Before I became a stay-at-home mom/zookeeper to four, I was the director of a nearby autism center. We ran all kinds of programs out of the university-based center but my favorites were the programs that involved the siblings. There was...
One of the toughest things that I can remember while going through the process of all three of my boys being diagnosed as having autism, was knowing where one ended and the others began. That may sound a little bit...
What’d I get myself into when I said, “I do?” Being married and having a special needs kid is like… well, let me back up. When I was in college I had a friend named Dan. Dan ran for student...
My son, B, was diagnosed with PDD-NOS in June 2010. He was 2 1/2. Now, he's almost 5 and we have made remarkable progress through the help of many different strategies. It hasn't been easy, not by a long shot....
Tuesday was the 11 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Both of my children were born after 9/11. However, now that they are 10 years old and almost 8 years old, they are starting to ask some difficult questions...
The first few weeks of September are always hectic. It means back to school and back to a regular routine. There are 5 easy ways to simplify your morning routine. Before my son was diagnosed with autism, I never appreciated...
My daughter is in 11th grade. We have stumbled through new teachers, new classrooms, new schools and IEP overhauls but one constant has been the #1 key to her success in a general eduction setting... PEER SUPPORTS Peer supports are...
Starting a new school year can be full of anxiety for any student (and parent) but for individuals with special needs the anxiety can be much more severe. The typical Meet the Teacher night most likely will not calm the...
When my oldest was about three months old it became clear that there was not a parenting book out there that could help me. She did not meet her milestones. Well she did, just months, sometimes years, after they were...
As a special needs parent to three boys on the autism spectrum, I deal with stress and anxiety on a daily basis. For a very long time I really struggled with everything. I was frustrated and felt helpless. Then a...
In September, I was intrigued during a workshop with teens to hear that a lack of consistency after parental divorce had led a number of teens and their peers to start using pot and to start drinking. I conducted this...
