When you’re raising a child with special needs, it’s easy to get wrapped up in IEP goals, evaluations, and progress reports. You start measuring everything:
We Adjusted the Plan: Why Advocacy Doesn’t Stop After the IEP Is Signed There’s this idea that once the IEP is written and signed, things
In my last post, I talked about how life skills can—and should—be included in an IEP. But the truth is, independence doesn’t only happen at
As parents, we’re always juggling therapies, meetings, and schedules. It’s easy to wonder, “What can I do at home that will actually help my child?”
There’s a part of this journey that no one really prepares you for: The exhaustion. The kind that isn’t just about lack of sleep, it’s
When most people think of an IEP, the first things that come to mind are reading, writing, and math. Academic goals often dominate the conversation.
When our son was young, most of the conversations we had with teachers and specialists focused on academics—letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and early reading skills.
Recently, I was introduced to an upcoming book about autism and driving—and I promised to write a post sharing what I’ve learned along the way,
IEP meetings can feel intimidating, especially the first few. You sit at a table surrounded by professionals with degrees, titles, and test results. And there
Dear parent, just starting, You’re scared. You’re overwhelmed. You just walked out of your first IEP meeting with a stack of papers and a million
No matter how thorough your evaluations were… No matter how well-written the goals seemed… No matter how good the plan looked on paper… Sometimes, it
If you’ve been following along and noticed it’s been a little quiet here, you’re not wrong. Life happened. And if you’re a parent of a
When we first started this journey—through evaluations, through meetings, through setting up the IEP—we knew there wasn’t going to be a magic solution. But if
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being on both sides of the table, it’s this: When parents and teachers communicate often, children succeed more.
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned—both as an educator and as a parent—is that success doesn’t happen in isolation.It happens when parents and
Some days, progress feels easy to see. A new word. A new skill. A good report from school. And then there are other days. Days
There are moments in parenting when the right choice feels clear. And then there are moments when every option feels heavy. If you’re raising a
At some point in this journey, many parents realize something quietly painful:their child doesn’t fit neatly into the school system’s boxes. Not the academic box.Not
If you’ve ever walked out of an IEP meeting thinking, “I wish I had said that”—you’re not alone. The truth is, IEP meetings can be
More than 7.5 million children in the United States receive services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Yet, many parents sit through their first IEP
Children thrive on predictability. They feel safer when they know: • what’s coming next • who will be there • what the expectations are For children with learning differences, developmental delays,
If you’re a parent of a child with special needs, you know this truth better than anyone:Progress rarely comes in a straight line.There are slow
If you’ve been searching for the cost of ABA therapy without insurance and feeling overwhelmed by the numbers, take a breath. Most families do not
Every year, when IEP season approaches, parents everywhere feel a familiar mix of nerves, hope, and exhaustion. Even when things have been going well… even
Feeling overwhelmed at IEP meetings? Learn how to advocate for your child with confidence. Get practical tips from an educator and parent who has been on both sides of the table.
Understanding Your Child’s Perspective in Special Education One of the most important special education parenting lessons I’ve learned—both as an educator and as a parent—is
Being a parent of a child with special needs means you wear a hundred hats, advocate, teacher, scheduler, nurse, therapist, comforter.Some days, you do it
When we first started this journey, through evaluations, meetings, and setting up the IEP, we knew there wasn’t a magic solution. But if I’m honest,
After the IEP was finalized and the services were in place, the next big step was one that every parent knows well—the first day of
We had done the evaluations. We had filled out the forms. We had shared our concerns and prepared ourselves the best we could. Now, it
From Questions to Confidence: What Every Parent Should Know Before the IEP Meeting After the evaluations were completed, we sat down again—with a new set
He was just six months old. Our sweet, curious baby boy had reached that milestone where the pediatrician said it was time to start solids.
The first time I sat down with my son’s IEP in front of me—as a parent, not an educator—I felt overwhelmed. I had seen IEPs
I’m so excited to share that ParentTeacherPath.com has a brand new look—and even more ways to support you on your journey. Whether you’ve been here
If you’ve ever sat in a school meeting and heard terms like “IEP” and “504 Plan” thrown around without clear explanations—you’re not alone. As both
When we first started this journey, I thought we’d be able to track our son’s progress in a clear, steady way. We had the evaluations.
One thing I’ve learned, both as an educator and as a parent, is this:Helping a child with special needs is never a one-person job.It takes
There’s a moment I think every parent of a child with special needs waits for—That first time you see something click.Something you weren’t sure would
When our son first started receiving services, I’ll be honest—I wasn’t always sure what to say or how to say it. I had questions, fears,
After we made the decision to move forward, it didn’t begin with testing—it began with a meeting. We sat down with the Child Study Team
