Tag Archives: Parenting

A String of Firsts
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Last weekend, I coordinated Poetry Day at the Alameda County Fair. (I know, who knew?) in the morning, I hosted an open mic for all the poets whose work was accepted and displayed at the Fair, plus in the afternoon, … Continue reading

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Once Again We Visit the Library
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April, as many of you know, is Autism Awareness Month and also National Poetry Month. These are both subjects that I am passionate about. So last fall, Paul, the person in charge of adult programming at the Livermore Library, and … Continue reading

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The Myth of “Just Words”
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Hate. American chose hate. I am still grappling with this outcome, still feel as if one day I will wake from a bad dream. Except this isn’t a dream. Donald Trump has just been inaugurated so our collective nightmare won’t … Continue reading

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Katie Turns 13
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I am now in possession of a teenager. Part of me has no idea how this happened, and the other part knows exactly how it happened. My daughter and I are thirteen years older than we were when we first … Continue reading

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Hope Blooms
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It’s hard to have hope after the most qualified woman—technically the most qualified person, male or female, in decades—loses an election to a compulsive liar without an ounce of relevant governmental experience. But something about the fear and the shock, … Continue reading

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What’s the Problem?
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Sometimes I wonder, is the problem me? Other parents have special education horror stories, but no one has twisted tales of terror like mine and my daughter’s. Am I a bad parent? A poor advocate? But no, I have moved … Continue reading

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The Upside of Puberty
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This fall, my daughter and I are entering new territory. After a year or so of nonstop growth, Katie is 5’1″ (or was in August when I last measured her. By now, she’s probably even taller.) She has outgrown girl’s … Continue reading

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A Trip to the Park
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I wrote awhile back about the downside of Facebook, and how sometimes—not always, just sometimes—I get sad when I think of all the things I probably will never be able to post about. Then my unplanned life zigs when I … Continue reading

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A Life of Quiet Desperation
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For years, my brother Tom lived a life of quiet desperation. I saw it and recognized it in myself, recognized what I had seen years earlier in my father’s father. I think Mom saw it too, must have at least … Continue reading

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What Happens at Camp Arroyo, Stays at Camp Arroyo, Year 2
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This year, my daughter didn’t just survive, but truly thrived at summer camp. Once again, Katie attended Camp Arroyo, which is where the Exceptional Needs Network (ENN) holds its summer camp for special needs children in conjunction with the Taylor … Continue reading

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