Blogs

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

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

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

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

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?”

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,

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.

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.

 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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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.

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,

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

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

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

 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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 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,

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

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