Jackson's Advocacy

If your kid melts down at transitions, this one's for you. Not the dramatic, out-of-nowhere kind of meltdown, but the daily friction. Leaving the house. Ending screen time. Moving from dinner to bath to bed. For a lot of our kids, those small handoffs are the hardest part of the whole day, and a visual schedule is one of the simplest tools I know to make them easier. I've used them with all three of my kids, and I still recommend them more than almost anything else. So let me

Arizona schools start in early August. Here's what to check in your child's IEP now: day-one services, transfer rules, evaluation timelines, and what the 2026 federal changes mean for your family.

If you're an Arizona parent of a special needs kid, or a kid with an IEP, you've heard the buzz about ESAs by now. Maybe another mom brought it up at therapy. Maybe you saw the number, over 100,000 Arizona kids using them, and thought, "Wait, am I leaving money on the table?" Let me tell you what nobody mentions at pickup. An ESA can be a great fit for some special needs families and the wrong fit for others, and the difference usually comes down to one thing a lot of parents

A quick but detailed summary of the Fundamentals of Special Education Law

FBAs are not legally required to develop a BIP, however regulations should be changed.

AboutYou know the look. That “we would’ve never gotten away with that” face your parents give when you talk to your kid instead of yelling at them. Or when you gasp — apologize. That look says, “Oh wow, you let them win.” But parenting isn’t supposed to be a power struggle. It’s supposed to be a relationship. The 80s Called — They Want Their Fear Back A lot of us were raised in homes where fear was called “respect.” You didn’t question adults. You didn’t talk about your

When “Finally Friday” Isn’t a Break For most families, Friday is a relief. Social norms say you’ve worked all week, now the weekend is for rest. But for us, weekends often mean more work, not less. There’s no school, no therapies, and no built-in childcare. Unless respite is lined up, we’re still on duty—full time, full intensity. So while others are heading to brunch, we’re managing meltdowns, coordinating meds, and running our homes like 24/7 triage centers. Stress That Sho

The impact of standardized testing on neurodivergent children.

What if the label isn't the problem, but the missing piece? ADHD is often masked, missed, and misunderstood. Here's what every parent should know about early diagnosis, masking, and the cost of going unseen

Summer is here! Typically, it's a time to take your family on vacation, whether it's plane, train, or car many families are taking advantage of these weeks when our children aren't in school. Sounds like fun, right? For many special needs families vacations are full of uncertainty, creating anxiety in our kids. Here are a few tips and tricks I've used in the last several years. Show images of the actual property you will be staying. Show them images of the hotel room, resort,

Sorry I haven't written in a while friends, as you know things can get a little bit chaotic in a special needs home :-) I have a list of things I wanted to write about, but this one kind of hit home to me just over the last few weeks. That dreaded feeling of.. "they're looking at us", "they're judging us", "they're wondering why we're different", "they think I'm a bad parent" If you're special needs parent, you know exactly what I'm talking about. These thoughts have gone thr

We're back! I thought this was an extremely important subject to write on because so many special needs parents end up battling their own families. A few things I heard: "He's just a boy" "He'll outgrow it" "He doesn't look autistic" " There's nothing wrong with him " " Boys, please don't act like HIM" " Why does he chew on a pacifier (this was a therapeutic oral input device, not a pacifier)? "Just spank him" These were things my very own family and friends have said about

Sensory. What is sensory seeking and avoidance? Many new neurodivergent parents hear these words and don't quite understand the concept, so let's talk about it! Typically, special kids either avoid sensory input or crave it! Sometimes both! How confusing can that be?? Sensory seekers crave deep pressure, running into things (yes, my daughter is three and jumps fr high heights on to a crash pad! Link will be provided later in the blog), spinning,weighted blankets,chewies,etc.

The holiday season can be full of cheer, love, and peace; however, the schedule change can wreak havoc on our children. Read more for...