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Tag: PARENTING

Special Needs Family Vacation: Flexibility & Small Wins

This was our best special needs family vacation yet—proof that flexibility, preparation, and tiny wins can add up to big confidence. If your family is planning a special needs vacation, these ideas may help. Just before I sat down to write this blog, I was on the phone with two of the people who are […]

September 4, 2025 administrator Elizabeth's Journey Comments (0) Details
Tags: Auditory Processing Disorder, Communication Strategies, Confidence, DYSPRAXIA, ELIZABETH, Family, Family Vacation, Flexibility, MICHELE GIANETTI, PARENTING, Progress, Routines, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, SIBLINGS, Small Victories, SPECIAL NEEDS, TALKTOOLS, Travel Tips

How to Tend to Special Needs Child on Thanksgiving

Raise your hand if you cannot believe we are one day away from Thanksgiving, the official unofficial beginning of the holiday season. I feel like I just shut my door at the end of Halloween and then … BAM, we are talking turkey, stuffing, days off and then … gulp … Christmas. I try to […]

May 11, 2018 administrator Elizabeth's Journey Comments (0) Details
Tags: CHILD WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, CHILD WITH SPD, CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, ELIZABETH'S MONTHLY UPDATES, FAMILY REUNIONHOLIDAY SEASON, HOLIDAY TIPS, MICHELE GIAN, PARENTING, PARENTING TIPS, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, SOCIAL SETTINGSOCIAL SKILLS, SPD, SPD TIPS, SPECIAL NEEDS, SPECIAL NEEDS ADVICE, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD, SPECIAL NEEDS KIDSPECIAL NEEDS MELTDOWN, SPECIAL NEEDS MOM, SPECIAL NEEDS PARENT, SPECIAL NEEDS TEEN, TEEN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THANKSGIVING FOR CHILDREN, THANKSGIVING MEAL, THANKSGIVING TIPS, THANKSGIVINGTHANKSGIVING DINNER

4.5 YEARS: “NEAR PERFECT” ARTICULATION

Belle is doing well and has been enjoying some spring-like weather in February! She has managed to stay healthy this season (minus her chronic runny nose). Belle’s good health has allowed her to go roller skating for the first time, participate in her preschool’s Valentine’s Day party, perform with her dance class on stage for 300+ […]

March 8, 2017 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: #DOWNSYNDROME, ANNABELLE, ARTICULATION, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, FOUR YEAR OLDORAL PLACEMENT THERAPY, PARENTING, SPEECH, SPEECH CLARITY, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TODDLER, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROMETODDLERHOOD

4.4 YEARS: MAKING UP HER OWN SILLY PHRASES

Happy New Year! Belle’s year is off to a solid start! I am happy to report that we have been pretty consistent with our TalkTools oral motor program, created by Monica Purdy. We have been staying on track except for the 4 days that Belle stayed with her siblings and grandparents while we got away for […]

February 8, 2017 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: #TALKTOOLSWORKS, ABC, ABCS, ALPHABET, ANNABELLE, ARTICULATION, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION SKILLSDOWN SYNDROME, FOUR YEAR OLD, MONICA PURDY, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, Oral Placement Therapy, PARENTING, SIBLINGSSPEECH DEVELOPMENT, SPEECH THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY AT HOME, SPEECH THERAPY HOMEWORK, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TALKTOOLS HOMEWORKTALKTOOLS PROGRAM, TODDLER, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROME, TODDLERHOOD

Some of the Best Presents Cannot Be Put in a Box

“That will be five dollars to get into the game.” Weird how those ten words can make me think. Okay, perhaps you might need a bit of background information here. I heard those words as I entered my ten-year-old son’s basketball game this past Saturday. I had not heard those words since last year’s basketball […]

December 12, 2016 administrator Elizabeth's Journey Comments (0) Details
Tags: CHILD WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, CHILD WITH SPD, CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS FOR SPECIAL NEEDSCHRISTMAS PRESENT, CHRISTMAS TIPS, FAMILY REUNION, HOLIDAY SEASON, HOLIDAY TIPS, HOLIDAYS, HOLIDAYS FOR SPECIAL NEEDSHOLIDAYS SEASON, MICHELE GIANETTI, PARENTING, PARENTING TIPS, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, SPD, SPD TIPS, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD, SPECIAL NEEDS KID, SPECIAL NEEDS MOM, SPECIAL NEEDS PARENT, SPECIAL NEEDS TEENTEEN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, SPECIAL NEEDSSPECIAL NEEDS ADVICE

How to Plan After-School Activities for Your Special Needs Child (and their friends!)

You know the feeling of the first few weeks of a new school year.  There is the shopping for backpacks and school supplies.  Clothing and shoes and if you are like my son, a great number of very specific shirts.  Even if your child is in a preschool setting, there are still so many things […]

September 19, 2016 administrator Elizabeth's Journey Comments (0) Details
Tags: AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES, CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, CHILDREN, CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIESELIZABETH'S MONTHLY UPDATES, FALL ACTIVITIES, FALL MADNESS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, HOME THERAPY, I BELIEVE IN YOU, KIDSKIDS ACTIVITIES, MICHELE GIANETTI, MOTHERHOOD, NON-SPEECH ORAL-MOTOR EXERCISES, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISESORAL PLACEMENT THERAPY EXERCISES, ORGANIZATION, PARENTING, SIBLINGS, SPECIAL NEEDS ACTIVITIES, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDSPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN, SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS, SPECIAL NEEDS SIBLINGS, SPEECH THERAPY EXERCISES, THERAPY EXERCISES, TYPICAL CHILDTYPICAL CHILDREN, TYPICAL SIBLINGS, WEEK SCHEDULE

Back-to-School & IEP Tips

I looked my 10 year old in the eye just yesterday and said: “Michael, you know we have a mere 16 days left of summer”? It was hard to say and so much harder to believe.  Where did the summer go?  How is it possible that three months went like THAT?! But the truth is […]

August 22, 2016 administrator Elizabeth's Journey Comments (0) Details
Tags: BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO SCHOOL ADVICE, BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS, ELIZABETH'S MONTHLY UPDATES, END OF SUMMER, IEP, IEP GOALIEP GOALS, IEP MEETING, ORGANIZATION TIPS, PARENTING, PARENTING TIPS, SCHOOL SETTING, SCHOOL SPEECH THERAPISTSCHOOL THERAPIST, SCHOOL YEAR, SPECIAL EDUCATION, SPECIAL NEEDS, SPECIAL NEEDS ADVICE, SPECIAL NEEDS MOMSPECIAL NEEDS PARENT, SPECIAL NEEDS TEEN, SPEECH THERAPY GOALS, SPEECH THERAPY IN SCHOOL SETTING, TEEN WITH SPECIAL NEEDSTHERAPY SUCCESS, THERAPY SUCCESSES