Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms

64 | Baking A Difference - Unveiling the Hidden Workforce in the Disabled Community How did Ellie Crossland turn her passion for baking into a thriving business that champions inclusivity? Join us as this young passionate entrepreneur and one of her "Boogie Guides" (aka employees) from SuperDuper Cookie Company share the heartfelt journey behind her mission to provide meaningful employme...

63 | Organizing Your IEP Documents with April Rehrig Managing special education documents can often feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode, we reveal practical strategies to keep your child's important educational records organized and easily accessible. Discover how a dedicated file folder or binder can become your best ally in maintaining order, and learn the benef...

62 | Practical Tips for Navigating Puberty With Our Special Needs Daughters Imagine the whirlwind of emotions when you realize your daughter, who has special needs, is approaching puberty. That's precisely the scenario Heather Mannings faced with her daughter Mackenzie, who has autism. On this episode, Heather joins me on the podcast to share her journey from panic to proactive preparation. To...

61 | 2024 Summer Replay Series: Transitioning Back To School One more in my Summer Replay Series before we hit the ground running and get in to new and exciting content for Fall of 2024! I hope you had a nice break (I did!) and are starting to plant the seeds in your kids (and in your own mind) that back to school is right around the corner! Are you prepared? If not, do not worry! Courtney Howard...

60 | 2024 Summer Replay Series -- Traveling with Your Special Needs Child Enjoy this replay from last year where I discuss all the things I have learned over the years when it comes to traveling with our special needs children. I will be taking a break for the summer and returning on August 6th, 2024 with a brand new season! Happy Summer! xoxo Hey! Are you a parent of a loved one with a disability...

59 | 2024 Summer Replay Series: Getting Ready for Camp with your Special Needs Child It's that time of year again -- planning for summer camps for our child! Whether your child is attending a long overnight camp, a day camp through a local not-for-profit, or even a Vacation Bible School, here are some tips that can help you pack and prepare! This is a replay from an episode really early in my...

58 | Advocating for Adults with Disabilities: Why We Need to Start Now Join me on this week's episode as I share my thoughts about a concerning recent event regarding discrimination against the Star Program at the Notre Dame School of Dallas, and how it became abundantly clear to me that advocating for adults with intellectual disabilities is still very much needed in our society. From childho...

57 | The Power of Community for Special Needs Families with Jessica Patay From my own experience and in speaking with countless other caregiver moms, it is imperative that we find a way to access community and foster connections with other special needs and caregiver moms. Jessica Patay is not only doing that for herself but for others in the disability community too. Jessica shares her experience...

56 | Special Needs Parenting: A Father's Perspective In honor of Father's Day coming up next month, I am bringing to you (albeit a bit early!) this conversation with my amazing husband, Mike O'Brien, as he shares his own perspective on the complexities and joys of raising our children, particularly our daughter Casey who has Down syndrome. Listen in as Mike opens up about the ways Case...

55 | Crafting a Letter of Intent For Your Special Needs Child Unlock the peace of mind that comes with knowing your special needs child will be cared for with the compassion and understanding they deserve, even after you're no longer able to do so yourself. This episode provides an essential roadmap for establishing a care plan called the Letter of Intent, a non legal but important document th...

54 | Sensible Solutions For Better Sleep: Getting Rid of That Chairdrobe! Ever found yourself waging war against the ever-growing mound of clothing known as the chairdrobe? I am betting you know what I am talking about. And you are not alone. Join us as we unravel the mysteries of maintaining a clutter-free bedroom, ensuring that our sanctuaries of sleep remain just that—sanctuaries. I discuss res...

53 | Balancing the Tightrope Between Technology and our Teens How do you strike a balance between your child's digital world and the need for healthy development, especially when your child has special needs? For me, it took an act of defiance and a really awful night to know that it was time to intervene. Excessive screen time was taking its toll, leading to bouts of irritability and a notice...

52 | Disability Representation In The Arts: A Conversation with Author Gina Andrew We all know that the power of storytelling can be one of helping to develop empathy and compassion for people and situations they might otherwise not be aware of. Today I welcome Gina Andrew, a writer and mother to two boys with autism and intellectual disabilities, to share her journey and her new book "Maybe...

