Arianna has two children and lives in North Olmsted.

What do you do to relax?

Listen to music, clean (mess makes me anxious), read, go for a walk, and be out in nature.

What else would you like to tell us about yourself?

I am a teacher for a local school district and grew up dancing, figure skating, and doing theater.

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

Connecting us with activities that we otherwise would not have been aware of.

What is your favorite thing about Connecting for Kids?

It is helpful to know that you aren't alone and that there are resources and groups you can utilize in the community.

The area where I have grown the most...

Honestly, I think the area where I have grown the most is letting go of a little bit of control and being okay with that. I am pretty Type A and like to be able to manage things as much as possible. However, you just can't do that when you have a kiddo who struggles. You can arrange for therapy and find resources to help you, but it's largely out of your control. We just walk the path and take things one thing at a time. Her path looks different than the paths of other kids, and that's okay. It's a pretty beautiful path!

If I could go back in time and talk to myself the day we got the diagnosis I would say...

For days after my daughter's diagnosis, I had pangs of fear and dread. Her condition is SETD5-related disorder and was only discovered recently, so while we finally had an answer as to why she struggled in so many areas, we really didn't have any answers or direction at all because very little is known about her condition and its future implications for her life. What I would tell myself on diagnosis day if I could go back is simply this: You are the best possible advocate for your child. You two and your family will walk this road together and tackle everything that needs to be tackled, just as we had already been doing for her whole life so far. Just keep being her biggest advocate and her loudest voice.

The best thing about parenting a child who struggles is...

I feel that her struggles make her even more unique. We had a miscarriage before her, so she is our rainbow baby. We believe that she is here, just the way she is, for a reason. It makes the milestones and the achievements even more special because we have seen her put in the work and overcome obstacles to get to those achievements.

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

I like the Raising Rare podcast!