Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms

44 | Estate Planning for Special Needs Caregivers: How To Start Now

As a caregiver of someone with disabilities, the reality of planning for the future becomes a tapestry of legal knowledge and deep compassion. My guest, attorney Adriane Grace, knows this all too well, as her law practice focuses entirely on estate planning for families of people with disabilities. This discussion goes beyond the paperwork. We discuss the emotional weight of guardianship and legacy, and how crafting a 'love letter' for future caregivers is not only a testament to the love and gratitude we feel toward them but a practical guide for ensuring continuity of care. Adrian underscores the importance of having a solid plan in place, shedding light on the less visible, yet equally important, facets of special needs planning.

Adriane explains the difference between supplemental, special needs and living trusts and why each family needs a legal advocate to help them determine which trust would work best for their family situation. She also talks about what parents can do, even when their child is young, to help ensure that their legacy of support will not interfere with any government services they might receive in the future.

If you are feeling overwhelmed about the prospect of planning for your loved one's future after you are gone, this episode is a great place to start.

How to connect with Adriane and her law firm:

https://www.gracelawoffice.com/

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 just 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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43 | The Four T's of Decluttering

Here is another way to look at categorizing the items in our home so that we can get a better idea of what we can hang on to and what we can let go of!

Check out the Four T's of Decluttering:

Tools: What we love and what we use in our home. (Our coffee maker or our favorite blanket)

Treasures: What we love but not necessarily use a lot (or at all) in our home. (Photo albums or a cherished item from a loved one)

Tools: What we use a lot but we don't necessarily love. (A hammer or toilet bowl plunger)

Trash: What we no longer use and no longer love or enjoy. (old shoes that don't fit or a table that doesn't fit and we didn't love it even when it did)

Hopefully this helps you in your decluttering journey! Let me know!

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 you first learned your child had a disability, what would you tell yourself?

I would LOVE to hear from you!!

⁠⁠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 just 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!

Are we friends? Connect with me:

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42 | Unlocking Their Voice With The SPELLERS Method

with Darcy Day

Do you as a disability mom wish you could communicate better with your child? Do you wonder what your nonverbal child is thinking or feeling in their body, in their head, and in their heart? Do you wish they could tell you when they’re anxious or scared prior to them, showing you their physical symptoms?

These are questions that I know a lot of moms ask themselves, especially if they have a child considered nonverbal or unable to communicate. 

I think what’s so great about this next guest is that she invites us to have hope. Darcy Day is a mom of a son with Down Syndrome and she is also the founder of Brand New Day, a practice dedicated to helping people with Down Syndrome learn the SPELLERS method. Darcy is a practitioner of this method having started it with her own son about three years  ago, and he is now one of the leaders paving the way in the spelling Down Syndrome community. In fact, he spelled out this message: “Have rising hope in the the intelligence of people within the DS community."

How to reach Darcy:

https://brandnewday.life/

https://spellers.com/an-army-of-spellers/brady-mohr

Also: Are you a parent of a loved one with Down Syndrome? 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 celebrating not just the 1 year anniversary of this podcast, but also World Down Syndrome Day, coming up in March!

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 Down Syndrome, what would you tell yourself?

I would LOVE to hear from you!!

⁠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 just 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!

Are we friends? Connect with me:

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41 | DOOM Piles and Documents

Do you have any DOOM piles in your home? Do you even know what they are?

If you or someone you love has ADHD you may have heard of them. DOOM stands for Didn't Organize, Only Moved. And that is what a lot of people, especially those who might have ADHD do when they say they are organizing their papers or their files. However, as the acronym says, these files are not actually organized.

In this short episode, I dive into why people with ADHD are so prone to using DOOM piles as a method of organization and what we can do to rid our countertops and other flat surfaces with these overwhelming mounds of stress. I talk about executive functioning skills, specifically working memory, and why people with ADHD have trouble with utilizing their working memory effectively. I then get into strategies that people with ADHD have used to help rid themselves of these piles and clear the paper clutter in their homes. (or at least make it more manageable!)

