Parenting Impossible – The Special Needs Survival Podcast

In this short episode, Annette gets to answer a common question she gets from listeners of the podcast and readers of her book, Butterflies and Second Chances.

How to move forward after the death of a loved one with special needs.

Annette talks about the need to have a community with you at all times and the need to take a step back and examine your identity. Many people who have lost a loved one at an early age feel that their identity was shattered. And it's a good idea to understand who you are moving forward.

Annette says that she wrote her book so she could just get her story out on paper and express how she was feeling. But what she realized is that the book could help other families struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one that they cared for 24/7.

Annette says that it is okay to be hurt, and to be truthful about your journey. She says that it can be a lonely journey but that you need to have hope.

Hear what else Annette has to say about the loss of a loved one and how you can move forward in a positive way in this mini episode.

You can find out more about Annette's book, Butterflies and Second Chances which charts Annette's journey with her daughter here: https://specialneedscompanies.com/book/

This episode, Annette has a conversation with David Greenwood, author of the book, Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with Adult ADHD. The book profiles many entrepreneurs around the county who have ADHD and have created successful businesses.

Annette and Dave talk about how in some cases, a parent of a child can get frustrated and even lose hope when they have to work around or deal with challenging behaviors. And by reading the book that Dave wrote, they can begin to understand that there can be a successful person under all those ADHD challenges.

Annette and Dave also take time out to chat about some of the funnier aspects of having adult ADHD such as forgetfulness and being time blind. While these can get in the way of running a successful business, sometimes we just have to have a little laugh at our own expense.

Annette and Dave talk about some of the more effective ways in which successful adults with ADHD manage and thrive such as regular exercise, proper sleep, nutrition and the topic of meditation. They chat about managing your time and your environment and best practices about managing procrastination and productivity.

And they chat about the positive aspects of having ADHD such as creativity, risk-taking, energy and having an entrepreneurial mindset.

Learn more about Dave Greenwood, his book and the popular podcast by the same name at: www.OvercomingDistractions.com

Today, Annette sits down with MacKenzie Mahoney of Special Needs Law Group. Both MacKenzie and Annette talk about their experience in attending and sponsoring the Raise The Bar Conference that promotes employment for individuals with disabilities in Massachusetts.

Annette and MacKenzie talk about current employment stats that apply to people with disabilities and the troubling trends associated with those numbers. They also talk about what's being done at conferences such as Raise The Bar and some of the organizations that are making an impact with offering people with disabilities career options and growth.

MacKenzie speaks about some of the other offerings at the conference including what is being done to help people with disabilities prepare for job interviews, especially those on the autism spectrum. Those include advice on interviewing as well as preparing questions in advance for both applicant and potential employer.

Annette and MacKenzie take the discussion to the topic of entrepreneurship for individuals with disabilities and the pros and cons of entering into a business.

They discuss the different types of business formations, the legal requirements to be thinking of, the responsibility of a business owner, funding opportunities and requirements, property and intellectual property and how to gauge when it's time to take on employees and the responsibility of hiring.

They also discuss the various ways in which help and assistance can be found including the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission; https://www.mass.gov/vocational-rehabilitation

You can also learn more about the guidance from Special Needs Law Group in this area at: https://specialneeds-law.com/

Annette talks with Dawn Cordeiro this week about advocating for your special needs child. While some parents have very good luck navigating the educational system with their child, others run into many challenges. In short, some school systems "get it" and others require a strong parent to achieve the educational goals they want and need for their special needs loved one.

Dawn Cordeiro has turned the many frustrations of navigating the school system into a passion and now helps other parents with the challenges they face in the educational systems. She founded Tommy's Voice to help train other parents and give them the tools they need to go in and advocate effectively for their child in the school system. While she does accompany some parents, her goal is to make sure they can advocate for themselves.

Dawn speaks with Annette about the many unfortunate situations her and her son Tommy have had to endure over the years when it comes to getting a proper education and the support needed to do so.

Dawn talks about the need for more effective special needs advocacy and the importance of making sure you put your child first in all situations with the school system.

She speaks with Annette about the difference between home and school issues and behavior and why she feels many behaviors are not seen in a home setting, but come out when school starts.

Annette and Dawn chat about how teachers can get stuck sometimes, how school leadership needs to hear more for the special needs community and how educators can speak more effectively and compassionately when communicating with a special needs student.

You can connect with Dawn and Tommy's Voice at: [email protected]

And find her cable TV show, Parents Connection here: http://tv9seekonk.com/

This week, Annette speaks with Eric Endlich with Top College Consultants which helps a wide range of students navigate the college admission system, including those on the autism spectrum.

One of the topics that Eric talks about right in the beginning is his own autism diagnosis later in life. He speaks about what it is like to understand that you have an autism diagnosis and the positive aspect of neurodiversity.

He says that autism looks different later on in life and you cannot look at a person with autism the same way as a child and as an adult. We learn skills and become more aware of ourselves.

Eric talks with Annette about what college can look like for someone on the autism spectrum and the many factors that should be in your decision to go to college. Those include considerations regarding executive functions, costs, level of support needed and other factors. Others include a relevant major, setting and environment as well as the physical location of that college.

Annette and Eric also discuss the topic of deciding whether a person is actually ready for college or if they should consider taking time off between high school and their next school. They discuss the option of transition programs and the value that such programs offer.

Are there scholarships for those that learn differently? They discuss this as well as the kinds of scholarships available.

