Parenting Impossible – The Special Needs Survival Podcast

After six years of proposals, feedback and edits, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finalized the Achieving A Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts regulations on Oct. 1, 2020. While some of the regulations were expected or familiar, others were a bit of a surprise. In this episode of Parenting Impossible , Host Annette Hines talks with her favorite podcast guest, her husband Mark Worthington, a...

In this episode of our Parenting Impossible podcast, Annette interviews "warrior woman," Nina Bakoyiannis, to discuss the interwoven framework of disability discrimination in our society that exists both interpersonally and institutionally.  Under her pen name "Despina Bakos," Nina created a blog where she talks more generally about her experiences growing up with a physical disability and the iss...

The death of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has brought a new push for disability rights. In this episode of Parenting Impossible , Host Annette Hines talks to Alison Barkoff, Director of Advocacy at the Center for Public Representation in Washington D.C. They discuss the impact of Justice Ginsburg ' s death on the disability community 's fight for civil rights and wh...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible , Host Annette Hines talks about bringing behavioral analysis training home with her guest, Jessica Guzman. Jessica previously worked as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, or BCBA, in Austin, Texas, to help families navigate challenging behavior for their young children with special needs. She also has a master's in education. Recently, she created her own...

In this special episode of Parenting Impossible , Host Annette Hines welcomes back some of her early podcast guests, Hillary Dunn Stanisz, Cheryl Ryan Chan, and Dave Greenwood, to celebrate the podcast's first anniversary and open the door to the future of conversations about special needs. This episode is also significant because Annette lights a candle for her daughter, Elizabeth , in honor of M...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines talks to sleep consultant Melissa Doman. For more than ten years, Melissa has worked with special needs families who are fed up with sleepless nights and are ready to find solutions despite being told there's nothing that can be done about their child's sleep problems. Annette and Melissa begin their discussion with an explanation of "sle...

In episode 68 of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines speaks with special needs mother Leah Moore. Leah is not only a mother of three but also a writer and high school English teacher. As a writer, she has been featured in several publications including Today's Kids in Motion Magazine, and has her own blog, Loving You Big. Leah is currently working on her first book as well. Leah's life change...

In the words of Parenting Impossible host Annette Hines, "give yourself a break." In this mini-podcast, Annette shares four tips special needs parents and caretakers should consider as they continue to navigate distance learning and new social distancing guidelines associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.   Find or Recreate Your Team: Think about one or two people in your life that can step in and a...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines and guest Matthew Cox discuss what it's like to grow up with a learning disability and how it applies to distance learning in today's climate.   Matthew Cox spent his elementary and middle school years thinking there was something wrong with his brain. For him, school work was a daunting and often embarrassing challenge. He was the kid wh...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines discusses meaningful communication with guest Randi Sargent. Randi created the website SayitwithSymbols.com, the only source dedicated to taking the guesswork out of caring for adults with cognitive/communication challenges by using easy-to-use, picture-based communication aids designed specifically for adult caregiving. Randi was inspire...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines and Employment Law Attorney Rebecca Pontikes discuss the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and how to access different benefits you may be entitled to as a caregiver. Pontikes is the founder of Pontikes Law, LLC and represents employees in all areas of employment law. She specializes in gender and family responsibility (caregiver) d...

Is our education system supporting the needs of kids with disabilities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? That's the question host Annette Hines, Psychologist Allison Brooks, and Special Education teacher Megan Parker discuss during Episode 64 of Parenting Impossible.   Allison Brooks is a psychologist working in the Seattle Washington area. She has an extensive history speaking about topics su...

In this edition of Parenting Impossible, Annette and her husband Mark Worthington discuss what you need to consider during the divorce process as a parent of a special needs child. Mark is Senior Counsel at Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts and is a Professor of Law at Western New England University School of Law. He has also been named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list every year sin...

How do people with special needs get permission to come to the United States for specialized healthcare? In this week's episode of Parenting Impossible, host Annette Hines learns more about the complicated process from Immigration Attorney Linda Osberg-Braun.   Ms. Osberg has served as the Deputy District Counsel for INS (now DHS) and was an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Southern Distri...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, Host Annette Hines and her husband Mark Worthington discuss issues surrounding sending children back to school in the Fall. Annette addresses the additional challenges kids in the special needs community are facing during this transition period and shares her experience with distance learning. "This pandemic has given us an opportunity to look at our educat...

Music therapy is subject near and dear to Parenting Impossible host Annette Hine's heart. In this episode, Roman Music Therapy Services Executive DIrector Meredith Roman Pizzi joins Annette for an in depth discussion on the difference music therapy can make in the special needs community. Ms. Pizzi is a thought leader and passionate champion for the music therapy profession. She's devoted her care...

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed almost every aspect of our lives. This includes how we work, socialize and learn. In Episode 59 of Parenting Impossible, Host Annette Hines and guest Dr. Ingrid Amorini-Klimek address what special needs education could look like in the future. Dr. Amorini-Klimek is a lifelong advocate for special needs families, the sister of a special needs brother, a...

Certified Financial Planner Rob Wrubel joins Annette Hines all the way from Colorado Springs, Colorado for this episode of Parenting Impossible. Rob focuses on financial planning for families with special-needs members. It's a community familiar to him both professionally and personally. Rob is the father to three children, including his 17-year-old daughter Sarah who has Down Syndrome. He is also...

Certified Financial Planner Rob Wrubel joins Annette Hines all the way from Colorado Springs, Colorado for this episode of Parenting Impossible. Rob focuses on financial planning for families with special-needs members. It's a community familiar to him both professionally and personally. Rob is the father to three children, including his 17-year-old daughter Sarah who has Down Syndrome. He is also...

In our Father's Day edition of Parenting Impossible, The Autism Dad Rob Gorski and Annette discuss what it's like being a single Dad to three sons with autism and a well-known voice in the special needs community. Rob's journey started when his son Gavin, now 20, was diagnosed with autism. Not knowing how to cope with the diagnosis, Rob started what he calls a "virtual diary" in 2010. This "virtua...

EP 55: Inside The Mind Of Autistic Author Ido Kedar In this episode of Parenting Impossible, Annette introduces us to 23-year-old Ido Kedar and his mother Tracy. Ido wrote his first memoir, "Ido in Austismland: Climbing Out of Autism's Silent Prison," as a young teenager. The book had a huge impact on the lives of people with autism and their families. It's also successfully challenged members of...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, Annette interviews longtime friend and licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Kate Morrison. Kate specializes in working with families, children, and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities. Annette and Kate discuss what services will look like as Day and Residential Programs begin reopening after...

In this edition of Parenting Impossible, we learn more about a historic school that played a huge role in host Annette Hine's life. Perkins School For The Blind was established 190 years ago and was the first school created for the blind in the United States. Perkins' best-known student, Helen Keller, flourished while studying at Perkins and is highly regarded around the world for her efforts to a...

In this episode of Parenting Impossible, Annette looks back at what inspired her to start this podcast last September. Annette's vision was to create a space where people could come together and talk about issues affecting the special needs community. It was all in honor of her daughter Elizabeth, who passed away from mitochondrial disease in 2013. Despite the pain, Annette learned the importance...

In this edition of Parenting Impossible, Annette speaks with a very special guest, her husband and business partner, Mark Worthington. Mark is Senior Counsel at Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts and is a Professor of Law at Western New England University School of Law. He has also been named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list every year since 2008. Annette and Mark begin with their per...