90 | Reimagining the Good Life with Kids with Disabilities

When Amy Julia Becker's daughter, Penny, was diagnosed with Down syndrome, the family's vision of the future shifted dramatically. What they discovered was not a life of limitations but a new perspective on fulfillment and connection.

Our conversation explores her framework for how redefining disability can transform it from a perceived burden into a natural part of life, emphasizing joy, love, and community support. Amy Julia shares how responsive parenting focuses on a child's strengths and delights, avoiding frustration loops and fostering a nurturing environment. Her insights offer a way for other families to imagine a hopeful future, rooted in love and connection rather than societal expectations and highlights the power of small, purposeful actions in building meaningful relationships.

Amy Julia Becker helps people reimagine the good life through her writing and speaking on disability, faith, and culture. She is the author of To Be Made Well, White Picket Fences, Small Talk, and A Good and Perfect Gift and the creator of the Reimagining Family Life with Disability workshop. She is a guest opinion writer for national publications and hosts the Reimagining the Good Life podcast. Becker is a graduate of Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv). She lives with her husband and their three children in western Connecticut.You can reach Amy Julia at:

Instagram: @amyjuliabecker
Facebook: @amyjuliabeckerwriter
YouTube ChannelThreads: @amyjuliabecker
TikTok: @amyjuliabecker

Don't forget!! I hope you will join me in supporting Ruby's Rainbow! Just $21 can make a difference in the life of someone with Down Syndrome! My goal is to raise $3000 for Ruby's Rainbow so that someone with Down Syndrome can attend the college of their dreams!

AND -- For every dollar donated through this episode, I will match your donation up to $1000! So let's see what this community can do!

Click ⁠⁠here ⁠⁠to donate -- Just $21 can make a difference in the life of someone with Down Syndrome getting to live out their college dream!

(or click here...) ⁠⁠https://321pledge.org/share/angela-obrien⁠

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Hey! Are you a parent of a loved one with a disability? Have you ever wanted to be on a podcast? Then I want to hear from you! Literally! Send me an audio message that I can include in an upcoming special episode.

Just ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be directed to a website where you can record your response to the following question:

If you could go back in time to when your child was first diagnosed with a disability, what would you tell yourself?

I would LOVE to hear from you!! And finally, if you have been wondering how long you need to keep certain documents, whether its a utility bill, and IEP, medical records, or an insurance policy, I have a quick and accessible one-page document for you to download that shares exactly how long you should be holding on to these items and when you can let them go (e.g. shred and/or recycle.)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get on my email list and I will send this handy doc straight to your inbox.

And I promise I won't start bombarding your inbox with emails -- that is not my style! I just want to be able to stay in touch and keep you informed occasionally of resources to help you reclaim whatever it is YOU need!

Happy Organizing!

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