Nothing’s sure but… well, you know the end of that sentence. If your family includes a child or adult with a disability, here are 5 important things to know before you file your 2024 taxes. Resources mentioned in this episode 5 Things to Know Before Filing Taxes for People with DisabilitiesABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) AccountsSpecial Needs Alliance: Attorneys for Special Needs PlanningTax Help for People with DisabilitiesLiving and Working with Disabilities (IRS) Volunteer I...

This week, Christina chats with Dr. Nilong Vyas of Sleepless in NOLA, on the importance of sleep in early childhood. They’ll answer questions like, “Why is sleep important?” and “My child is a terrible sleeper. Is it me or something else?” Listen along for helpful information and tips and tricks around sleep. Resources mentioned in this episode What is a sleep consultant and how do they help families?Sleep Disorders in ChildrenAutism Awareness & SleepMelatonin for Kids: A Guide for...

Nothing’s sure but… well, you know the end of that sentence. If your family includes a child or adult with a disability, here are 5 important things to know before you file your taxes in 2022. Resources mentioned in this episode 5 Things to Know Before Filing Taxes for People with DisabilitiesABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) AccountsSpecial Needs Alliance: Attorneys for Special Needs PlanningTax Help for People with DisabilitiesLiving and Working with Disabilities (IRS) Voluntee...

Flying with kids with disabilities can be stressful and overwhelming. This week’s podcast episode has 5 tips to make the trip easier for you and your child. Resources mentioned in this episode Better parenting using self-regulation What is self-regulation and how can it help me be a better parent? ¿Qué es la autorregulación y cómo puede ayudarme a ser un mejor padre? Co-regulation: Your secret tool for managing meltdowns How can co-regulation help my child’s behavior? Strategies for parenti...

In this bonus episode, Christina discusses doing a pediatric sleep study with her son and his sensory needs. Resources mentioned in this episode The importance of sleep in early childhood with Dr. Nilong VyasSleepless in NOLAOur Lady of the Lake Sleep MedicineWhere to find Exceptional Lives Facebook Instagram TikTok LinkedIn

This week, Christina chats with Dr. Nilong Vyas of Sleepless in NOLA, on the importance of sleep in early childhood. They’ll answer questions like, “Why is sleep important?” and “My child is a terrible sleeper. Is it me or something else?” Listen along for helpful information and tips and tricks around sleep. Resources mentioned in this episode What is a sleep consultant and how do they help families?Sleep Disorders in ChildrenAutism Awareness & SleepMelatonin for Kids: A Guide for...

What do you do if you just found out your child has medically complex needs? Do you know how to be a great health care advocate for your complex kid? Christina gets helpful information and insight from Julia Roberts, parent and long-time advocate, in this week's episode. Resources mentioned in this episode Julia RobertsChildren with Medical ComplexityHealth Insurance for a Child With Disabilities: Easily Navigate Coverage and ServicesHow to get medical insurance for a child with a disab...

Speech Apraxia vs Autism: Are they related? If a child is speech delayed what can you do? Christina gets helpful information and insight from Kacy Woodson, a speech-language pathologist, in this week's episode. Resources mentioned in this episode Who Are Speech-Language Pathologists, and What Do They Do?Childhood Apraxia of SpeechIs my child different? Six steps to assessing your child’s development.Understanding child development milestonesCDC’s Developmental MilestonesIs My Child Deve...

Mr. Raymond A. Jetson says, “... If our children are going to feel present and valued and able to be the best version of themselves in the world, we have to be intentional about impacting the world in a way that creates space for that to happen.” In this week’s episode, Christina gets practical advice on how to build community for children with disabilities. Resources mentioned in this episode Meet Raymond A. JetsonBuilding a Village of Support with Raymond A. Jetson (webinar)Children with di...

In this week’s episode, Christina gets back-to-school tips from Julie McIsaac, Learning and Mental Health Consultant. Get some real-life tips to support your child and their teacher as we head back to school. Resources mentioned in this episode Meet Julie McIsaac, Ph.D.Introduce your child with F-Words; it’s not what you think (podcast)How Can I Prepare for My Child’s Transition into School-based Services at Age 3?Is your child having behavior problems at school? Here’s how to helpFellow Pare...