51 | Time Management as Part of a Self Care Routine for Special Needs Moms: Let's Get Real with Cristin Condin Listen in as Cristin Condin joins us to share her invaluable experiences, transitioning from a speech and language pathologist to a life coach (and a decluttering background to boot!) with a heart for special needs moms. Together, Cristin and I unpack the the unique challenges of rais...

50 | Strengthening Your Marriage in the Midst of Special Needs Parenting Imagine walking a path that constantly tests your resilience, one where you must balance the joys of parenthood with the unique challenges of raising a child with special needs. This is the journey that Eric and Christen Freund from Hope on the Hard Road have embarked on, and in our heart-to-heart conversation, they graciousl...

49 | Conquer Your Clutter Part 3: The Financial Trap Ever held onto an expensive coat you never wear, just because it cost a pretty penny? We've all felt the sting of buyer's remorse, but what if there was a way to reclaim your space and your sanity from the clutches of clutter? Join me as we wrap up my three-part journey on mastering the mayhem of clutter. This final chapter shines a ligh...

48 | Conquer Your Clutter Part 2: The Practical Trap Have you ever felt the walls of your home closing in, not because the space is shrinking, but because the stuff keeps growing? This latest episode is the second in a 3 part series that tackles the beast of clutter from a practical perspective, offering guidance and psychological insights to help you streamline your space. We delve into the menta...

47 | Conquer Your Clutter Part 1: The Emotional Trap Is your home cluttered with objects that tug at your heartstrings, making it impossible to let go? Today's podcast will guide you through the emotional battlefield of decluttering, offering new perspectives on the guilt, nostalgia, and sentimentality that often anchor us to our belongings. We'll navigate these feelings by providing refle...

46 | 21 Things About Disability Parenting I Wish I Knew 21 Years Ago (when I was pregnant with my daughter with Down Syndrome) To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st of this week (and the 1 year anniversary of this podcast!) I'm peeling back the curtain on a 21-year voyage filled with insights that have both challenged and changed me, from navigating public perceptions to fostering...

45 | Everything No One Told You About Parenting a Disabled Child with Kelley Coleman When we learn that our child has been diagnosed with a disability, most parents say they wish there was a handbook, a guide, anything that they could refer to help them navigate the complexities of raising a disabled child. That handbook hasn't really existed, until now. Kelley Coleman is here to help us shine...

44 | Estate Planning for Special Needs Caregivers: How To Start Now As a caregiver of someone with disabilities, the reality of planning for the future becomes a tapestry of legal knowledge and deep compassion. My guest, attorney Adriane Grace, knows this all too well, as her law practice focuses entirely on estate planning for families of people with disabilities. This discussion goes beyond the...

43 | The Four T's of Decluttering Here is another way to look at categorizing the items in our home so that we can get a better idea of what we can hang on to and what we can let go of! Check out the Four T's of Decluttering: Tools : What we love and what we use in our home. (Our coffee maker or our favorite blanket) Treasures : What we love but not necessarily use a lot (or at all) in our...

42 | Unlocking Their Voice With The SPELLERS Method with Darcy Day Do you as a disability mom wish you could communicate better with your child? Do you wonder what your nonverbal child is thinking or feeling in their body, in their head, and in their heart? Do you wish they could tell you when they’re anxious or scared prior to them, showing you their physical symptoms? These are questions that I...

41 | DOOM Piles and Documents Do you have any DOOM piles in your home? Do you even know what they are? If you or someone you love has ADHD you may have heard of them. DOOM stands for Didn't Organize, Only Moved. And that is what a lot of people, especially those who might have ADHD do when they say they are organizing their papers or their files. However, as the acronym says, these files are n...

40 | Guiding the Growth of the Neurodivergent Child Have you ever been at the grocery store or Target with your child and for whatever reason their nervous system goes into overdrive and they have a meltdown. The yelling, the waving of the arms the kicking of the feet , the terror in their eyes. We’ve all been that parent. It’s so stressful in that moment for us as parents but when we start to tak...