We give birth to innocent, tiny babies and make an unspoken vow to protect them and keep them happy forever. In those early months, surviving on inconsistent sleep and milk stains, parenting feels manageable once you find your rhythm. You realize you can keep your little one comfortable simply by anticipating his needs and making… Continue reading Passing the Torch of Anxiety: How Anxious Parents Raise Anxious Kids

When my son Charlie was officially diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age one, I remember breathing a deep sigh. We knew it was coming, but something about going through the tests in the tiny room at the hospital with the airplane wallpaper and documenting it in his chart made it real. I wasn’t sad. I… Continue reading Early Intervention is Not the End

For many families, summer is associated with freedom, relaxation, and a welcome break from the demands of the school year. Yet for some children and teens, the transition from the structure of school to the flexibility of summer can actually increase anxiety. Children thrive on predictability. During the school year, they know when to wake… Continue reading When Summer Isn’t So Relaxing: Understanding Anxiety During the Summer Months

We are traveling to Charleston, South Carolina this summer. This will be our one vacation of the year. We stay in my in-laws’ condo, we walk down to the pool and the beach, we eat all the seafood, and my husband and I sit out on the balcony in the morning to watch the sun… Continue reading New Travel Challenges

Every July we celebrate National Sandwich Generation Month to honor the selfless dedication of the caregivers who balance raising children and caring for an elderly relative.   This resource page is dedicated to Sandwich Generation caregivers. “Sandwich Generation” refers to primary caregivers that are “sandwiched” between two generations of people who require care, i.e. they… Continue reading Resources for Sandwich Generation Caregivers

Remember the time when our generation was bored? Remember when we sat in the back of the car and stared out the window and came up with silly games because we didn’t have an electronic device to keep us occupied during long (or even short) rides? Somewhere along the way, childhood stopped being slow. It… Continue reading Let’s Let Our Kids Be Bored Again

This past January, Tennessee (and most of the southeast) was hit with the worst winter storm we have ever seen. It began warm. Then it rained. Then the temperature dropped and it turned to sleet. That sleet turned to ice on the streets and trees. This was then followed by snow and single digit temperatures… Continue reading Unavoidable Circumstances

The world is coming out of its shell. Can you feel it? Green leaves unfurl from trees. Birds chat louder and earlier in the morning. The light stretches into night and we begin to dust off our grills and shake the last cobwebs of winter.   This is my son Charlie’s favorite season. He goes… Continue reading Summer Hacks for Wheelchair Users

I am sitting in the waiting room of the O.R. at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. It is a cloudy morning and the streets are damp with overnight rain. No one looks quite awake yet. There are fleece blankets draped over legs and Elmo’s World plays on the television in the corner. Despite the weary atmosphere, the… Continue reading Manufactured Calm