I Wish More Churches Would Love Their Neighbors Like This
Take delight in who you are (and/or in who your child is). Connect to community. Take the next step towards a good future. I had the chance to share this…
How to Navigate the Pressures of Modern Family Life
Our front hall table is still covered in holiday cards. There are the uber-organized people who sent their cards at Thanksgiving, then the steady stream of happy faces that arrived…
How to Delight in Our Children
As humans, we need to know that other people delight in who we are. Psychologists tell us it’s a core need, and they say we actually can never have too…
How to Talk About Disability
Apple YouTube Spotify More! Is disability a tragedy? Are disabled people “inspiring”? The language we use often reveals our assumptions about disability. Carrie Hahn, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and mother,…
Patiently, Beautifully Wrapping Presents
Gift wrapping has never been an easy task for Penny. Typically, she’s been relegated to the background of the wrapping extravaganza in our household—handing over supplies to her siblings or…
Photo by Cloe Poisson
From Conditional Love to Unconditional Growth
I sometimes beat myself up as a parent. In all honesty, I also beat myself up as a human, but on the parenting front, I think about how I let…
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 advent of golden leaves amidst…
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 by saying, “I never want…
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 all over again. So I…
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. (more here) The warning contains…
