Columns

So often, I read posts and comments from special needs parents who have horrible encounters when people interact with their children. Through the years, I’ve experienced a few myself. However, that wasn’t the case today for me or my 12-year-old Angel, Juliana. Because Juliana has less than two weeks until…

Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to enjoy the satisfying and nutritional advantages of a fruit smoothie. In our house, however, smoothies aren’t just for summer. Since kindergarten, our 12-year-old Angel, Juliana, has had a morning smoothie at school to supplement her breakfast.

Since our 12-year-old Angel, Juliana, was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome (AS), the paper in our house seems to have tripled. There is so much documentation involved in raising a child with special needs. These documents range from evaluations to individualized education programs (IEPs) to progress reports. To keep it…

I never planned to keep anything from my 12-year-old Angel’s hospital stay in 2011. But for some odd reason, two tiny, cute robes she wore during the four-day admission survived the transition home. Juliana now wears one as a makeshift apron when she’s eating. Her 10-year-old sister, Jessa, uses the…

I’m a big believer in sharing wins and not just challenges. Unfortunately, challenges, conflict, or a shocking headline is what draws attention. In full disclosure, there is no shocking tale here. However, there is a simple story about making the best of things when a curveball comes our way.

Napping is a great tool to balance out the hyperactivity and the extra energy that Angels seem to have. Even a short nap, often referred to as a power nap or a catnap, can make all the difference in improving behavior. Upon first glance, taking naps may seem counterintuitive…

Stress is something special needs parents know all too well. After all, we live it every day. However, that doesn’t mean it has to take control over us all the time. With April being Stress Awareness Month, it’s a good time for us to think about the stressors in our…

Much of my time and effort as a parent is spent taking care of my 12-year-old Angel, Juliana. That’s the nature of being a special needs parent of a child with Angelman syndrome. But Juliana also has a 10-year-old sister, Jessa, and it’s quite a balancing act for me to…

As I drive around my neighborhood, there is no shortage of CBD shops within a 10-mile radius. They’re so prevalent that I thought it was time to seriously consider introducing cannabidiol to my 12-year-old Angel, Juliana. I joked with my husband that I was going to get some CBD lotion…

There is a bit of March Madness going on in my home right now. And I’m not talking about the kind that revolves around basketball. Our March Madness involves the chaos of home improvements. Some people thrive in chaos, but I don’t, and our 12-year-old Angel, Juliana, usually doesn’t, either.