What to Do When Parenting Feels Overwhelming: Take One Next Step and Ask for Help
I’ve taken to calling it my whiteboard of shame. When Penny was a toddler, and we had four therapists coming to the house on a weekly basis, I kept a…
Be Unapologetically Impatient: Disability + Parenting • Christina Cipriano, PhD
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E26 — When your child needs support now, “just wait” isn’t good enough. Chris Cipriano, mom and developmental psychologist, helps parents of children with disabilities…
The Necessary Untethering: Learning to Let Go as Our Children Grow Up
In the past two weeks, William turned 18, applied for his first credit card, and registered for a language immersion program in Spain that starts in January. (He’s doing a…
Your Family Matters • A New Season of Take the Next Step!
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST Trailer — Parenting a child with a disability can feel overwhelming, isolating, and uncertain, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Take the…
Back to School With a Child With a Disability: 5 Ways to Prepare for a Year of Belonging
I remember, when Penny was younger, how the new school year could bring excitement, uncertainty, and a whole lot of questions. If you’re parenting a child with a disability, you…
Photo credit: Becca Cruz
Party at Hope Heals Camp
One of the most fun—and utterly nerve-wracking—parts of Hope Heals Camp this year was writing and performing a song with Penny for the Talent Show. She’s been up on that…
The Truest Truth: What Hope Heals Camp Reveals About the Real World
I always return from Hope Heals Camp and struggle to convey our experience in words. I walk away with all sorts of stories, and I will share some of those in the…
The Discipline of Delight: How Parents Can Choose Connection Over Productivity
One night last week, we finished dinner, and I was ready to get back to work. I had already missed my deadline to submit the slides for my Hope Heals…
How Delta Helped Make Penny’s First Solo Flight Possible
Penny flew solo for the first time on Saturday. Everything worked out easily and well. I was definitely teary as I watched her board the plane. She was definitely not!…
Delta Surprises Penny Before Her First Solo Flight
Independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It means having the support you need to take the next step. Penny, our daughter with Down syndrome, prepared for her first solo flight…
