Holiday vacations are weird and stressful, but also maybe a little wonderful. You have to run towards the wonderful part head-on so you don’t miss it.

My son Charlie recently underwent hip reconstruction surgery. If you had asked me what I believed to be the hardest surgery Charlie would have, I would have said the tracheotomy while he was in the NICU. Or perhaps later, the tongue reconstruction, which involved cutting a pie-wedge slice out of his tongue and suturing the… Continue reading When the Answer Isn’t Clear

Bacon, Pumpkin Spice Jo-Jos, String Cheese, Pop Tarts, Peach Rings, Watermelon – this is a list of foods I did not know my son liked two weeks ago. Why? Because I never gave them to him. Why? Well, that’s a longer story. When Charlie was born, he went home from the NICU with a tracheotomy.… Continue reading Ruts are Real and Pumpkin Spice is Amazing

As you and your children are finding your groove in the school year that has not-so-long-ago kicked off, we are all balancing the many demands of work, academics, extracurricular activities, home life, and a social life. It’s a lot, and the balancing act for us and our kids, teens, and young adults requires a great… Continue reading What are Executive Functioning Skills and Why Do We Need Them?

I love Halloween. I always have. My very favorite costume was a white leotard with matching skirt. Both were covered in silver sequins and feathers. I was a dancing swan. My grandmother made it. We went to Walmart to pick out the pattern. It took weeks. I wore it long after Halloween until holes tore… Continue reading Top Three Tips for a Sensory-Friendly Halloween

In July 2021, history was made in the mental health world. An Olympic athlete intentionally chose to pull out of a high-stakes competition in an effort to protect her well-being. Wow. Just wow. She respected that she was not well enough emotionally to be able to perform at her best and decided to support her… Continue reading Parents of Children with Special Needs, Take Care of YOUR Mental Health First

Southwest recently announced that they are ending their fifty-year tradition of the open seating policy. As someone who usually does not like change, I am all for this one. Because can we be honest? It hasn’t been open seating for a long time. Open seating, by definition, means that A, B, and C groups are… Continue reading Southwest’s New Seating Policy Will Help Wheelchair Users

I’ve got homework on the brain lately, as my son Charlie just started middle school and it is all about the homework. They’ve got agendas and to-dos and morning check-ins and because Charlie is mostly nonverbal, these have become my to-dos and check-ins. I don’t mind. It gives me a better feel for his team… Continue reading Need a New Communication Exercise? Try a Bucket List

The Exhaustion of Being “Othered”‘ A friend of mine was recently on an airplane with her daughter. This was an international flight, a long one, and they had just settled into their seats. My friend looked over to find a girl filming her daughter who has limb differences. My friend spoke up, asked the girl’s… Continue reading Languishing in the Disability Community