Birthday party invitations are few and far between when you have child with disabilities. My daughter who is part of the SPED program at school has been invited to two birthday parties in the last 8 years. My son who is able-bodied and has a group of buddies he hangs with will get invited toContinue reading “Planning a Petting Zoo Birthday Party for Special Needs Kids”
Author Archives: Stephanie Lema
Hippotherapy for Kids with Disabilities
I love horses. I do. I rode for years with a friend when I was growing up. She was a natural trainer when we were kids and has a successful training business today. When my husband and I relocated to Arizona, I remember telling him one of my goals was to get back in theContinue reading “Hippotherapy for Kids with Disabilities”
Book Review: Strengths Finder 2.0
Do you know your strengths? It’s likely you’re not able to use them every day while at the office or home. So many of us move through life without truly tapping into our talents and strengths. Strengths Finder has been around for many years. The first version came out in 2001 and my husband introducedContinue reading “Book Review: Strengths Finder 2.0”
Sensory Processing Issues and The Morning Routine
Sequence, lace and bows make little girl clothes cute and adorable. For the little girls with sensory processing issues, cute and adorable becomes a nightmare. It’s scratchy. It burns. It irritates. Sensory processing issues was a new term we learned when our daughter’s conditions were finally diagnosed. Her conditions include a lengthy list with sensoryContinue reading “Sensory Processing Issues and The Morning Routine”
5 Tips for Career Success
When I think about my career, five moments stand out as game changers. I never forgot the valuable lessons I learned and how each one taught me a way to manage to stay away from a career meltdown. 1) Avoid cardiac arrest with a side order of divorce One of my first corporate jobs wasContinue reading “5 Tips for Career Success”
30 Days of Teal for Ovarian Cancer Awareness
September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and September 1 marks the start to 30 days of teal. The month will include gatherings, celebrations and fundraisers across the nation. It’s a reminder to educate ourselves and be diligent with our health. Ovarian Cancer whispers during the early stages so it’s important to listen to the subtleContinue reading “30 Days of Teal for Ovarian Cancer Awareness”
5 Ways Stay-at-Home Dads Are Changing the World
When we lived in Silicon Valley, we did what a lot of what Silicon Valley parents do. We had the double income, two mortgages and two car payments. We also had two kids with two childcare bills. The American Dream, right? We struggled. We were miserable and knew it wasn’t for us anymore. It was hardContinue reading “5 Ways Stay-at-Home Dads Are Changing the World”
Book Review: Arianna Huffington’s Thrive
Sometimes we get a wake-up call when we’re running at warp speed for too long. Arianna Huffington’s wake-up call came in the form of a collapse on her bathroom floor. To the public, she had it all money, power and fame. That’s how we define success, right? Huffington was exhausted, lacked sleep and self-care. She wasContinue reading “Book Review: Arianna Huffington’s Thrive”
The Interviews: What It Feels Like to be a Special Needs Mom
Meet Kristi, author of Finding Ninee. Kristi writes about what it feels like to be a special needs mom. With a mix of humor and compassion, Kristi started with a memoir that turned into a blog that helps other special needs moms like me. Kristi shared with us how telling your story can help youContinue reading “The Interviews: What It Feels Like to be a Special Needs Mom”
What Intellectual Disability Means to Me
I couldn’t stop staring at two words on my computer screen: Intellectual Disability. After 5 years of doctor appointments, tests and more tests, we had several conditions finally diagnosed for our daughter. Our journey included two neurologists, two geneticists, pediatricians and development delay specialists that spanned two states. It’d been a long road to diagnosisContinue reading “What Intellectual Disability Means to Me”
Stephanie Lema 