Holidays are a time for family and gratitude. For family members who we see only a few times a year, it can be hard for them to understand our unique experiences as parents of children with disabilities – and it can be easy for them to make judgment on us, our relationships with our children, […]
About Julie McIsaac, M.A.
Top 10 ways my son’s diagnosis has affected our lives.
Learning about and understanding my son’s diagnosis has changed who we are as individuals, as parents, and as a family. I’m sure it has for you, too. Above all, it has allowed us to strengthen our relationships with each other and with the world in ways that we wouldn’t change.
Making Sense of a New Autism Diagnosis
A new diagnosis of autism brings up new questions. Now what? Read one mom’s experience finding community and learning to celebrate our unique selves.
But First, Sleep.
When you are exhausted, just getting through the day can be challenging. When you are a parent of a child with a disability and you are exhausted AND your child is exhausted, ‘challenging’ is an understatement.
To medicate or not to medicate my child? A conversation I’ve had with myself
Searching online for ’Should I medicate my child?’ yields about 1,880,000 results. If you are like me, you skim the headlines and maybe click on a few, trying to discern what is ‘real’. We want to hear from someone we can relate to, who has similar values. Maybe someone who understands our individual children and […]
“I’m Fine.”
How many times have you said those words only to wonder how ‘fine’ you really are? Sometimes “I’m fine” because that is what I want to be, sometimes it’s because I think that’s what others want me to be, and sometimes it’s just the easiest response. Most times, it’s true: I am fine. Of course […]
Dear Teacher, Meet My Son.
Don’t forget this on your back-to-school checklist for your child with a developmental disability!
“Is this normal?” …and other things I Google at 1AM
One of my favorite things to share about Exceptional Lives is that people access our resources the most between the hours of 10PM and 2AM.
Exceptional Lives is proud to be a recipient of the International 2018 Zero Project Innovative Practice Awards.