RECENT POSTS
![photo of Penny and other teens with disabilities standing in front of a lemonade stand and waving](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-why-go-to-hope-heals-camp-penny-in-her-own-words-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Why Go to Hope Heals Camp?
After spending eight hours in the Philadelphia airport (a long, boring story), we landed in Birmingham and are now at one of our favorite places—Hope
![](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-online-course-1-1024x402.png)
Online Course Now Available
After our daughter Penny was born and diagnosed with Down syndrome, I felt as though I could no longer imagine our future as a family.
![Penny on stage at Hope Heals Camp several years ago.](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-beatitudes-the-good-life-belongs-to-1024x402.png)
The Good Life Belongs to the Ones who are Unimportant and Overlooked
A few years ago, I was seated next to a businessman from New York City at a fundraising dinner. I asked him about his summer
![collage of photos of Penny at Camp Pals with friends](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-camp-pals-2024-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Camp PALS 2024
Penny, can you explain Camp PALS to people who don’t know anything about it? Who is it for? Yes. Camp PALS is for young adults
![Penny and Amy Julia stand in a kitchen holding platters of food and smiling at the camera.](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-creating-belonging-in-families-1024x402.png)
Creating Belonging Within Families
I wrote a few weeks ago about the difference between exclusion, tolerance, inclusion, and belonging. Generally, when I think about belonging, I’m thinking about institutional spaces. I’m wondering
![A blurry photo taken from a car of Penny pedaling on a tandem bike behind Peter. William is on another bike behind them.](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-family-bike-ride-1024x402.png)
Reimagining the Dream of a Family Bike Ride
(Scroll down for a great video!) Does it matter whether your child ever learns to ride a bike? Does it matter if your child never
![photo of Peter, Amy Julia, Marilee, Penny, and William posing for a selfie in front of a sunset over water with photo overlay of The Anxious Generation book](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AJB-teens-screen-time-summer-1-1024x402.png)
Teens, Screens, and Summer
When we turn the corner to summertime, I sink into gratitude for slower days and longer evenings, for hydrangeas and peaches, for more time together
![photo from 2008 of Peter holding two-year-old Penny on his shoulders with the ocean in the background]](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-disability-sensory-processing-4th-of-July-fireworks-1024x402.png)
Sometimes Holidays Are Hard for Kids With Disabilities
Public Service Announcement for friends and family members: sometimes holidays are really hard for kids with disabilities. There’s the problem of sensory overload, with crowded
![blurred bookshelves in the background with three book photos featured of: A Measure of Intelligence, Generation Awakened, and The Human Condition](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-summer-reads-and-reading-hacks-1024x402.png)
Summer Reads + Life Hacks for Reading
I am one of those people who feels both peace and excitement simply in the presence of books. Independent bookstores literally help regulate my nervous
![photo of Penny dancing on stage with other dancers. She is wearing a purple dance costume and holding flowers; inside the photo is a blue-framed photo of Penny as a toddler wearing a pink tutu](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-dance-dedication-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Dance and Dedication
What values are important to you? Penny recently thought about that question, and I love her answer—and that it’s connected to dance! (Scroll down to
![photo of peonies in a vase on a table with a window behind](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-june-2024-favorites-1024x402.png)
June 2024 Favorites
I’m about to offer some thoughts on content I’ve appreciated lately (and I would love to hear the same from you—the Mia Birdsong episode mentioned
![photo of Penny when she was five years old. She is standing on a wooden railing, with her back to the camera, and looking at a blurred creek below](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-fear-future-graduation-1024x402.png)
Fear of the Future and Finding Goodness
I expected to need tissues on the day Penny finished high school. I expected a sense of deep loss, and perhaps even dread about what lies
![photo of Amy Julia holding toddler Penny. They are looking at each other and smiling](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-limitations-and-brokenness-distinction-1024x402.png)
The Distinction Between Brokenness and Limitations
When Penny was young, I was wrestling with questions like, “What does it mean to be human?” And a friend of mine said, “You know,
![3 photos of Penny from graduation day](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-high-school-graduation-1024x402.png)
Penny in Her Own Words: Graduation and the Future
Penny is a high school graduate! Here are her reflections on graduation day and the future: I can’t really believe you have finished your final
![blue graphic with a quote bubble and text inside that says: There is something fundamentally human about disability.](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-pearson-ordinary-future-belonging-1024x402.png)
Humanity, Belonging, and “An Ordinary Future”
Penny’s school reached out months ago to make sure they could special order both a robe and a cap that would fit her well—an example
![Peter and Amy Julia stand outside in front of green trees and bushes. They smile at the camera with their arms around each other](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-25-years-of-marriage-1024x402.png)
25 Years of Marriage
Twenty-five years ago today, Peter and I stood in a big white church in front of over 200 people. We vowed to have and to
![dark blue graphic with intertwined blue and yellow partial circles on the left and text that says: Reimagining the Good Life with Amy Julia Becker. In the middle of the graphic is a a photo Meghan Sullivan. On the far right is a photo of Amy Julia.](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-featured-season-71560-×-628-px-meghan-sullivan-1024x412.png)
S7 E18 | Exploring the Good Life with Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D.
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What does it mean to live a good life? How do we find meaning and happiness in our everyday lives? In
![Penny dances on stage with other performers](https://amyjuliabecker.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AJB-final-dance-performance-1-1024x402.png)
Penny’s Final Dance Recital
I never ever imagined Penny would dance for twelve years. I knew dance was a good activity for her as a little kid with Down