, I have a lot of medical appointments. And unfortunately finding childcare isn’t always practical or possible. Sometimes I have no choice but to arrive, kid in tow. I think having child…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! How Many Marbles Do YOU Have? Helping Children Understand The limitations of Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia By Melinda Malott Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. In this brightly colored…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Gentle Hugs by Lily Guzman Mariah Z. Leach received a copy of this book as a gift from the author. She was not compensated for this review and all opinions are her own. Gentle Hugs, by Lily Guzman, tells the story of a young boy named Alex and the adventures he has with his mom and his…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Noah the Narwhal: A Tale of Downs and Ups By Judith Klausner Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away to a reader in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to Mariah Z. Leach. On Monday, Noah the narwhal wakes up feeling fine. He goes…

Parenting is very demanding – and every stage of childhood presents new challenges. For parents also living with the pain and fatigue of arthritis, parenting can become even more complex. While each family is unique, below you will find a link to an article with seven strategies that might help. 7 Strategies for Parenting While Living with Arthritis (Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance – CAPA)

No. How can two little letters feel so challenging to say? Saying “no” when someone makes a request of you can feel so uncomfortable. Or, depending on who is doing the asking, sometimes it feels downright impossible. Why Saying “No” Is So Challenging As children, most of us spent our formative years learning how to say “yes” to our parents and teachers and other adult expectations. While obviously it’s important for children to listen to the adults in their lives, advocating for yourself is a learned skill that many of us were simply never taught. Society also tends to place…

I told this true story at a Story Collective event held at the Junkyard Social Club in Boulder, Colorado on April 30, 2022. It was some ungodly hour of the morning, before the sun had even come up. I was standing at the nursery window after feeding my newborn for the millionth time. I stood looking out into the darkness, my arms aching as I gently patted his back, when I felt a gush of spit up go straight down the front of my shirt. My firstborn was what they call a “happy spitter.” He wasn’t in any sort of…

Sometimes kids need help understanding chronic illness and disability, as well as recognizing and processing their own feelings. We hope these topics are an ongoing discussion in your family, and we love to review children’s books that may help you along the way! Why Does Mommy Hurt? – Helping Children Cope with the Challenges of Having a Caregiver with Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia, or Autoimmune Disease By Elizabeth M. Christy Mamas Facing Forward purchased a copy of this book to review, and then gave it away to a reader in a raffle on Instagram. All opinions in this review belong to…