life
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Why College Students / Young Adults Need a POA or DPOA
Your child turns 18. You celebrate. You might cry a little. You might wonder where the last 18 years went. And then, suddenly, something changes that nobody really puts on the giant parenting checklist: You are no longer automatically allowed to handle things for your child. Even if they’re still living at home. Even if… Continue reading
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The Difficult Conversations Disability Forces Us to Have — and Why Every Family Should Have Them
There is something nobody tells you when you have a child with a disability. You are going to have conversations other parents may not have for another twenty years. Or thirty. Or ever. Not because you’re smarter. Not because you’re more prepared. And definitely not because you wanted to. Disability just has a way of… Continue reading
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Supported Decision-Making: What Is an SDM Agreement and How Does It Work?
If you’ve been following my series about adulthood and disability, you’ve probably heard me talk about Supported Decision-Making, or SDM. And if you’re a parent who has spent years making appointments, answering questions, attending IEP meetings, managing paperwork, and helping your child navigate just about everything… you might be wondering: “Okay, but what does supported… Continue reading
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Guardianship and Alternatives: What Parents Need to Know When Your Child Becomes an Adult
Your child turns 18. There is a moment that sneaks up on a lot of special-needs parents. And suddenly, the person you have spent years taking to doctors, attending IEP meetings with, managing medications for, talking to therapists about, and helping make decisions for is legally an adult. You may still be doing most—or all—of… Continue reading
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Caregiver Resources: Where Do You Even Start?
A general guide for finding help when you’re the person everyone depends on Let’s talk about something caregivers are really good at: Doing everything ourselves. Not because we necessarily want to. Because sometimes we don’t know what else to do. Someone needs an appointment. Someone needs transportation. Someone needs help bathing. Someone needs medication. Someone… Continue reading
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IEPs: A Deep Dive Into Goals, Services, Accommodations, and What Parents Should Know
If your child has an IEP, you’ve probably received a document that contains enough acronyms, educational terminology, numbers, percentages, and legal language to make your head spin. And then someone hands it to you and says: “Let us know if you have any questions.” Um…I have approximately 47 questions. Let’s start with the most important… Continue reading
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Your Child was Just Diagnosed. Now What?
Take a deep breath or two. Seriously. If your child was just diagnosed with autism, a developmental disability, a learning disability, a mental health condition, a physical disability, or another condition that means your child may need additional support, you may currently be experiencing about 47 different emotions at the same time. Relief. Fear. Grief.… Continue reading
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Glossary of Acronyms
504Section 504 AACAugmentative and Alternative Communication ABAApplied Behavior Analysis ADRCAging and Disability Resource Center BCBABoard Certified Behavior Analyst BIPBehavior Intervention Plan CMHCommunity Mental Health CVCConsonant, vowel, consonant (reading goals) FAPEFree Appropriate Public Education FBAFunctional Behavioral Assessment IEPIndividualized Education Program IFSPIndividualized Family Support Plan ISPIndividualized Service Plan IDEAIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act LRELeast Restrictive Environment OTOccupational… Continue reading
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New Beginnings
I started this blog in 2024. My son was in the hospital – part of his 88 day stay. I’m sure I’ll get to that. Now that our lives are going back to “normal” around here, I want to help others that might be experiencing what we did. So many resources are hidden, and by… Continue reading
