True Social Justice & Racial Equity Is Hard Work
My mom and society have taught me that it is rude to offer advice when no one asks for it. But Black folks aren’t talking about disabilities with each other, and that silence is negatively affecting our children. And, while many of us in the Black community are too ashamed and afraid […]
As a parent of a child with special needs, I pay a lot of money to provide the services that she needs to be successful in school. A lot. A lot of money, and energy, and time, and lawyers, and researching, and fighting schools, and feeling like I don’t know […]
Dear Fellow Parent Warriors, While every parent has strong feelings as a new school year approaches—excitement, nerves, even a little worry—our special tribe of parents with children who have IEPs (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 plans feel all those feelings plus some. Our worries are much more complex than just […]
As a parent of a daughter with a disability, I feel like I am in a perpetual state of learning tips from the “experts.” Having a child with special needs means I am always trying to do the right thing for her. But summer break is extra hard. During the […]
My younger daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life. She is full of energy, gives great cuddles and has a fantastic imagination, often involving her Marvel friends Black Widow and Captain America. She also has disabilities. It has been a long, uphill battle to make sure she […]
Since having a child diagnosed with special needs, I’ve learned so much about navigating the special-education process. First thing: the special education system is a hot mess—even for savvier parents, it’s incredibly difficult to navigate. The second thing: Early intervention can make all the difference. To give you a head start, I want […]
Before I had my younger daughter, I had no idea about special education. I had never heard of an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). And if I am being completely honest, I associated “special-needs students” with cruel jokes about “the kids on the short bus.” So when at 2 years old, […]
Back to school time is approaching, and with that comes all the “to-do’s” and “suggestions for parents” that make huge assumptions about parents, about kids, and most importantly, about the causes, symptoms, treatments, and solutions for children who are “misbehaving.” The biggest mistaken assumption is that if a child is […]