Tag: disability

Parenting the Twice Exceptional Student: Advocacy Tips for Your Gifted Child with a Learning Disability

This mom’s frustration with her local school district just bowled me over completely. This is my client population: parents who are tired of being dismissed by their children’s educators as crazy, money-hungry, or power tripping. Parents of kids who burst into tears because a 30-minute homework assignment takes three hours. Parents who are ready to… Read More Parenting the Twice Exceptional Student: Advocacy Tips for Your Gifted Child with a Learning Disability

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Crying Time

Last week, I was preparing for an SSI hearing for a child client.  I thought he was attending Head Start, as he is only 4 years old, but I found out at my pre-hearing meeting with his mom on Wednesday that he is actually in public school kindergarten.  AAAHHH!!  I quickly sent off a request… Read More Crying Time

rfmezzy2 Comments

Three Ways You Put Things In Perspective When You’re a Mom Diagnosed With ADHD

1. “Mommy Brain” becomes a nullity. In my world, Mommy Brain is a thing, yet it is not. It was explained to me that I have been using intelligence my whole life to compensate for the organizational and other executive function deficits brought on by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD (the acronym… Read More Three Ways You Put Things In Perspective When You’re a Mom Diagnosed With ADHD

Melanie5 Comments

Two Great Resources for Connecticut Parents of Children with Special Educational Needs

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything directly pertaining to the work I do with families of children with disabilities. I am a special education attorney who represents parents trying to obtain an appropriate educational program, known as an IEP which is short for Individualized Education Program, for their children with disabilities. This past… Read More Two Great Resources for Connecticut Parents of Children with Special Educational Needs

Melanie1 Comment

Representing Children

One aspect of my job is to represent impoverished people in Social Security Disability hearings. Representing the children is what I love most. Many people wonder why a child would seek disability benefits. Particularly for kids with mental health issues, some think that being found disabled by the federal government means that the child is… Read More Representing Children

General12 Comments

Students with Disabilities, Public Schools & Standardized Testing

This article popped up in my Facebook newsfeed the other day.  You should read it, but I’ll summarize it by explaining that it’s by a mother of a 13-year-old girl on the Autism spectrum, who relates the story of how, despite her daughter’s varied and meaningful educational successes, the New York State Department of Education… Read More Students with Disabilities, Public Schools & Standardized Testing

Melanie7 Comments