Holiday tips help me every year, because the holiday time can hit us out of the blue. One minute it is summertime, and the next we are seeing Christmas trees. I see it every year. I know I feel a wash of anxiety as I think of the holidays, mostly from all the things that […]
Sensory Supports at School: 4 Classroom-Friendly Ideas
Sensory supports can quietly transform a child’s school day. We all take in sensory information—from a cool breeze to hallway chatter—and usually carry on. But then there’s that itchy shirt tag that “announces” itself until you snip it off. We all have sensitivities like that—or sensory experiences we crave, like warm sunshine. The difference is […]
Back-to-School Tips Special Needs (Stress-Free Strategies)
A new school year is here, and these back-to-school tips special needs families can rely on will help you ease the transition. Whether you just waved at the bus or you’re already a few weeks in, these simple strategies can lower stress and set your child up for success. As you read this, you may […]
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 […]
A Parent’s Perspective: The Journey of Feeding & Mealtime
Quick answer: For Elizabeth, feeding was less about food variety and more about the motor planning steps of self-feeding. What helped was breaking utensil use into small steps, practicing often, and staying patient as dyspraxia and sensory needs made habits hard to change. Mealtime today: slow and steady As I watch Elizabeth eat her dinner […]
Special Needs Parenting Newsletter: A Parent’s Perspective Introduction
Quick answer: This newsletter is where I’ll continue sharing Elizabeth’s journey and a parent’s perspective on therapy, growth, and day-to-day life with special needs. Welcome to this special needs parenting newsletter. Hi to everyone! My name is Michele Gianetti, and I am a mother to 3 beautiful children. Meet Elizabeth My middle child, Elizabeth, has […]
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 […]
5 Tips for “Conference”
If your school is anything like ours, you are nearing the coveted time called conference night. You may have already had yours. I used to solely rely on these times as my time to communicate with Elizabeth’s teacher. But as we all know those 20 minutes or so, given while other parents are lining up […]
SPD: Know the Signs, Characteristics, & How to Get Help
TalkTools instructor Monica Purdy, MA, CCC-SLP & mom of three, nurse and author Michele Gianetti, RN have recently been published in Parenting Special Needs Magazine in the July/August 2017 edition. “SPD: Know The Signs, Characteristics & How To Get Help” is available for free through the online magazine. The article is valuable for parents of children with Sensory Processing Disorder, providing them with a downloadable […]
Halloween Guide for Kids with Sensory Needs
This year for Halloween, Elizabeth is simply going to pass out the candy with me or perhaps with a friend by her side. She is not dressing up for the event, at least not at the time of this writing. This is not to say she won’t change her mind and end up dressed and passing out […]