“When life feels hard and broken, it’s because life is hard and families often do feel broken”(John Tallen) But with support, even struggling families can thrive!
Redefining Health: Why TFS Exists
People often start their story at a milestone a major event that changed everything. Maybe that’s what Tallen Families Stories is supposed to be.
But let’s be real: this website wasn’t born from some magical moment of clarity or perfection. There was no sudden diagnosis that made the future feel bright. The opposite is true. Tallen Families Stories is about the mess. The chaos. The raw beauty of real life.
It’s built on one stubborn declaration:
When life is overwhelming and families feel stress the support, from others families that survived similar trails can truly make the difference needed to overcome. This site, much like me, is imperfect. Think of your favorite socks knitted by Grandma maybe with a hole in the toe. Still warm. Still worth holding onto.
What Health Really Means
When we talk about “health” or “disabilities,” we’re using broad terms. Health isn’t just six-pack abs or catching one cold a year. It’s how our bodies, brains, and hearts help us love, learn, and live with purpose.
- Burnout? Been there.
- Stress? Got the T-shirt.
- That deep, aching “I’m tired but also emotionally bankrupt” feeling? I could give a TED Talk on it—but instead, I started writing Parent Hacks blogs.
If you or your children live with chronic illness or pain, you already know: even the happiest moments can feel like emotional Jenga. You can build something beautiful—but some days, it all wobbles.
At TFS, when the storm hits, whether you have an umbrella or not, you’ll find hope or at least a healthy distraction.
My Journey So Far
From teacher to principal.
From early childhood education to palliative and dementia care.
From restaurant kitchens to this very project.
Every step of my life, I advanced in career. This isn’t a brag I rarely felt comfortable in my Positions as there were achieved through mental and physical struggles. I’ve had several resets in which I finally think I made it I can focus on maintaining what I built only to have medical flare or new life emergency happen. I chose to start over, again and again, rather than give up.
Not long ago, with a team of doctors, my skin condition cleared. Pain was still there, but it was managed. Life felt like it was leveling up. My team even won awards, proving we could survive in a world of health restrictions.
But then… the healthcare system cracked. My doctor retired. Medications became unaffordable. Employment strained under the weight of missed dosages. And yet, through it all, I found something better than stability: purpose.
So when people asked how I was doing, I stopped pretending. I answered honestly—and then asked myself the harder question: “What am I going to do about it?”
Tallen Families Stories is my answer. A social education project built to connect parents, educators, and children using modern technology.
What Families Deserve from TFS
At TFS, parents control the flow of blogs like these. You choose what’s helpful and what isn’t. You guide us.
- We build custom stories to help children prepare for surgeries or hardships.
- We create educational tools for inclusion (see our This Ables section).
- We believe children naturally welcome others when adults are confident enough to explain and answer questions.
I’ve seen it myself. As a 17-year-old coach, I watched a quadriplegic child take the wrestling mat for the first time. Parents worried, but I treated him like any other competitor. With laughter and encouragement, he pinned me in front of a roaring crowd. The other wrestlers cheered louder than for any gold medal match.
That’s what inclusion looks like. That’s what family looks like.
Final Word
Tallen Families Stories isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up—imperfect, determined, and full of love. It’s about redefining health and building communities where no one is left behind.
Because life is hard. Families do struggle. But together, we can thrive.
“The truth is I know that even small beginnings can lead to powerful journeys”! John Tallen
