EPISODES

96. Handling Holiday Expectations

96. Handling Holiday Expectations

Covid-19 may have wiped out our December calendars, but let’s talk about the magic of a quieter holiday season.. Kids waking up in their own beds, playing in the snow without a care in the world, and actually making the gingerbread cookies you always said you would! Sounds a little bit better than going to a zoom holiday party doesn’t it? This week we’re chatting all about the good and the hard of this holiday season. We’re also giving some advice (or trying to) about dealing with difficult family members and what to do when your child just isn’t having it.

GeneralValerie SchliederDecember 1, 2020Down Syndrome, Holidays, ChristmasComment

95. What Are You Thankful For?

95. What Are You Thankful For?

As we head into the holidays and the end of 2020 (we made it!), we’re giving thanks for all the lessons learned this year. Let’s face it, 2020 hasn’t been easy and socially-distant holidays hold challenges of their own..But for now, we invite you to practice gratitude with us as we reflect on all the hard parts of this year that have opened our eyes to what we do have. We’re also chatting about why we’re thankful for Down syndrome, including the everyday moments with our kiddos that allow us (or force us) to pause and be grateful. And as always, we are thankful for all of you who listen and cheer us on. We love you, listeners!

GeneralValerie SchliederNovember 24, 2020Down Syndrome, Holidays, ThankfulComment

94. IEPs during Covid-19, ft. IEP Lawyers Vickie Brett & Amanda Selogie

94. IEPs during Covid-19, ft. IEP Lawyers Vickie Brett & Amanda Selogie

“There’s no way to make virtual learning fair for everyone…” Micha said it best but we’re all thinking it right?! Getting your child’s IEP needs met during virtual learning seems nearly impossible. And no one understands the legal battle behind a student’s disability rights quite like Vickie Brett and Amanda Selogie, two special education lawyers who created one of our favorite nonprofits: The Inclusive Education Project. We’re so grateful to have Vickie and Amanda on for an important conversation about IEP anxiety, disability education rights, virtual learning success stories (yes, they do exist!) and when to have your kiddo’s next distance learning IEP (the sooner, the better). Cheering you on, friends!

GeneralValerie SchliederNovember 17, 2020Down Syndrome, Education, InclusionComment

93. The (Older) Sibling Perspective, ft. Pat Ramirez

93. The (Older) Sibling Perspective, ft. Pat Ramirez

You may have been one of the 5 million people (no big deal right?) to see Zach & Pat’s viral videos on tik tok. This brother duo has taken social media by storm with their Down syndrome advocacy, positivity, and of course - dancing! So naturally, we needed to meet them.. which is why we sat down to chat with Pat all about growing up with a younger brother who has Down syndrome, navigating social media, and watching Zach find his passion!

GeneralValerie SchliederNovember 10, 2020Down Syndrome, SiblingsComment

92. Politics & Down Syndrome w/Kayla McKeon & Ashley Helsing

92. Politics & Down Syndrome w/Kayla McKeon & Ashley Helsing

The last time we chatted with Kayla McKeon back in November 2018, she was lobbying for the ABLE to Work act that allows individuals with disabilities to save money without losing their benefits. Today, the act has passed, but Kayla (the first registered lobbyist with Down Syndrome) has certainly not stopped working hard!

Her and Ashley Helsing are part of the National Down Syndrome Society’s policy team that lobbies on capitol hill and advocates for Down Syndrome in DC! They’re telling us all about what matters most for people with disabilities in the current political world: Covid-19 relief packages, marriage equality, meaningful employment, virtual school, and so much more.

GeneralValerie SchliederNovember 3, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, VotingComment

91. Putting the "Social" In Social Distancing w/Jessica Hunter & Larkin O'Leary

91. Putting the "Social" In Social Distancing w/Jessica Hunter & Larkin O'Leary

Jessica Hunter and Larkin O’Leary may have started their advocacy journey as @justtwomomssr on Instagram, but they’ve now created their own nonprofit: Common Ground Society. And they're using their platform to put the “social” back in “social distancing” by creating a virtual buddy program for children with and without disabilities. We love the work these ladies are doing and we know you will too! So friends, join us for another chat with Jessica and Larkin about friendship in the days of distance learning, creating connections during Covid-19, and resources to advocate in your own school district!

GeneralValerie SchliederOctober 27, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, MotherhoodComment

90. How To Advocate Right Where You Are

90. How To Advocate Right Where You Are

Alright friends, you asked! And we’re answering.. What’s the most challenging part of advocacy for you? How do you advocate if you don’t have tons of followers? What do you wish people knew about your child with DS? And how do you keep from comparing yourself to other advocates?... We’re chatting about all of this + more today! Because let’s face it, advocacy is exciting and rewarding but also hard and messy. So let’s give each other grace and keep showing up. Wherever we are.