In this week’s episode, Christina talks with Dayna Abraham, bestselling author of Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Roadmap for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids. They discuss supporting neurodivergent kids at home in a realistic and shame-free way. Here’s some more about Dayna. As a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself, Dayna brings a unique and out-of-the-box perspective to parents raising kids in the modern world. Throug...

We’re back in school. Is your child with disabilities working with a new teacher? In this week’s podcast learn how to introduce your child to their teacher using helpful F-words! Resources mentioned in this episode The ‘F-words’ in childhood disability: I swear this is how we should think!Meet my Child documentFull letter by Julie McIsaac, PhD. to her son’s teacherWhere to find Exceptional Lives Facebook Instagram TikTok LinkedIn

Resources for children with disabilities: what are they, how do I find them? If you’ve found yourself overwhelmed with where to start in getting support for your child with disabilities or developmental delay this podcast episode is for you. Listen along as I break down the systems of services in this week’s episode. Resources mentioned in this episode My child was just diagnosed with a disability. Now what do I do? (Podcast) My child has a new disability diagnosis. Now what? (Blog) M...

Flying with kids with disabilities can be stressful and overwhelming. This week’s podcast episode has 5 tips to make the trip easier for you and your child. Resources mentioned in this episode Better parenting using self-regulation What is self-regulation and how can it help me be a better parent? ¿Qué es la autorregulación y cómo puede ayudarme a ser un mejor padre? Co-regulation: Your secret tool for managing meltdowns How can co-regulation help my child’s behavior? Strategies for parenti...

Pool safety is important for everyone, more so for children with disabilities. Parents need hints for summer, some that are not always obvious. This week’s podcast contains 9 quick tips for water safety and UV awareness. Resources mentioned in this episode How to climb out of the pool Swimsuit colors for water safety Sunscreen for people of color Sunscreen application tips Assign an adult to be Water Watcher Where to find Exceptional Lives Facebook Instagram TikTok LinkedIn

Self-care for caregivers: You’re tired and you know you need it. But how? And why would you want one more thing to add to your to-do list? This week on the podcast, I want to share with you how some things you’re already doing every day can be self-care. Resources mentioned in this episode Parents, let’s talk mental health (podcast)Fellow Parents, Let’s Talk About Mental HealthBetter parenting using self-regulation (podcast)"Calmness feels nice;" An interview about how tapping helped one mam...

There is often confusion and fear and difficulty when talking about mental illness, especially when children are involved. There doesn’t need to be though. This week’s podcast focuses on how you can support parents of children with mental illness. Listen along as we share 3 ways to be a great friend. Resources mentioned in this episode 988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineThe Trevor Project: Help for LGBTQ+ Youth in CrisisFellow Parents, Let’s Talk About Mental Health (blog)Parents, Let’s Talk M...

In honor of Occuptional Therapy Month, we are re-releasing on episode on occupational therapy. If your young child has a disability or delay, you may have been referred to Occupational Therapy. But what does occupational therapy mean for a child? In this episode, we’ll talk about all of the ways OT can make a difference for your child. Kim Haynes and Anne Hindrichs of the McMains Child Developmental Center explains how OT can help a child with their most important work - play. McMains Chil...

“There’s no magic amount of knowledge.” This week I have a conversation with Nell Curran and she has some great insights into raising a neurodivergent child. Listen along as two neurodivergent moms talk about raising neurodivergent children. Resources mentioned in this episode 5 things to do if your autistic child needs an ambulance (podcast)Body doubling and other parenting tips for neurodivergent adults (podcast)Neurotribes: The Legacy Of Autism And The Future Of Neurodiversity By Steve Sil...

Do you ever ask yourself, “as a neurodivergent parent, how can I teach my neurodivergent child skills that they’ll need?” This week on the podcast, I want to share some skills that I have discovered work for me and my family. Resources mentioned in this episode Neurodivergent: What Is It, Symptoms, And TypesStimming: Why It Happens And How To Manage ItThe Link Between ADHD and Object PermanenceBody Doubling for ADHD: What It Is and How It Works?Body Doubling: Not Just for ADHDBody DoublingAdu...