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 just 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!

FYI -- Episode 15 with Courtney Howard has so many tips for ADHD humans -- go check her out!

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40 | Guiding the Growth of the Neurodivergent Child

Have you ever been at the grocery store or Target with your child and for whatever reason their nervous system goes into overdrive and they have a meltdown. The yelling, the waving of the arms the kicking of the feet , the terror in their eyes. We’ve all been that parent. It’s so stressful in that moment for us as parents but when we start to take a step back, we might start to think about what it’s like for our child in that moment and if it’s stressful for us, imagine how scary and stressful it is for our child. 

My guest, Gabriele Nicolet is a developmental speech therapist, parent coach and host of the Complicated Kids podcast. she is also the cofounder of Raising Orchid Kids, a parent education and coaching practice.

If you have what you would consider a "sensitive child," then this episode will resonate deeply as she draws parallels between the care orchids need and her approach to supporting highly sensitive or neurodivergent children, whom she affectionately terms "Orchid Kids."

We discuss what parenting "orchid" kids is really like, compared to most other kids. And even though she is known for being a toddler whisper with her ability to help them improve their speech and language skills, I really think she is more of a parent whisperer. She reminds us that we as parents can’t actually control our kids: their behavior, their thoughts, their feelings, etc. but we can control our responses to all of these. And, when we start paying attention to what we can control, we start to improve our parenting skills in a way that allows our kids to develop what they need to grow, to regulate their nervous systems, to understand that they are safe and to mature into healthy adults. 

Oh. And how cool is it that we knew each other way back when in college? Gabriele and I sang a capella at Georgetown University in an all female group called The Grace Notes! So fun to reconnect with her after 30 years!

Website: https://www.raisingorchidkids.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielenicolet/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raising_orchid_kids/

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39 | Sibling Bonds: Growing Up With A Sister With Down Syndrome

Join me as I have a wonderfully candid discussion with my own son, Casey's big brother, Dan!

Looking back, the impact of my daughter's diagnosis on my son was one of the very first fears I realized after her birth. I worried that she would hold him back, that I would not have the time or energy to focus on both her extra needs and his, and that he would get resentful of his sister over time.

Twenty years later, I realize I should never have had those fears.

Join us for a conversation that moves beyond the typical narrative of having a sibling with special needs. Dan and I sat down over Christmas break for a discussion that confronted the weighty concerns of ensuring the long-term well-being of our loved ones with special needs, and the balance one must strike between self-care and future planning. We delved into the intricacies of shifting family roles, the progression in confronting ableist language, and how advocating for Casey has honed Dan's communication and conflict resolution skills. Our dialogue is an invitation to all listeners to gain an appreciation for the unexpected joys and profound insights that come with having a family member with Down syndrome.

Dan is currently 22 and a senior in college far away from us at UCLA studying Data Science. We miss him a lot when he is not here but know that he is thriving and learning a lot so far away.

How to connect with Dan:

Instagram: @danobr01

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38 | Embracing Neurodiversity in Home Organization

Unlocking the secrets to a harmoniously organized home if your brain works a bit differently can be quite a challenge. Alyssa from Alyssa's Yellow House joins us to shed light on home organization for neurodivergent individuals, bringing in her personal experiences with ADHD and autism. She offers an intimate look at how routines, as opposed to habits, can be transformative and introduces clever tricks, such as using visual reminders like a running dishwasher, to ease the daily kitchen grind. Her insights help us understand the need for organization systems that celebrate neurodiversity, embracing customized solutions that fit the unique ways our brains function.

When we can take a step back from the allure of picture-perfect homes and into the reality of functional living spaces, we can understand the challenges posed by literal interpretations common among individuals with autism. Alyssa shares pragmatic strategies for creating manageable cleaning routines all while reminding us to celebrate the personal nature of organization, not a home that mimics a magazine spread.

