Archive for April 2016

May is Cystic Fibrosis Month: Advocating for my Grandchild with CF

It’s hard to describe the pain of watching a child you love challenged by a chronic illness. When I learned my 2 ½ -year-old granddaughter had Cystic Fibrosis almost seven years ago, I felt like I had been punched in the gut. My grandchild was not supposed to struggle with a serious condition. That’s not... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 25, 2016 at 3:01 pm • 

A Tribute to my Mother on the First Anniversary of her Death

My mother died a year ago today. In some ways, it seems like more than a year has passed since she died. Her absence is part of my daily life now. But there are still times when the wound still feels fresh. At some point every day, I think I should call her and have... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 19, 2016 at 7:42 am • 

Why Some School Kids Can’t Compete in Fitness Week

My granddaughter came home last Monday with a Fitness Week worksheet from her gym teacher. It proclaimed each child should get 60 minutes of exercise a day. The kids were asked to chart this for a week, and those who accomplished the goal would get a reward.  Here’s how this daily total could be accomplished:... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 18, 2016 at 9:24 am • 
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When a Feel Good Story About a Child with Special Needs Feels Bad

A boy with developmental disabilities invited his classmates to his ninth birthday party and no one came. His mother reported that he waited to cut his “K-9” cake, hoping friends would show up, but they didn’t. The Chicago Tribune ran a feel good story about how a Facebook post about the non-party resulted in cards,... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 12, 2016 at 8:30 am • 

Inclusion: It’s Not Enough to Decorate a Buddy Bench

Watching kids play on school playgrounds can break my heart. There are always some who stand alone, unsure of how to enter play. When they try, they are told they may not join the game. After a while, they just stop trying. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are some fairly simple ways... Read more »
By Laurie Levy,
April 5, 2016 at 1:26 pm •