Blog - Amy Julia Becker

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A cluttered desk with an open laptop surrounded by scattered sticky notes, papers, pens, and office supplies, with colorful notes and a blue crumpled sheet in the foreground.

How to Create Spiritual Rhythms When Life Is Unpredictable

September 25, 2026

I have a planner that asks me to write down my “ideal week,” and every week I write down that I want all of my

I’m holding baby Penny in my arms outdoors. She wears a white dress and looks into my eyes as I smile at her.

Is Parenting a Child With a Disability Harder?

September 24, 2026

I recently had a chance to talk with the new mother of a baby girl with Down syndrome. This mom’s emotions were raw and beautiful,

Finding Spiritual Rhythms in the Chaos of Caregiving • Jen Pollock Michel

September 23, 2026

TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E30 — What happens when the rhythms of caregiving make it difficult to establish any rhythms at all? That’s the

a chalkboard with "IEP Meeting" written in the middle and framed by kids' school supplies

5 Practical Tips for a Less Stressful IEP Meeting

September 20, 2026

A few years ago, Peter and I both cried at our daughter’s annual meeting to discuss her IEP (Individualized Education Plan) goals. We cried because

a green sticky note is on a laptop with the words "breathe" and "five minutes"

The Pace of Love: How to Say No and Make Space for What Matters

September 17, 2026

I set out for a run on Saturday and decided to listen to a podcast with social scientist Adam Grant about how to say no. Saying

How to Navigate IEP Meetings and Disability Services with Meghan Burke, PhD

September 16, 2026

TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E29 — Do you have to fight everyone around the table to advocate well for your child? Many parents feel

What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To: September 2026

September 13, 2026

Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month

I'm standing with Penny on a pier with a beautiful sunset and ocean behind us

You Don’t Have to Be the Expert: Parenting a Child with a Disability

September 12, 2026

I read a book last year by Greg McKeown. My favorite part came at the end, when McKeown offered a personal story of his daughter

a crowd of excited people waving streamers who line a road and welcome a vehicle to Hope Heals Camp

Learning to See What Cannot Be Seen: Disability, Belovedness, and the Eyes of Love

September 10, 2026

I just learned a new word: familect. It’s the idea that every family has its own language, its own dialect, the words and phrases that only

Misty Coy Snyder poses for a portrait outside. In the lower left is the cover of the “Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker” podcast with Penny, who has Down syndrome, walking with Amy Julia on a dirt path.

What We Need to Know About Disability and Happiness with Misty Coy Snyder

September 9, 2026

TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E28 — Do you feel overwhelmed, isolated, or afraid of the future? Misty Coy Snyder knows those feelings well. After

2009 photo of Peter and Penny sitting on a porch and look into each other's eyes. Green grass and a wooden fence are in the background

How to Help Kids Build Confidence and Capability: 3 Parenting Lessons

September 8, 2026

Somewhere along the way, my husband Peter and our daughter Penny, who has Down syndrome, developed an elaborate goodnight ritual involving a complicated handshake followed

What Can You Leave Behind? Making Space for What Matters This School Year

September 4, 2026

Penny came downstairs the other day. We were packing up to go home. She said, “Mom, I’m doing fine with time, but I need some

Penny and a friend wear backpacks and walk hand in hand across the street to a waiting yellow school bus

If We Can Fund War, We Can Fund Special Education

September 3, 2026

We received an issue of Connecticut Magazine with a cover story about the cost of special education in our state: “Schools face cost, staff constraints.”