EPISODES

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77. Back to School or Back to the Screen? (Covid-19 & the Upcoming School Year ft. Dr. Spinazzi)

77. Back to School or Back to the Screen? (Covid-19 & the Upcoming School Year ft. Dr. Spinazzi)

Anyone else feeling more uncertain about the upcoming school year than ever before? We know we are! That’s why we have Dr. Spinazzi back on the show for a special episode about her insights into Covid-19 and her thoughts on sending kids to school in the middle of this pandemic. Not only is she a physician and professor, Dr. Spinazzi is the medical director of Charlie’s Clinic, a Down Syndrome specific clinic in Oakland, CA. We are so grateful for her infinite wisdom and her heart for our kiddos. Join us for a chat about classroom safety, school precautions, the risks and benefits of distance learning, + so much more. And whatever the school year looks like for you and your family, we are cheering you on.

GeneralValerie SchliederJuly 21, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, HealthComment

76. Making the Shift w/Kenny Clutch, "The Dancing Dad"

76. Making the Shift w/Kenny Clutch, "The Dancing Dad"

In just one day, Kenny Clutch went from dancing in the hospital room for his son Kristian who had cancer, to speaking on the news and being reposted by celebrities everywhere. Not only is he “The Dancing Dad,” Kenny is also a husband, father of 4, Down Syndrome advocate, and a motivational speaker. Today he’s sharing the story behind his nickname and how his experiences have lead him to host “Shift Makers,” a special event focused on developing positive strategies to deal with life’s challenges. So friends, join us for a chat about advocacy, adversity, pain, positivity, and of course— dancing.

GeneralValerie SchliederJuly 14, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, ChildhoodComment

75. What makes a family? (Adoption + Motherhood w/Kayla Craig)

75. What makes a family? (Adoption + Motherhood w/Kayla Craig)

Kayla Craig is a mother, author, podcaster, journalist, and so much more. She and her husband lead a diverse family made up of four beautiful children -- including two adopted kiddos and one with Down Syndrome! After realizing how curious other kids were about her unique family, she put pen to paper and decided to write “Just Really Joseph,” a book to help young children understand what really makes a family. Today, Kayla is sharing about her motherhood journey, her daughter’s experience with infantile spasms, and how to have hard conversations about faith. We’re also touching on ethical and safe adoption, white savior complex, and the reasons people actually pursue international adoption.

GeneralValerie SchliederJuly 7, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, AdoptionComment

74. Building Brain Power in People w/Down Syndrome, ft. Dr. Brian Skotko

74. Building Brain Power in People w/Down Syndrome, ft. Dr. Brian Skotko

As parents of children with Down Syndrome, we’ve heard of about 1 million things we should be doing to improve the brain power of our kiddos… and we’re guessing you’ve heard them too! Do we say yes or no to B-12, Tylenol, dairy? Is gluten really that bad? And what on earth do we do about vaccines?.. We’ve brought on an expert to answer all of this and more! Dr. Brian Skotko is the director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Down Syndrome Program, a brother to a sister with DS, and the creator of Brain Train: a program for individuals with DS designed to boost brain function and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

GeneralValerie SchliederJune 30, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, CognitionComment

73. What to do when things feel out of control (IEPs, summer, social distancing, + more)

73. What to do when things feel out of control (IEPs, summer, social distancing, + more)

Just when we thought IEPs couldn’t get any more complicated (and summer couldn’t sound any better!)... Enter Covid-19! Join us for a chat about how we’re handling unfinished plans for kids going into middle school and new plans for a future kindergartener, in the midst of a global pandemic! We’re also discussing our exciting summer plans… Does anyone want to hang out with the dog in the front yard?! (Again…) So friends, if you’re feeling like things are out of control right now -- know that you are not alone. We are cheering you on and (virtually) holding you close.

GeneralValerie SchliederJune 23, 2020Down Syndrome, InclusionComment

72. What do we stand for? - A Conversation About #BLM, Protests, Resources, + More

72. What do we stand for? - A Conversation About #BLM, Protests, Resources, + More

As our country has wrestled with the realities of racism over the past couple of weeks, we’ve been reflecting quite a bit over here and we’re guessing that many of you have too. So let’s talk about it. In this episode, we’re sharing our recent experience at protests, our own journeys/encounters with racism, and what we’re doing now to diversify our networks and stand with the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Plus, we’re diving deep into how being a mother of a child with Down Syndrome affects the way we see racism and oppressive systems. Thanks for being here, friends.

GeneralValerie SchliederJune 16, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, RaceComment

71. Down Syndrome, Autism, & Motherhood w/Teresa Unnerstall

71. Down Syndrome, Autism, & Motherhood w/Teresa Unnerstall

Teresa Unnerstall is an author, speaker, consultant, and mother to Nick - her 26 year old son with Down Syndrome and Autism. She has nearly 3 decades of experience on dual diagnosis.. which means this episode is full of wisdom, and so is Teresa! She shares three tips to keep in mind for your kiddo with DS/ASD, including behavior specialists, speech therapists, and sensory diets (and we’re not just talking about food here). We’re also chatting all about her book, “A New Course, A Mother’s Journey Navigating Down Syndrome And Autism” and what to ask for in an IEP meeting.

