For the past two months, I’ve been overwhelmed with thoughts of an upcoming milestone: My oldest, Cammy, will be graduating eighth grade at the end of this month. I imagine this transition is difficult for a lot of parents, especially if it’s the first child who’s going through…

In our special needs world, we sometimes get gut-punched. I felt this first when our daughter Cammy was diagnosed with Rett syndrome in 2011. I still feel it when we add equipment or a clinician to her team. Even though I try to shift my mindset to realize that…

I was recently reflecting on the moments when my oldest daughter, Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, transitioned to each of her new schools — first from early intervention to an early childhood center when she turned 3, then to a new building for kindergarten through fifth…

Many people with Rett syndrome have issues with regulating their temperature, circulation, mood, breathing, and heart rate, which can also cause problems of anxiety, sleep, and fine and gross motor skills. My teenage daughter with Rett syndrome, Cammy, has many of these regulation issues. Some have been obstacles…

Before this school year began, I attended a nonviolent crisis intervention training session, held by the Crisis Prevention Institute, for the school district where I’m teaching adapted physical education. This annual training for educators and staff covers physical intervention, verbal de-escalation, behavior management strategies, trauma-informed care, and restorative…

As my two girls finished up fifth and seventh grade, I completed my coursework in special education. My firstborn, Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, inspired me to go back to school so I could better serve other children with special needs. Now with my master’s degree plus a…

Picture day at school always gives me anxiety for my daughter Cammy, 13, who has special needs. Rett syndrome has robbed her of the everyday abilities we take for granted, including walking, talking, using our hands purposefully, sitting up straight, and smiling on command. I can dress…

As a parent, I consider myself well informed about the school system. I was a high school teacher before I had kids, my oldest sister is an early childhood educator, and my middle sister is a school physical therapist. Both of my sisters have been instrumental in helping me to…

Things escalate quickly in our house. What we thought would be another typical day last Friday turned into us calling 911 and admitting our 12-year-old daughter, Cammy, to the hospital. I kept Cammy home from school that day because someone in her class tested positive for COVID-19 again. Cammy is…

In 2019, my two daughters, who are two years apart, attended different schools. My neurotypical daughter Ryan’s school had a winter concert, where all grades sang songs prepared during music classes. My older daughter, Cammy, who has Rett syndrome, did not have a winter show at her…