Our Content
Perspectives For Parents:
Advice & Support from Parents & Caregivers
Finding Connection and Community as a Parent of a Child with a Disability
April 17, 2019
As parents at Exceptional Lives, when we write our Guides for parents, we imagine ourselves in your shoes. We remember what it was like early on in our school journey or how overwhelming it was to think about the transition process. We remember how tired we were when our children weren’t sleeping, or how stressful…
Read moreHow to encourage Self-Advocacy
April 8, 2019
Last week, my 7 year old and I went to his class to talk about his disability. Here’s what I learned: 1. Humor is a great way to connect with people and keep it light. Even when we are talking about heavy topics, everyone appreciates some comic relief now and then! 2. This time was…
Read moreUnderstanding Your Child’s Strengths and Challenges
February 6, 2019
No one knows your child better than you! This is why you are key to finding the right supports and activities that are most likely to help your child thrive. But it can still take effort to make sure that you understand how their disability affects them. The better you understand this, the better you…
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“How Do I Help My Son Engage in Sports Activities?”
February 4, 2019
Last week, I looked into a soccer program for my son. It has been a couple of years since we’ve tried community sports programs and I wondered, “Is he ready?” Immediately that other little part of me that is always wagging her finger at my worrying self replied, “Presume competence! Assume he’s ready and see…
Read moreTalk to My Son
January 17, 2019
We want our children to have control over their thoughts and emotions as much as possible. We teach them to better identify how they’re feeling and what they need. We want them to have the confidence to try. If they fail, we encourage them to try again. We hope they advocate for themselves in whatever…
Read moreTraveling While Parenting
December 6, 2018
I have thought many times that there should be a parade or at minimum a marching band for solo parents exiting planes or arriving at their road trip destination with their children in tow. Traveling with children is a sport. You mentally prepare, you physically prepare, you envision all of the potential scenarios. Is everyone…
Read moreBut First, Sleep.
September 28, 2018
When you are exhausted, just getting through the day can be challenging. When you are a parent of a child with a disability and you are exhausted AND your child is exhausted, ‘challenging’ is an understatement. Many of our children have struggled or continue to struggle with sleep. It’s one of the first shared experiences…
Read more“Is this normal?” …and other things I Google at 1AM
July 20, 2018
One of my favorite things to share about Exceptional Lives is that people access our resources the most between the hours of 10PM and 2AM. When I learned this fact, I nodded in agreement and immediately recalled many nights pulling out the computer or squinting at the bright phone in the dark to search for…
Read moreThe Beautiful Moments
May 24, 2018
*This post appeared in The Mighty, May 2018 Sometimes we all need a little more. It looks different for all of us: more attention or more alone time, more cuddles or more space, more structure or more flexibility. Maybe it’s a developmental stage, maybe it’s circumstance, mood or personality. Whatever it is, we notice and…
Read moreRead Beyond the Headline
May 4, 2018
In today’s digital world, it is easy to take headlines at face value. We have so much information coming at us all of the time that we might see a headline or skim an article without reading the full piece. Sharing an article as fact without digging deeper to check sources or compare findings…
Read moreDon’t Look the Other Way
March 29, 2018
People freeze in unknown situations. It’s normal. And it’s why I became interested in this field in the first place. I was reminded of this earlier today.I ran out to grab lunch and while I was waiting for my bagel - headphones in my ears because I was on the phone, face-down looking at…
Read moreSports and Inclusion: Raising Athletes of all Abilities
March 1, 2018
I dare you to watch this trailer for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games and not feel motivated, encouraged or proud. And maybe a little taken over by emotion recognizing all of the strength, determination and heart of those athletes. (I’m not crying, you’re crying…) It’s easy for sports to fall to the bottom of our…
Read moreWhat happens when I’m gone? Planning for Adult Children with Special Needs
February 8, 2018
Your calendar is coordinated to keep track of appointments for your adult child with special needs. Your to-do list includes researching programs that you’ve heard of or meeting with an advisor to plan financial details. You know that no matter how invested in work, friends, or anything else, you are available if your adult child…
Read moreChecking the Boxes: Diagnosis and Belonging
January 24, 2018
During a past focus group for Exceptional Lives, we received the following feedback: “If I see a particular diagnosis mentioned, or I don’t see my child’s diagnosis, I assume it’s not for me.” This makes perfect sense. As parents and caregivers, we have a lot of information to sift through; we need to know what…
Read moreHow to Win When You Play to Lose
January 17, 2018
Everybody loves to win. Children naturally infuse winning into their day; “First one to the slide gets (fill in the blank)”, “My (fill in the blank) is (better, bigger, stronger) than yours!” I’ll admit, as a mom, I do it too! I almost always regret it, but when the three boys take on sloth-like qualities…
Read more18 Ways to Help a Special Needs Family in 2018
January 11, 2018
Why special needs families need help:Before I became a parent, I thought a little extra hard work would be enough to make it through the valleys of parenthood. When I became a special needs parent, goodness, I realized how wrong I was. M. Lin says it well in this post: Parenting is already an…
Read more3 Reminders for Parents of Kids with Disabilities in 2018
January 2, 2018
1. You are an expert in your childYou know your child best. You have watched your child grow, tracked milestones, and sought help when your parental instinct told you something might not be quite right. You know the techniques that will calm an outburst, the language that will get your child back on task,…
Read moreParenting and the Holidays: How to Stay Mindful
December 5, 2017
I love the holiday season. But let’s be honest, for every beautiful cookie exchange or flawless school play posted online, there’s a disaster in the kitchen or a meltdown in the car that was not on social media for all to see. I consider myself a glass half-full person. That does not mean that I’m…
Read moreHow to Get Ready to Look for Work While Parenting a Child with Special Needs
November 20, 2017
Last month we received a comment from a reader pointing out the all-too-familiar challenge of looking for work while also parenting a child with special needs. In our culture, it is hard to be successful in the working world when you are so needed at home. This really struck a chord with me and I…
Read moreWhere to Start: Choosing the Best Supports and Therapies for Your Child
November 20, 2017
Each new stage in life brings developmental changes and opportunity for growth and learning. It also opens new doors to an ever-changing list of possible therapies or community activities. Development is made up of so many key aspects of ourselves. How do we decide which ones to prioritize over the others? “I want to set…
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