Special Needs Essentials

In Ohio, we are blessed with 4 seasons! All 4 seasons are experienced in their full glory Fall is by far my favorite season, followed by Spring, then Summer and then lastly Winter. I love the colors of the Fall. The smell of the leaves and pumpkin spice everything and it is sweater weather! When you live in Ohio, the leaves coat the ground pretty much everywhere....

The Crunchy Leaves of Fall In Ohio, we are blessed with 4 seasons! All 4 seasons are experienced in their full glory Fall is by far my favorite season, followed by Spring, then Summer and then lastly Winter. I love the color…

Isn't it funny how life just steps in? I mean I can make the best of plans for something and it sounds good at the time I am making the plans and typically I want to do the thing that is planned. The something changes it all. Life steps in. For so many various reasons. So when I realized that conference night for my son, Michael, had past and I realized just how much life stepped in....

Life Steps In, So Go to Plan B 10/27/23 Isn’t it funny how life just steps in? I mean I can make the best of plans for something and it sounds good at the time I am making the plans and typically I want to do the thing that is plan…

Does life with a child who has special needs ever really hit a stride? Does what we do one week hold true to being the right thing the next? Or do we continue to adapt and change? Adjust and readjust? UMMM? A big NO to the first 2 things And a resounding YES to the last 2 And so goes it with us, we are readjusting and trying something new....

Okay, Everyone Take 5! 9.15.23 Does life with a child who has special needs ever really hit a stride? Does what we do one week hold true to being the right thing the next? Or do we continue to adapt and change? Adjust and readju…

Crunchy Fall Leaves: Allow Yourself a Moment to Reflect

Crunchy Fall Leaves: Allow Yourself a Moment to Reflect Visit the post for more.

It is funny but once in a while I get this nudge that I should be doing something for Elizabeth, like I forgot something. I think of it as the still quiet voice. An example from our past to help you understand better: It was during her middle school years and we were facing a big change: We were getting a substitute teacher for the last part of the year....

2 Takeaways for the New School Year 10/20/23 It is funny but once in a while I get this nudge that I should be doing something for Elizabeth, like I forgot something. I think of it as the still quiet voice. An example from our past to help yo…

In a recent blog, I had just written about self care and the absolute need to incorporate this into you life. So, following my own advice, I met up with a friend for coffee. Because remember: Self care doesn't have to be big. She and I both share the common ground of raising a young adult with special needs but for her it is a bit more in that she is raising 2 young adults with special needs....

Always on Guard But Being Told to Let Go 10/13/23 In a recent blog, I had just written about self care and the absolute need to incorporate this into you life. So, following my own advice, I met up with a friend for coffee. Because remember: Self …

For most of us, it hasn't been that long since the new school year started. Usually enough time to get a feeling for how the school year is going to go. From schedules to homework to after school activities and sports if that pertains. For our children who have special needs, this month helps us guage all that and more. Especially how our children are handling their new classes and the challenges associated with their individual challenges....

New School Year Check In For most of us, it hasn’t been that long since the new school year started. Usually enough time to get a feeling for how the school year is going to go. From schedules to homework to after sc…

When you are in the world of special needs there are times that you have a nice clear path. Say that you know your child will be entering a preschool program. Or you know that you have found a speech therapist who will begin working with your child. That is nice, a plan Then there are the many, many times that you sort of know you are on a path, but you really feel adrift Maybe there are issues at the school or that new speech therapist?...

Two Blue Lines: Why Seeing the Familiar Can Be Comforting. 9/22/23 When you are in the world of special needs there are times that you have a nice clear path. Say that you know your child will be entering a preschool program. Or you know that you have found a spee…

I know as I talk about my daughter Elizabeth, who has special needs. I can go from the highest of highs over something she has done to the lowest of lows over something that happened, or that she struggles with. As I have said before, having a child with special needs is really like being on a rollercoaster. But it is one you don't have any real idea what it is going to do....

Lights, Camera, Action 9/15/23 I know as I talk about my daughter Elizabeth, who has special needs. I can go from the highest of highs over something she has done to the lowest of lows over something that happened, or that she s…

Okay, you have 7.5 minutes to tell me all about yourself. What you like, don't like. What you can do, can't do, struggle with or simply have never tried. Your favorite activities, how long you have been doing them. Oh, and some of your important health information. Like allergies and medications. Now tell me all this when we are in a crowd....

Allow Me To Introduce…8/25/23 Okay, you have 7.5 minutes to tell me all about yourself. What you like, don’t like. What you can do, can’t do, struggle with or simply have never tried. Your favorite activities, how l…

I work out. ALOT! And I have some aches and pains from it and from.... getting older. No big deal.... until it was And it was called a stress fracture in my back. It made me so upset too and I kind of have an idea how it happened but suffice it to say that the resulting events and discomfort have led me to get some physical therapy (PT) for this stupid back....