Find out more about Eric and Top College Consultants on his website which include an extensive list of colleges that have programs for individuals on the autism spectrum.

https://www.topcollegeconsultants.com/

Robyn Powell is a former social worker turned disability rights attorney. She's worked extensively in the fields of disability law and policy and has been published countless times in law journals and reviews. Her most notable publication is Rocking the Cradle which was published by The National Council on Disability.

Annette and Robyn discuss some tough issues including reproductive law as it pertains to those with disabilities and how they feel some of these legal decisions need to be looked at again. They discuss the history of sterilization for those with intellectual disabilities and the hard to believe reasons behind some court decisions.

They also discuss the child welfare system for parents with disabilities and they dig into the lack of certain healthcare procedures for people with intellectual disabilities.

Robyn and Annette chat about healthy relationships for those with disabilities and the often untold stories of sexual assaults in the disability community.

They talk about parental rights and how more legislation needs to be passed to protect those rights.

And Robyn shares her advice for parents with disabilities including how to obtain legal help, the power of networking with other families and parents, the need to join advocacy groups and the need to know your rights.

Connect with Robyn here; http://www.robynpowell.com/

Other organizations Robyn is active in; https://www.disabledparenting.com

http://www.centerforparentswithdisabilities.org

This week, Annette chats with Cathy Boyle of Autism Housing Pathways based in Massachusetts. The organization was created in 2010 as a way to assist families that needed help navigating the complex world of housing for their special needs family member.

Cathy is an incredible resource when it comes to special needs housing and has enough information to fill many podcasts on the subject. Her and Annette covered many of the more important and confusing topics when it comes to housing.

Cathy talks about her Turning 18 Checklist that the organization has put together as well as the other resources available including special needs housing workshops put on by the organization. She talks about other housing clinics as well and how for many, the wait for housing can take 6-15 years.

Annette and Cathy also discuss the importance of learning life skills for someone with special needs entering a new housing situation and why this is critical for success.

Cathy brings up other topics in the special needs housing world such as using housemates for care, legal requirements for special needs housing and what factors determine housing eligibility.

Join Cathy and Annette as the navigate the complex world of housing for those with special needs.

Learn more about Autism Housing Pathways and get the Turning 18 Checklist here: http://autismhousingpathways.org/

This week, Annette chats with Kirsty Russell, author, speaker and a special needs mom. Kirsty writes the very popular blog, Positive Special Needs Parenting and is an advocate for how parents work closely with school systems for the benefit of special needs children. She's had numerous appearances on TV, radio and other media discussing her advocacy around special needs parenting.

Based in Australia, Kirsty is often speaking to groups about how to navigate the school system. But her advice crosses all borders.

As someone who has a public service background, Kirsty now provides training for parents as well as teachers on how to collaborate in a positive way and mitigate the negative interactions that sometimes go along with doing what's best for a special needs student.

Annette and Kirsty talk about these issues as well as what to expect from meetings, educating teachers and others about your child's unique abilities and how to communicate in the most effective way.

Annette and Kirsty also discuss the topic of judgment when it comes to being a special needs parent and how to handle the judgment that comes from others.

Kirsty then shares her 10 Principles of working with schools to create the best outcome for your child. From making sure you go out of your way to introduce yourself to the educators responsible for your child, listening to them before responding, setting objectives as well as trying hard to focus on solutions rather than problems, these principles are sure to help you become an expert advocate!

If you have questions about special needs parenting and how to navigate your school system, this is a great podcast to listen to and share.

You can ready Kirsty's blog here and connect with her as well.

https://positivespecialneedsparenting.com/

Annette gives us a short snapshot of Disability Awareness Month which is October and all the conferences and groups that are available to special needs families.

October is host to many awareness themes in the disability community and it's also a time when conferences for special needs families get ramped up. Annette Hines is a regular on the special needs conference scene and talks about in this podcast, the available resources that are at your fingertips.

The conferences that she sees out there include those that focus on special needs housing, law, education and well as special needs financial planning. Other conferences and gathering that might interest those in the social needs community include, trusts, public benefits, transition planning and training in many areas.

To find out where Annette will be speaking next and to see a list of conferences, visit:

https://specialneedscompanies.com/events/

Annette sits down to chat with Maria Hopfgarten, the author of the blog, Moments with Jacob. Maria lost her son Jacob to mitochondrial disease three years ago. Despite Jacob being very medically complex he lived for ten beautiful years. He fought every day to breathe, live, and spread happiness. He never uttered a word in his life, but he inspired more people than most of us will ever do.

In this podcast, Maria talks about why she started the blog which in the beginning, was a communication tool to let people know how Jacob was doing. At the time he was three years old. From there, she says it became beneficial to the community and therapeutic to her to write the blog. Many started to follow the blog and felt connected.

Maria also talks about how Jacob never spoke a word but made an enormous statement in the special needs community and beyond. He was the strongest and happiest person she had ever known.

Maria and Annette talk about siblings and how Jacob's sister was so close to him. He always perked up when she visited him in the hospital. But Maria also speaks about how difficult it was on Jacobs sister over several years.

Maria speaks about the advice she gives to families and siblings, how to involve siblings in the care of a special needs loved one, and how to keep a family together when things get tough.

Annette and Maria also chat about their similar stories, taking care of a special needs child and the stress involved at all levels.

Maria has founded a charity called Miracles for Mito which helps families going through the same circumstances that both her and Annette have gone through raising a child with mitochondrial disease.

Connect with Maria and read her blog at:

http://momentswithjacob.blogspot.com/

Find out more about Miracles for Mito here; https://www.miraclesformito.org/