IFS | Confessions of a Middle-Aged Mother
No one ever told me that middle age, and motherhood, would be marked by regret. I didn’t know the “choose your own adventure” of my upper-middle class existence would come…
How Disability Changed This Dad’s Idea of “Normal” with Mike Erre
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E25—What do you do when the child you imagined isn’t the child you have? Pastor Mike Erre experienced the slow dismantling of achievement-based parenting when…
Building a Good Life for Children with Disabilities: Everyday Steps Toward Independence
When Penny was in middle school, she told us, “When I’m older, I want to live in an apartment with friends.” She was 12. There wasn’t much we could do…
Small Steps, Big Dreams: Permission to Assume Possibility for Our Child With Disability
Penny calls in her own prescription refills now. It’s a small detail of our lives together, but it also feels like a symbol of something bigger. Eight years ago, her…
From Fear to Future: How Families Plan for a Good Life with Sheli Reynolds, PhD
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E24—"I don't know what life can look like for my child." If you've ever felt that, this episode is for you. Sheli Reynolds, PhD, is…
How to Find Your People When You Feel Invisible with Katherine Wolf
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E23—The meals stop coming. The texts slow down. And suddenly you feel like you’re navigating disability alone. Friends can be great at showing up in…
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The “Glass Child” Myth: What Siblings of Kids with Disabilities Really Need
When our daughter who has Down syndrome was younger, our weeks were often filled with driving to doctor’s appointments, therapy visits, and specialist consultations. Some were an hour away. I…
Do Siblings of Children with Disabilities Struggle More? Rethinking the “Glass Child” Narrative
We went out to dinner as a family on Sunday. There was nothing exceptional about it. William told us about his European History class. We marvelled at Marilee’s auditory memory—she…
Disability + Siblings: What the Research Says with Meghan Burke, PhD
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E22—Is having a sibling with a disability hard on kids? Researcher Meghan Burke has spent years studying (and living) this question. Her findings might surprise…
After Diagnosis: Grief Isn’t the End of the Story with Dr. Curt Thompson
TAKE THE NEXT STEP PODCAST E21—As the mom of a daughter with Down syndrome, I have felt my fair share of complicated emotions over these past twenty years. And sometimes,…
