If you have a child with a disability and a child without disabilities then you likely worry about the impact of disability on both of their lives. You also likely worry about whether your kids without a disability will be supportive as an adult. Lucky for you, Erica Baker-Tinsley did some research on what siblings believe strengthened their relationships and their commitment. Check out the full show notes here. If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate an

We can’t change some of our circumstances but we can influence how we experience them. We can develop thought habits and adaptations that help us instead of hurt us. Life coach, Doña Bumgarner, talks me through how I might think differently about some of my less than ideal ways of managing stress and self-perception. Check out the full show notes page here. If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review in iTunes. The more ratings and reviews

Anyone hate feeling vulnerable? Anyone feel like feeling vulnerable and loving someone with a disability (or having a disability) go hand in hand? Maybe it isn’t a bad thing… Sarah Buino says, “The power [of vulnerability] is, it's, it is connection. When, when two people are able to sit in their own vulnerability and not put up defenses, that's where true connection lies. That's where authenticity lies. And whenever, we're, you know, trying to protect ourselves from something, there's, there's a bar

Students with disabilities will experience two kinds of barriers to learning. One type of barrier is created by their disability. The other kind is created by other people’s attitudes. Both kinds of barriers need to be addressed in order for kids to learn to their full potential. Erin Sheldon, MEd., teaches us about least dangerous assumptions, presumed competence and removing those barriers to learning so that kids can thrive. Access the transcript and full show notes here.

Communities have the capacity to be welcoming places where people with disabilities can belong, contribute and thrive. How we show up in community – either with gifts to offer or burdens to share – influences the likelihood that we will find those welcoming places. Parents and other supportive folks make choices about where to focus their attention. Amplifying the good or focusing on the problems.

It blows my mind is that after decades of legal actions supporting children's legal rights to access quality, inclusive and individualized education, that there would still be a need and enough of a need to support a legal practice. But there you have it. Amanda and Vickie talk about their inclusive education, civil rights legal practice.

Dr. Julie Causton and I cover why placement matters, friendships, moving away from one-to-one educational assistants, and the long game of love and connection with students with difficult behaviours. The long game of love and connection sounds nice, doesn’t it? Nice, but not easy.

Shelley Moore is blowing up special education. Don’t worry. She’s not a bomb threat. But she is pushing for an evolution of inclusive education that puts “special” in its place and focuses on a responsive education system that allows all kids to have their needs met.

Dr. Paula Kluth discusses what inclusion is and isn’t. Hint: it isn’t one and done. And it isn’t accomplished by putting kids with disabilities in a regular classroom with an educational assistant velcroed to their hip and pulled out of class for all kinds of special services.

Dr. Temple Grandin speaks about the error of limiting the opportunities of children with disabilities and recommends a strengths and interests based approach to stretch their minds, build capacity, make friends and become contributing citizens.