GeneralValerie SchliederMay 26, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, Motherhood, AutismComment

70. The Power of "Just Two Moms" w/Jessica Hunter & Larkin O'Leary

70. The Power of "Just Two Moms" w/Jessica Hunter & Larkin O'Leary

Jessica Hunter and Larkin O’Leary are on Instagram as @JustTwoMomssr but we all know there’s no such thing as “just a mom!” And these ladies prove it. What started as a presentation on Down Syndrome in a preschool classroom has lead to advocacy at over 30 different schools in their county, and even a trip to California’s capitol! We are so happy to have chatted with Jessica and Larkin all about their friendship, changed perceptions, school presentations, and the many beautiful stories that have emerged. So grab a tissue and text your favorite lucky mama and tell them to join you for a listen to this episode!

GeneralValerie SchliederMay 19, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, MotherhoodComment

69. Project Understood: Down Syndrome & Voice Technology w/Ed Casagrande & Matthew MacNeil

69. Project Understood: Down Syndrome & Voice Technology w/Ed Casagrande & Matthew MacNeil

Let’s face it, we all love voice-command technology (maybe even a little too much sometimes..) and our kiddos love it too. But Siri and Alexa and Google Home can’t always understand our loved ones with Down Syndrome. That’s why Ed Casagrande, the chair of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS), launched Project Understood. Ed and his team are collecting voices from individuals with Down Syndrome and working with Google to ensure that the future of voice technology includes everyone. Matthew Macneil is among the many individuals with Down Syndrome to have donated his voice to this campaign, recording nearly one thousand unique phrases in the span of just a few days!

GeneralValerie SchliederMay 12, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, TechnologyComment

68. Approaching Mother's Day While Grieving w/Katie Jameson

68. Approaching Mother's Day While Grieving w/Katie Jameson

When all you see on Instagram is happy moms smiling with their children on Mother’s Day, it can be hard to remember that not every woman approaches the holiday the same way. That’s why we are so grateful to have Katie Jameson on to discuss all things grief and Mother’s Day. Katie is a mother to 4 year old twins (one w/Down Syndrome), a 2 year old, and her son Lochlan who would turn 6 this year. After losing Lochlan, Katie made it her mission to support women grieving the loss of a child on Mother’s Day. Her beautiful ‘Grief Pins & Cards’ provide tangible support for anyone dealing with loss and grief. Join us for this important conversation on how to support a woman grieving on Mother’s Day and how to approach the holiday after losing a child.

GeneralValerie SchliederMay 5, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, Motherhood, GriefComment

67. Unpacking Privilege & Understanding Intersectionality w/Jalondra Davis

67. Unpacking Privilege & Understanding Intersectionality w/Jalondra Davis

We know that Down Syndrome does not affect one more race more than another so why is the advocacy space not more diverse? We have Jalondra Davis - author, scholar, feminist, and mother, on to address this topic and more. We’re chatting about everything from her son’s diagnosis story to the many systems that impact our children with Down Syndrome and the intersections between different types of injustice. Get ready to take notes, friends. We have so much to learn from Jalondra.

GeneralValerie SchliederApril 28, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, Inclusion, RaceComment

66. Public Speaking & Self Advocacy w/Matthew Schwab

66. Public Speaking & Self Advocacy w/Matthew Schwab

At 22 years old, Matthew Schwab is a public speaker, employee, volunteer, ambassador, intern, campaign manager, and so much more. You may have even seen him advocating for employing people with disabilities on his TedX Talk! When he’s not writing speeches or selling merchandise, he’s sending emails or hanging out with his girlfriend. We’re so happy he took the time to sit down with us and chat all about his busy life, his future goals, and his journey from being sad about his Down Syndrome diagnosis to embracing it!

GeneralValerie SchliederApril 21, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, Inclusion, SpeakingComment

65. The Quarantine Chronicles

65. The Quarantine Chronicles

Raise your hand if your quarantine situation is nothing like you and your Pinterest board thought it would be! (We’ve got both arms up at this point). And it’s okay if you do too, friends. Because educating your children and working from home and surviving a global pandemic is hard. We’re right there with you. So join us for a chat about our quarantine situations, how to explain this madness to your kiddos, setting realistic expectations, giving yourself grace, and why homeschool should actually be called “crisis school.” We are cheering for each and everyone of you! Stay safe (at home), friends.

GeneralValerie SchliederApril 14, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, Inclusion, QuarantineComment

64. Building Bridges Towards Inclusion w/Barbara Butler

64. Building Bridges Towards Inclusion w/Barbara Butler

Magical Bridge playgrounds are beautiful places where ALL kiddos can play together. Think accessible ramps, wide paths, kindness corners, and the cutest little huts for when you just need some space. We are so lucky to have Barbara Butler on to tell us more about these playgrounds. She is a luxury play structure and treehouse designer who uses her architect background to create incredible inclusive playgrounds alongside the Magical Bridge Foundation. Join us for the incredible story about how her work started and what we can do to make all of our playgrounds inclusive.

GeneralValerie SchliederApril 7, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, InclusionComment

63. Health & Down Syndrome w/Dr. Noemi Spinazzi

63. Health & Down Syndrome w/Dr. Noemi Spinazzi

“Stay home, wash your hands, don’t touch your face….” you’ve heard it all before. But now you can hear from pediatrician Dr. Noemi Spinazzi, who specializes in Down Syndrome. She works at a children’s hospital in Oakland, CA and is the medical director of Charlie’s Clinic - a Down Syndrome specific health care center! Today we’re asking her about all things health and Down Syndrome from special Covid-19 precautions, medical myths, speech, pneumonia, hearing, and more!

GeneralValerie SchliederMarch 31, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, Family, Health Comment