Special Needs Friendly Santa Tips for Parents
By (special needs friendly) Santa Claus (with support from Elaine Taylor-Klaus) A Christmas Surprise I had a rare treat, recently, when I shared a hotel with a convention of the Connecticut Society of Santas. Many of the attendees were also members of the Fraternal Order of the Real Bearded Santas. I’m not kidding – this…
Read MoreWhat To Do When Your ADHD Teen Says “Don’t Worry, I’ve Got It!”
“Don’t Worry” Syndrome If I had a dollar for every time I heard this phrase from my ADHD teen, “Don’t worry, I’ve got it!” Of course, sometimes it means exactly that: your kid is confident and competent. But sometimes, it’s just a way to deflect the situation, to get you out of their hair. So,…
Read More5 Magic Words: What Is Most Important Here?
Transition times can be an absolute nightmare for parents of complex kids. Whether it’s the end of the school year, or breaks during the year, or even shifting from dinner-time to bed-time, we have to help our kids navigate stopping and starting, and it’s not easy for any of us! During transitions like this it…
Read MoreFostering Career Readiness in Teens
Navigating the journey from adolescence to adulthood brings different experiences for everyone. Some young adults transition into further education or the workforce, and others take different paths. While according to research, the unemployment rate for neurodivergent individuals in the US may be as high as 30% to 40%, you have many opportunities to prepare your…
Read MoreRaising Complex Kids With No Clear Diagnosis
The first ten years of my life as a parent really sucked. No, they didn’t really suck. It’s more like, they sucked up every ounce of energy I had and then wanted more. Raising complex kids with no clear diagnosis, I felt lost and adrift. My journey started out complicated, and that course has never…
Read MoreEmpathy: A Magic Wand to Connect with Complex Kids & Teens
“What is Empathy? And why is it VERY different from sympathy? Empathy fuels connection. Sympathy drives disconnection.” ~Brene Brown When we are connected with our kids, we can engage with them, teach them, support them, empower them, and ultimately guide them to independence and success. It takes time, but as long as we’re connected, we…
Read MoreWhat’s a Microbiome, Why Should I Care, and What Do I Do About It?
What’s a microbiome? Humans host 39 trillion microscopic organisms in every conceivable place in our bodies, from head to toe, inside and out — and they are called microbiomes. Yep – made up of microbes. There are tons of different groups or colonies all over our bodies. Seriously — each tooth is like its own…
Read MoreMornings and Teens with ADHD – Can They End in "I Love You"?
There’s Hope for Teens and Mornings! Dropping kids off at school is something I’d done every day for years. But one morning, dropping my Senior off at high school was a little more memorable than most. I noticed we were joking and laughing all the way to school. Before he got out of the car,…
Read MoreWhen Kids Have Trouble Hearing the Word No, Try This
What do I do when my kids have trouble hearing the word “no”? How can I get them to accept what I’m saying? Diane: So one of the questions we always get… Elaine: A lot Diane: …is kids who have a hard time with the word “no.” Elaine: Yeah, that trigger reaction that people get.…
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