Our conversation culminates in the realization that organization is not a static goal, but a fluid process that grows and changes with us. We delve into strategies that prevent the dreaded cycle of 'didn't organize, only moved' (DOOM) and invite listeners to embrace the emotional journey of creating a space that is truly their own.

How to contact Alyssa:

https://ayh.alyssasyellowhouse.com/

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37 | Preparing For Emergencies With A Special Needs Child

Happy New Year! I hope you had a nice holiday season and are ready to start the New Year with a renewed sense of purpose and fresh eyes and ears.

So, listen in as I kick off the new year with a focus on a topic that's crucial yet often overlooked—emergency preparedness, especially when caring for loved ones with special needs. Research shows that many families with special needs kids lack essential emergency plans, highlighting the need to address this gap urgently. By sharing three key strategies: assembling an emergency kit, devising a family emergency plan, and staying informed for real-time decision-making, we're not just talking about readiness; we're taking active steps towards ensuring the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable loved ones during unexpected disruptions.

This week's content isn't about stirring anxiety but about fostering a practical discussion with your family to maintain serenity when crises arise. I'll be with you every Tuesday, offering insights and encouragement to fortify your planning. Moreover, I invite you to enrich our discussions by sharing your own experiences and tips on how to stay one step ahead in emergencies. It's all about community, preparedness, and finding that ever-important peace of mind in the face of the unknown.

To help your child practice calling 911, click here to access an app that will help simulate calling 911 (without actually calling 911!)

Interested in attending our Purge Party with me and Life Coach ⁠Kara Ryska⁠ on January 27th?

Sign up ⁠here ⁠and get $5 off your ticket!

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36 | Happy New Year!

Just letting you know that I will be taking a quick 2 week break to recover from the melee of the holiday season! It was a rough one! :)

You will also notice that my audio is a little different. That is because I am in the middle of an office redo/upgrade: my desk is in transit and I can't access my microphone right now! All the more reason for a quick break. But Season 3 coming up this winter/spring is going to be amazing!

Also:

Follow along in January as I help you declutter your home each day for 20 minutes or less.

Yes, I will be posting on Instagram and Facebook each day at @yourspacereclaimed in January to give you ideas, motivation and inspiration so that by February 1st you are less overwhelmed and more relaxed in your decluttered home!

And finally, if you need a little more accountability this month, sign up for our Purge Party on January 27th, at 11 am ET/8 am PT. Over zoom, my good friend, Kara Ryska, Life Coach and host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast and I have teamed up to offer an exclusive 2 hour workshop just for special needs moms like us!

Join us while a professional organizer and life coach guide you through a transformative experience that goes beyond just organizing. It's about reducing clutter, restoring balance, and bringing more joy into your daily life. Embark on a journey of empowerment as you tackle a personalized organizing project.

Whether it's streamlining your IEP or SSI file for smoother interactions, conquering the chaos in your drawers or pantry, or finally confronting that intimidating pile of papers, this workshop is your haven for practical solutions.

For only $40, you will walk away with insights to empower moms like you, tangible results, and a renewed sense of control over your space and your life!

Here is the link to sign up...

https://kara-ryska-coaching.ck.page/products/purge-party

35 | Storing and Protecting Your Important Documents

When you're a parent of a special needs child, and a professional organizer to boot, you'd think your important documents would be in perfect order. But I found out that even I had let things slide. In this episode, I share how I have reorganized and secured my critical documents – a task that became even more pressing after my husband and I updated our wills. By keeping these documents in a waterproof/fireproof safe, further organized in a three-ring binder, I've managed to create a system that allows for easy access during emergencies, while ensuring their safety. I share all kinds of ways to not lose those critical papers so they can stop stressing us out!

Listen in if you have been wondering about how best to store the important documents in your home.

Interested in attending our Purge Party with me and Life Coach Kara Ryska on January 27th?

Sign up here and get $5 off your ticket if you purchase before Dec 31st!

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