GeneralValerie SchliederOctober 20, 2020Down Syndrome, AdvocacyComment

89. Let's Talk About Transitions, ft. Kenzie Clark

89. Let's Talk About Transitions, ft. Kenzie Clark

Kenzie Clark is a former special educator and the brains behind Able Transition Consulting, a service that equips individuals with disabilities with the resources to enter adulthood and thrive! The Able team is all about person-centered planning and making sure that young adults with disabilities have a voice in their transition! That’s why Kenzie’s here to chat about all things transitions, education, adulthood, + more. We’re also discussing practical tips you can use to empower your kiddos to make their own choices now and in the future!

GeneralValerie SchliederOctober 13, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, TransitionComment

88. (Un)learning the Advocacy Language

88. (Un)learning the Advocacy Language

When it comes to finding the right language to use in this advocacy space, it can be tricky.. to say the least! Do we go with person-first or identity-first language? Should we say disabled or differently abled? And how can we use language to empower our kiddos with Down Syndrome? We’ve done a lot of learning (and unlearning!) to try and figure this all out. And as women who do not have any disabilities or diagnoses, we know we still have a long way to go!

GeneralValerie SchliederOctober 6, 2020Down Syndrome, Advocacy, LanguageComment

87. Life Update: Moving Mishaps + More!

87. Life Update: Moving Mishaps + More!

In the midst of moving (and yes all three of us are moving this month!), we feel unorganized and uncomfortable, and we know our kids must feel it too! So how do we help our kiddos with Down Syndrome transition when we’re still working on it ourselves? We don’t have all the answers but do we have some of our favorite “social story” apps + quite a few mistakes for you all to learn from! So friends, sit down and chat with just the three of us about our decisions to move and all the things we’re doing (or should be doing) to help our kiddos transition!

GeneralValerie SchliederSeptember 29, 2020Down Syndrome, Moving, Transitions, AdvocacyComment

86. Palliative Care & Parenting Our Heroes w/Jen Bartz

86. Palliative Care & Parenting Our Heroes w/Jen Bartz

Not only is Jen Bartz a mother to three, she is a narrative shifter in the healthcare community, especially when it comes to palliative care for our medically-complex kiddos. After her son James passed away, Jen and her husband were inspired to create Hero’s Path Palliative Care. Hero’s Path is a non-profit organization that exists to “empower children with serious illness to live fully by providing outstanding, customized palliative care.” Jen’s heart for children receiving palliative care is powerful. That’s why we’re so thankful she’s here to share how we can support and advocate for these families!

GeneralValerie SchliederSeptember 22, 2020Down Syndrome, Healthcare Comment

85. Is Inclusion Always The Best Option?

85. Is Inclusion Always The Best Option?

When Micha and her family moved across the country this summer, she realized it might be time to shift her son’s classroom setting as well. In this week’s episode, Micha’s discussing her decision to place Ace in a more restrictive classroom environment and we’re answering lots of hard questions about school for our kiddos with Down Syndrome.. Is inclusion really always the best option? What if you don’t have the access or opportunity to pursue inclusion? Are you no longer an advocate if you choose a non-inclusive setting for your child?

GeneralValerie SchliederSeptember 15, 2020Down Syndrome, Inclusion, EducationComment

84. Michelle Sie Whitten on Creating the Global DS Foundation, Media Representation, + More

84. Michelle Sie Whitten on Creating the Global DS Foundation, Media Representation, + More

After giving birth to her daughter with Down Syndrome, Michelle Sie Whitten noticed a gap in medical research and quality healthcare for people with DS. And from that moment on, she sought to fill that gap by co-founding the Global Down Syndrome Foundation -- the leading organization dedicated to research, medical care, education, and advocacy for people rockin’ an extra chromosome! We’re so grateful to have her on the podcast for a conversation about the beginning of Global, the “Be Beautiful Be Yourself” fashion show, DS in the media, and so much more!

GeneralValerie SchliederSeptember 8, 2020Down Syndrome, Non ProfitsComment

83. So Everything's Going Wrong, Now What?

83. So Everything's Going Wrong, Now What?

This week we’re sharing a special recording we did at a recent event with the We Are Brave Together community, hosted by Jessica Patay. We Are Brave Together is “passionate about supporting, serving, and inspiring Special Needs Moms.” Most importantly, they want you to know that you are not alone, friends! That’s why today we’re sharing our “everything’s going wrong” moments and how we reacted to them.. gardening, grieving, and sometimes giving up. The stress of this year has left us feeling so much weight on our shoulders — let’s help each other carry it.

GeneralValerie SchliederSeptember 1, 2020Down SyndromeComment

82. All things Speech & Feeding w/Shandy Laskey (CCC-SLP)

82. All things Speech & Feeding w/Shandy Laskey (CCC-SLP)

If you’re anything like us, you may have wondered (AKA worried) about your child’s speech! How much therapy do they need? What can we do at home? The questions never end! That’s why today we have Shandy Laskey (speech language pathologist, functional nutritionist, and feeding specialist) on to chat about all the things our kiddos need before even thinking about speech therapy... What on earth is the gut-brain connection and why do we actually go gluten/dairy free? Shandy is here with all this information as well as plenty of recommendations! Take notes, friends!

GeneralValerie SchliederAugust 25, 2020Down Syndrome, SpeechComment