T21Mom-A Down Syndrome Podcast

Mary talks about Ainsley's palette expansion and the challenges they are facing. Also, Ainsley had her first "official" salon visit and how that all went down!

On today's episode, Mary talks about her recent vacation and how it was so successful. Hint - it involves a large water slide. She shares some of the other fun and adapted activities that they did.  She also talks about how she is creating her own Down syndrome community by hosting a BBQ for her  parent support group that included a water fight, a cookie buffet and fun in the pool!

Mary talks with returning guest, Christine Wiebe, about homeschooling kids with Down syndrome.  Christine believes that anyone can homeschool their child, you just have to have the desire and motivation to do so.  They talk about the myth that homeschoolers lack socialization, the benefits of homeschooling and lots of tips and tricks to get you started or to help you on your journey. Several links...

In this episode Mary talks about her grief and some recent challenging times. She shares some of the tips she is using for self-care, including flowers and knitting. She admits she is not a fabulous knitter, but enjoys it anyways. And she chats about her upcoming getaway that includes wine. Although the isolation is real, know you are not alone.

Mary talks with Rocking Mom, Stephanie, about Childhood Apraxia of Speech, also known as apraxia.  Stephanie shares her journey about her son Odin, who likely has the diagnosis of apraxia of speech and how she has had to fight for services for her son. Stephanie talks about what to look for if you suspect your child has apraxia, and the different types of therapies her son needs. For more informat...

Mary shares about the end of the school year with Ainsley and some of the challenges this past year has brought, the dance recital, and Challenger baseball. She also talks about the ever increasing gap between Ainsley and her peers, and how that has affected her, but also shares her plans for the summer (it includes wine!)

The Essential Guide for Down Syndrome Families. Mary chats with rocking dad and author, Steve Friedman, who wrote “The Essential Guide for Down Syndrome Families.”  This Guide, as Steve likes to call it, is an excellent resource for all families who have a loved one with Down syndrome and how to create a life of independence, regardless of how old your child is. As Steve says, it’s never to late t...

Mary talks about her success at the Farmers Market selling cookies of course, and why she didn’t get a table next to Starbucks at the "Run Up For Down Syndrome". She also talks about the the Boat for Hope, an annual event, put on by Variety, the Children’s Charity, and how much they have done for Ainsley. 

Mary talks with her friend Katie De Nardi Grant, a travel agent that specializes in creating vacations for families that have a child with special needs.  Katie travels a lot with her daughter Sloan, who has Down syndrome and some other medical issues, but this has not stopped her.  If there's a trip you want to take, do it, and Katie shares how.  Katie provides lots of tips on how to navigate fly...

Today is another mini episode and Mary talks about the Run Up For Down Syndrome and her cookie fundraising for the event.  She also talks about the Adaptive Dance that Ainsley has been going to since September and some of the ongoing challenges with that and her lack of participation.  And of course, there's talk about cookies!   DSRF.org

Mary chats with Melissa Hart about her recently released book “Daisy Woodworm Changes the World”, and about growing up with a younger brother who has Down syndrome.  Melissa is a strong advocate for highlighting people with Down syndrome in various media and believes that people with Down syndrome add so much to families and friendships. And find out what happens when her brother Mark meets movie...

This is a mini-episode of Mary sharing what's been on her mind.  She talks about Challenger baseball, Mother's Day, some behaviour issues Ainsley is having at school, and trying to have some success gardening (Dennis is unsure of her success!).

Mary talks with Brady Murray of ROD's Heroes-an organization that is dedicated to helping children in orphanages that have Down syndrome and other disabilities, find their forever homes.  Hear what happens when Brady decides to do an Ironman and allowed to let miracles happen!  ROD's is an incredible organization that believes all children deserve a loving, forever home and to have the chance to s...

Mary chats with Darcy Day on how she learned that her 18 year old son Brady, who has Down syndrome, was able to communicate through spelling! It is a fascinating and heart warming conversation about always assuming competence on our kids. Darcy is on a mission to help people with Apraxia find their voice through spelling to communicate (S2C).  To find out more or to contact Darcy, go to Brand New...

Mary chats with Cristin Condon who is a life coach, meditation teacher and a Marie Kondo professional organizer.  Cristin is a single mom with three kids including her son with Down syndrome and understands how important self-care is for parents of children with disabilities. Cristin has created a plan that helps parents deal with burnout and how we can enjoy our life again without sacrificing our...

Mary talks with Rose Reif, a Licensed Clincical Mental Health Counsellor, about a topic we don’t hear about too often-grief. Rose provides insight and tips on how to handle and manage the grief of our child’s diagnosis. Rose talks about several things around grief-including that your grief does not mean you don’t love your child and why it can be important to schedule time to be sad and so much mo...

Mary has an eye-opening conversation with author Meeka Caldwell about her "My Friend Anian" book series. When Meeka couldn't find any books about Down syndrome and a black family, she decided to write her own.  It's an open conversation about race, Down syndrome and having representation.  Find Meeka's books at BrownBaby321.com or any online retailer.

Mary talks about what's ahead in Series 5.

In this last episode of Season 4, Mary and Ron have a chat about what Christmas will look like this year.   Sleigh Bells SFX Courtesy:  License: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Music Attribution Jingle Bells CC Commons Licence Jingle Bells by Kevin MacLeod | https://incompetech.com/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommon...

Mary talks with filmmakers Olivier & Hilda Bernier. The Bernier's have created a film documenting their son Emilio, who has Down syndrome, and his struggle with inclusion in the school system.

Mary tells tales from the 2022 "Rockin Moms Retreat" in Washington DC. Make sure you have snacks and beverages, it's a long episode!

Mary talks with Dr Jonathon Santoro, Medical Director, Neuroimmunology and Demyelinating Disorders Program Attending Physician, Division of Neurology at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles about regression.  

Mary talks with Sara Peralta, a Behaviour Analyst at the Down syndrome Resource Foundation. Down Syndrome Resource Foundation

Mary talks with Dawn Barclay, author of "Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse". Dawn Barclay's Blog Amazon Link to Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodiverse

Mary has a fascinating discussion with Dr. Vaish Sarathy about functional nutrition. Functional Nutrition Website Dr. Sarathy's Functional Nutrition Podcast