I am a good listener- another gift of Elizabeth 8/11/23 I work out. ALOT! And I have some aches and pains from it and from…. getting older. No big deal…. until it was And it was called a stress fracture in my back. It made me so upset too an…

So, update time. We are not doing vision therapy right now. For now. Elizabeth did so well with it and we did the work nearly everyday. And it was her one companion that was reading with her that said just how great her reading was. So I tried it with her and she did great. She was able to work on her computer without complaint and to do some budget work with much more ease....

We Aren’t Doing Vision Therapy…For Now 8/5/23 So, update time. We are not doing vision therapy right now. For now. Elizabeth did so well with it and we did the work nearly everyday. And it was her one companion that was reading with her that s…

Happy Birthday to You... Wow, I can't believe she is 26 years old today. Happy Birthday to You... I wonder what the next 26 years will look like for Elizabeth? Happy Birthday to dear Elizabeth I hope Elizabeth is happy with how her life is going! Happy Birthday to You... I pray God blesses your path, my angel Elizabeth. Yes, that is the official transcript of my thought process as she is ready to blow out her candles…...

Birthday Thoughts: Be Kind to You 7/29/23 Happy Birthday to You… Wow, I can’t believe she is 26 years old today. Happy Birthday to You… I wonder what the next 26 years will look like for Elizabeth? Happy Birthday to dear …

I don't know about you but for some reason when the calendar turns to July, I think that summer just sort of speeds up. It seems like it goes nice and slowly for the month of June and then once July 4th hits it is kind of a down hill speed up until you look up and see that August is RIGHT there....

Mid Summer Check In 7/14/23 I don’t know about you but for some reason when the calendar turns to July, I think that summer just sort of speeds up. It seems like it goes nice and slowly for the month of June and then on…

Birthday Thoughts- Be Kind to You

Birthday Thoughts- Be Kind to You Visit the post for more.

I have a wonderful daughter, she is the first born of the family. Emily is someone who is so unique, she is like a tapestry of wonderful. She can tell you some breaking news, followed by something about eating organically then find you some talking citrus fruit on the internet. She is full of love, for us, for life, for her now fiance, Ben and especially for her siblings.......

But Don’t You Want to Go? 7/6/23 I have a wonderful daughter, she is the first born of the family. Emily is someone who is so unique, she is like a tapestry of wonderful. She can tell you some breaking news, followed by something …

Smiling Happy Full of enjoyment All is well and on and on go the images that we share and see on social media sites. But are they really all those things that the images are showing? As a parents and caregivers of children with special needs, we know just hard our kids work in their lives. To do the things that others can do with little or no effort....

Behind the Images We See 7/1/23 Smiling Happy Full of enjoyment All is well and on and on go the images that we share and see on social media sites. But are they really all those things that the images are showing? As a parents a…

/I can remember leaving the school at the end of a school year with young Elizabeth And beginning the transition to summer. As we did this, I was excited for summer but also aware of the fact that we had many things to work on. Things that were clearly listed on the IEP. The very IEP that we had probably signed off on a mere month prior....

Did They Just Say That?…..6/22/23 /I can remember leaving the school at the end of a school year with young Elizabeth And beginning the transition to summer. As we did this, I was excited for summer but also aware of the fact that …

Elizabeth, next time we go to your Uncle's house, you can't ask him when you can leave. It isn't good manners. Elizabeth, when you are in church next time, remember that you shouldn't ask what is for lunch after church in a loud voice Ok, those are just 2 excerpts from probably 5 million teaching moments we have had with and for Elizabeth in her life....

Summer Get Togethers….What to Expect 6/15/23 Elizabeth, next time we go to your Uncle’s house, you can’t ask him when you can leave. It isn’t good manners. Elizabeth, when you are in church next time, remember that you shoul…

No more pencils, no more books..... I think we all know the rest of this little rhyme. But the fact is that summer is a time when learning really cannot be put away. I can remember as a kid that we did NOTHING in the summer that was at all reminiscent of school and when we started the new school year, the teachers would begin working on concepts and things that we had learned at the END of the previous year....

The Summer Slide…How to Avoid It 6/9/23 No more pencils, no more books….. I think we all know the rest of this little rhyme. But the fact is that summer is a time when learning really cannot be put away. I can remember as a kid tha…

So the conversation started out with my husband and I thinking of something fun we wanted to do with Michael and Elizabeth. We thought it was a great idea. One that would be relaxing and fun. And since the weather was supposed to be nice on that weekend, we were sure it would be great. So we planned it in our heads....

