RECENT POSTS
Love for the Yankees | Penny in Her Own Words
Every night, before she goes to bed, Penny walks into our bedroom for an evening ritual with Peter. No matter what time of year it
The Best Questions to Ask Parents
Here in Connecticut, we are settling into the rhythms of fall, with soccer games and afterschool activities and the waning temperatures of summer and the
October Favorites {2024}
Books, essays, podcasts, films, and more that have prompted me to stop and reflect during the month of October. 1. Special Hope Network. We have been
Welcoming Kids With Disabilities to Trick-or-Treat on Halloween
I’m thinking about Halloween for kids with disabilities. Part of what makes Halloween exciting is the idea of having fun and being together with other
Is Independence the Goal?
Every so often I get asked, “Do you think Penny will live independently?” I’ve started answering that question about my daughter who has Down syndrome
Developmental Milestones for Children With Down Syndrome
I used to love developmental charts and graphs and measurements when it came to parenting. Then I hated them. And now I’m realizing their value
S8 E4 | The Measure of Intelligence with Pepper Stetler, Ph.D.
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What freedom could we offer one another as humans if we weren’t so stuck on the “treadmill of achievements and quantified
You Don’t Need to Be Afraid
“God is with you and for you.” That line comes directly from our time at Hope Heals Camp in the summer, when campers make the
Using Our Strength to Lift Up
“The strength that we each have is to lift one another up, not to push people down.” Vice President Kamala Harris spoke these words to
How the Stories of Our Past Shape Our Future
These days, I think many of us feel weary. Weary in advocacy, weary of politics, weary and wondering if the change we hope for is
Embracing Belovedness: A New Approach to Parenting and Mental Health
Today is World Mental Health Day. The Surgeon General recently issued a warning about the mental health of parents. Parents are stressed out about everything.
S8 E3 | How Stories of Hope Empower Justice with Jemar Tisby, Ph.D.
Apple YouTube Spotify More! The way we tell the stories of our past plays a crucial role in shaping our imagination for the future. Author
The Beautiful Thing About Offering Attention
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. According to the dictionary, awareness is “knowledge or perception of a situation or a fact.” Nearly two decades into
The Problem with Calling Kamala Harris “Mentally Disabled”
Former president Donald Trump recently insulted President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris by calling them “mentally impaired” and then “mentally disabled.” (more from CNN
Down Syndrome Awareness Month 2024
Today is the beginning of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. In a world of distraction, I’m thinking about what happens when we pay attention to the
S8 E2 | What’s Normal? The Anthropology of Disability with Tom Pearson, PhD
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What does it mean to be human? Who counts as a human being and why? Anthropologist Tom Pearson has been asking
Questions Every College Freshman Should Ask | Penny in Her Own Words
Questions from Penny that every college freshman needs to ask: ✏️Are there any students who know the campus, and is their role a mentor? ✏️Are
September Favorites {2024}
Favorites from September 2024: Cultures of Growth by Mary C. Murphy. For anyone interested in how the idea of “fixed” and “growth” mindsets affect communities
Saying Goodbye to Our Church
Before I write anything else, I do want to thank those of you who have decided, voluntarily, to support the work I do through a
Penny’s First Year of College Three Weeks In
After three weeks of college, here’s how Penny thinks it’s going (scroll down for her video)! How was your first week of college?!? The first
S8 E1 | Narrow Path, Spacious Life with Rich Villodas
Apple YouTube Spotify More! The ways we have envisioned success—whether it’s more wealth, social media followers, recognition, or power—might actually lead us away from an
