Ellie has two children and lives in Amherst.

What do you do to relax?

Read

What else would you like to tell us about yourself?

My husband and I work full time while raising our family.

What benefits has Connecting for Kids brought to you and your family?

The Facebook page is an amazing resource for doctors, specialists, schools and just random questions. I’ve gone to a few events over the past year including the Resource Fair, Annual Casino Fundraiser and the playground date in Elyria. Also, I have met the most amazing group of moms and it was through Connecting for Kids.

Which have been your favorite Connecting for Kids resources?

The Resource Fair was great- there were many things I didn’t know were available, including the barber and adaptive baseball. I also love the sensory packs you could get from the library that I found out about through Connecting for Kids.

The best way I asked for support was...

By talking to other parents and learning as much as I could about the different services and schools that are available for my child.

How parenting a child who struggles has changed my ideas on parenting...

I had very clear ideas on how I would parent until I had my son! I am still in the process of figuring it all out but I have become more patient, more flexible, more appreciative of the small calm moments and more willing to go outside of my preconceived ideas of what parenting should look like.

The hardest thing for me to learn was...

I am still in the process of learning this but not to worry about typical milestones or compare my child to others his age. To celebrate his successes big and small, exactly where he is. To see him for him and remember his path will be different and that is okay.

Do you have any recommended resources such as blogs, websites, or books that we can share?

I love Kate Swenson from Finding Coopers Voice

Is there anything else about your journey that you would like to share with other parents?

My son is seven years old and we live in Amherst. He has autism and ADHD and it has changed the scope of our family. But, having a village of moms and families who understand has helped me to find services and also to get him into a new school this year and I am so grateful since I love their approach and what they do. I never would have known about Insight Academy if it wasn’t for Connecting for Kids and these moms!