Penny’s Senior Night as a Cheerleader
If you had told me when she was born that our daughter with Down syndrome would be a Varsity cheerleader at our local high school, I don’t think I would…
2020 | Courtesy of Meghan Morse Photography
How to Talk With Siblings About Disability
How should I talk with my typically-developing kids about a brother or sister who has a disability? As the mother of an 18-year-old with Down syndrome with two younger siblings…
The Disability Community Needs Grandparents Like These
I spoke with the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress Grandparents support group this week by Zoom, and what struck me most was that they all just want a good future for…
Helping Kids With Disabilities Move Toward Independence
For the moms who feel like they aren’t doing enough to help their kids (with disabilities) move toward independence, here are a few things I’ve learned: “Not enough” is never…
2014 | Photo by Phil Dutton
I’m Working on a Video Teaching Series About Disability and Family
Sometimes the future comes at us like an assault. A tornado of unanswerable questions that suggest chaos is about to ensue. That’s what it felt like when Penny was diagnosed…
It’s Always Too Much | Four Thousand Weeks
So I’m in a really overwhelming time right now. We are in the midst of a long and drawn-out move. I’m staying in a rental house with Penny and Marilee…
Playdates and Disability
When I had a chance to talk with NBC News about parenting kids with disabilities, I was asked about playdates. Here, in a nutshell, is what I wish parents of…
Turning 18 and Guardianship Decisions
It’s a big deal to turn 18. For every teenager, that birthday marks a transition to adulthood. For kids with disabilities, it carries even more weight, especially as it connects…
Idolatry of Intellect
I didn't realize I’d gone into the hospital with a set of expectations, but I had. I very much had a set of expectations about who our child would be…
Penny Turns 18
Our daughter Penny turns 18 today. She’s not at home with us, as it turns out. Rather, she is at a retreat center with a group of other teenagers for…
