Please note, I would never ask a therapist, teacher, ESP or doctor/nurse work during this unprecedented pandemic.  However something is happening to families whose child has special needs and we have to talk about it.  

****

Bridget is very lucky. She has forged relationships from her first ever therapists (SPT, OT, PT) through her most current ones. Like parents, these therapists feel helpless during this pandemic that have left them home and our children without any (or limited) education and therapy.

Two of them that I admire most asked me recently to start a dialogue. How can they help us help our children. One previous therapist told me, I worked too hard with Bridget we are not going to let this pandemic break her. Continue reading →

When you have a child you never worry about them outliving you. Heck you hope they do. I have big plans for Abby. Not huge ones. I don’t expect her to mediate world peace, I am not hoping she has a Walton family, I just want her to be a productive member of society and happy. Being happy is important.

As with so many milestones, Bridget is different. Continue reading →

February 7th is PACS1 Day. It’s true, the Governor declared it in Massachusetts. Also the PACS1 parents have declared it world wide. We are a small group of dedicated parents. I am not always sure if I ever give enough credit to the parents of our group. A group that has grown from 13 (when I joined) to over 130 families in the world. And some of the PACS1 parents are not (gasp) on Facebook. Continue reading →

Years ago I wrote a post titled, Shhhh they can hear you. It was about how if a child is non-verbal, it does not mean they cannot hear (and understand) what you are saying.  It is important to remember that our children are always listening. That they might not understand what we always mean and how they interpret what we say can some times be hurtful.

And sometimes it can lead to a comedy of misinformation. Continue reading →

Abby is learning to drive. Which is great and huge. Except Bridget thinks she can drive, too. Recently Abby drove to work and afterwards this happened:

Bridget was moving her booster seat to the drivers seat.

Me: Bridget what are you doing?
Bridget: I can drive, just like Abby
Me: Bridget you cannot drive
Bridget: Yes, I can drive
Me: Um, no
Bridget: Mom I got this, I can drive. I know how
Me: Bridget you are not old or tall enough
Bridget: That’s your issue Continue reading →

A year or so ago Abby got an Alexa for Christmas. Have you seen that car commercial where the mother-in-law is showing up and the daughter-in-law tells Alexa to start the coffee and the roomba?

Me: Alexa clean the bathroom

Abby: mom she’s unplugged and she doesn’t do bathrooms Continue reading →