Lisa: People with Down Syndrome (DS) are proportioned different than the general population. Though there are obvious variations between individuals, most have shorter arms, legs, and waists. Their shoulders tend to be narrower, and they are usually of shorter stature. And THIS my friends is why it is so frustrating to shop for clothes for …
“Reach Higher”
Lisa: Sophie and I are very grateful to the organizers of Leadership Geauga for allowing us to speak at last month’s Human Services Day seminar. Our presentation entitled “Reach Higher,” was a chronicle of the family’s journey with Sophie and our quest to help her reach her full potential. Sophie was amazingly poised and fearless …
“Handwriting Progress: She’s Almost Ready to Endorse a Check!”
The first 3 images below represent handwriting samples from about 2 years ago through the present. Sophie is now tracing her signature in cursive so that, one day, she can do her banking independently. Lisa: NACD (National Association for Child Development) did not allow us to work on Sophie’s handwriting skills …
“Have No Fear”
Lisa: After all these years of pushing to further Sophie’s development, even I sometimes find myself imposing limitations on her. Parents of special needs children, have you ever found yourselves stuck in the status quo because it’s comfortable? I believe we subconsciously allow ourselves to remain stuck because we fear failure. Fear is debilitating. Not only does …
“Chef Sophie: Shrimp with Pomegranate Sauce”
Lisa: Here is one of the many recipes from Chef Sophie’s repertoire: Shrimp with Pomegranate Sauce Ingredients 8 medium-sized shrimp 1 small onion, diced coconut oil salt, lemon pepper, paprika to taste 1 tsp freshly grated ginger drizzle of pomegranate molasses juice from one lemon Directions Sauté the onions in coconut oil until brown. Add …
Video: Brain Drain or Mind Find
Lisa: When I was younger, my parents would get upset with me for watching too much TV. However, my “excessive” habit doesn’t even compare to the video/handheld device addiction of today’s youth! Is all video bad? Absolutely not. In fact, if strictly limited and utilized in the correct way, video can be a very powerful …
“Pure, Clean Living: One Piece of the Puzzle”
Lisa: My family and I have been searching for ways to live healthier, less toxic lives. Thus our efforts to grow our own organic food (see previous posts about Sophie’s vegetable garden), cook from scratch, and exercise regularly. I have also been researching levels of toxins in the average American household, and the results are scary. …
“To Sign or to Speak…is it Hummus or is it Hommous=حُمُّص?”
Lisa: If you are a speech therapist, or if your child needed speech therapy before the age of 4, you will not like this post. Because Sophie was speech delayed, her therapists recommended we begin signing to her when she was about one year old. The well-intentioned “experts” rationalized that, without a way to communicate, …
“Blessed”
Lisa: One thing I love about homeschooling is that we can customize our day based on Sophie’s priorities. In our home, our spiritual growth is top priority. Today, our bible lesson is about Matthew 5:1-11. For those who don’t recognize the passage, it’s “The Sermon on the Mount.” If you are seeking ways …
“Ask Sophie”
Lisa: Hi everyone! For those who are not familiar with what is going on in our household, Sophie’s grandmother (Tata Najla) unfortunately fell and broke her hip. As such, the last couple of months have been a blur, and we have not made much time to blog. Well, no more. Sophie has been begging …