Take a Moment and Get Some Opinions 5/27/23 So the conversation started out with my husband and I thinking of something fun we wanted to do with Michael and Elizabeth. We thought it was a great idea. One that would be relaxing and fun. And s…

I know that many people ask me how I did or rather, better, how WE did all that we did for Elizabeth? How did you know what to do? Is another question that I get all the time and the truth is that throughout the journey with Elizabeth we have had the good and blessed fortune of having some really wonderful people on her team....

Forest and the Trees… Forest and the Trees! 5/23/23 I know that many people ask me how I did or rather, better, how WE did all that we did for Elizabeth? How did you know what to do? Is another question that I get all the time and the truth is that …

Ok, so.... Monday is usually a work out with her trainer who is also the owner and instructor for Gymsters. (which is also where Elizabeth works.) She has been a friend and working with motor skills and now fitness with Elizabeth for over 19 years. But she texted us that she has to move Elizabeth's workout to another day because she has to make up a class for Gymsters and that we will talk about when that will be sometime this week....

Flexible….Again?5/19/23 Ok, so…. Monday is usually a work out with her trainer who is also the owner and instructor for Gymsters. (which is also where Elizabeth works.) She has been a friend and working with motor s…

I was listening to my friend tell me her son was coming home from college for the summer. I was also thinking about how much that changes, in a good way, the ebb and flow of the house. She was telling me that she has to think of food and activities and because he has some special needs, driving him to work and activities....

Our Planning for Summer 5/12/23 I was listening to my friend tell me her son was coming home from college for the summer. I was also thinking about how much that changes, in a good way, the ebb and flow of the house. She was tell…

4/28/23 I will start this blog off with a disclaimer that in no way am I bragging about anything at all. I am only saying that it all simply worked well this week. I LOVED MY TIME WITH ELIZABETH There, I said it. And for those who have ready any and all of my posts, you know that we have had our fair share of challenges in the 25+ years that she and I have been on this journey together....

What a Stay-cation! 5/5/23 4/28/23 I will start this blog off with a disclaimer that in no way am I bragging about anything at all. I am only saying that it all simply worked well this week. I LOVED MY TIME WITH ELIZABETH Th…

Soon Elizabeth will be looking at her next birthday and every year it sets me thinking! About what? Read on.. She will be looking at birthday #26! Wow, hard to believe. I know her birthday is a few months off but as I have been organizing some things for a vacation, thinking about some tests Michael is taking in May, I couldn’t help but raise my eyes to the month of June....

Thinking Begins With Spring 4/28/23 Soon Elizabeth will be looking at her next birthday and every year it sets me thinking! About what? Read on.. She will be looking at birthday #26! Wow, hard to believe. I know her birthday is a few…

In an update to last week's blog, I was able to create a list of people who can be part of Elizabeth's world when we are headed to a game for Michael...in the words of my dear friend, Lynne....WOO-HOO! So something that has been on my mind a great deal lately and I think it is due to the fact that we are into year 2 of the pandemic, is how well are our goals are set for Elizabeth?...

What Do We Do Now In an update to last week’s blog, I was able to create a list of people who can be part of Elizabeth’s world when we are headed to a game for Michael…in the words of my dear frien…

The thought that summer time is coming may not have even crossed your mind but when you have a child with special needs, you have to plan for so much for things and it is always best to plan ahead From the therapies to the sitters. From the activities like camps to their quiet time activities. The who, what, where, when and why of summer for your child need to be looked at sooner than later…...

Summer Plans- Get Ahead of the Game! 4/14/24 The thought that summer time is coming may not have even crossed your mind but when you have a child with special needs, you have to plan for so much for things and it is always best to plan ahead …

I know I used to see the calendar flip into April and although I love spring, I would start to think about the work that was soon to be required of me for the IEP process for my daughter, Elizabeth. For those who don't know, my daughter Elizabeth has special needs. Specifically she has Global Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD....

IEP Thoughts 4/7/23 I know I used to see the calendar flip into April and although I love spring, I would start to think about the work that was soon to be required of me for the IEP process for my daughter, Elizabeth…

As sure as the first flowers are arriving, so IEP time. It almost sounds celebratory….but for those who have a special needs child, we know it is not like that. You are there for an important reason, at a table with many people and the tension. So with an Elizabeth lifetime of IEP prep times, meetings, re-evaluations and IEP adjustments, I wanted to tell you what I have learned and maybe this will help someone who needs to hear it....

The First Flowers of Spring and an IEP 3/31/23 As sure as the first flowers are arriving, so IEP time. It almost sounds celebratory….but for those who have a special needs child, we know it is not like that. You are there for an important reaso…