IEP Coach Q&A - Data & Simple Team Communication Solutions!
Meet Jessica Kong! She's a special needs sibling (I didn't know that before this interview), a special needs parent and an IEP COACH!
Jessica completed the IEP Coach mentorship and is helping parents and IEP teams find solutions that WORK. (Find out more how you can become an IEP coach here.)
She shares how she uses a $1 book from Walmart, a luggage tag to help her son remember things, and how she got her IEP team to share information with her DAILY!
If you want to reach out to Jessica, you can send her a message through FB, click here.
If you're ready to learn how YOU can Become an IEP Coach... START HERE!
Give Yourself Permission to Give Up Perfection
Special Needs Parents & Special Education Team,
It's time to let go of perfection and take the stress off of yourself for creating perfect days with perfect outcomes. Watch this video to find out what you can do instead of crushing yourself with pressure every day.
Next Steps:
1. Become an IEP Coach! Learn more about how to learn to be the IEP Coach your community NEEDS!
Celebrate Your Way & Keep Your Blinders On
Holidays... I get it. As a special needs sibling, I used to watch my mom put cotton in my brother's ears when the noise was too much. His little ears (that's a trait of Down syndrome) just couldn't handle the noise. I literally can remember her pulling cotton out of a clean diaper in her bag one day because she forgot the cotton balls. She was so resourceful in making sure that my brother's ears didn't hurt when the noises were too much.
So I say to you... as a special needs sibling and a mom of a child has severe allergies (which means I walk around with bags of our own food, even on holidays). I love you. To the Special Needs Family who is home this holiday, not going to BBQ's, not going to festivals, not going to fireworks because it's more work than fun...you are not forgotten.
Be you this holiday. Be proud. Put your blinders on and don't worry about how others are celebrating. Find your own way to celebrate and find the joy in the little moments that matter most.
Your are...
What Should Danny Do?
One of my absolute favorite new books!
Do you remember the "choose your own adventure books" from when you were a kid?
This is a new twist on that concept and it uses everyday situations that children (and parents) face everyday.
Should we sneak a snack or wait for mom?
My little brother hurt me, should I hurt him back or make a better choice?
I want to use my favorite plate for breakfast, but my brother has it. Should I have a meltdown or wait?
You're going to LOVE reading the same book over and over because it feels like a new story every time when you make new choices!
Click Here to Get Your Copy of "What Should Danny Do" on Amazon
IEP Goal Tip: PLEASE include prompts in your IEP goals!
There's an Instagram post that is driving me crazy... actually 3 posts. So I had to speak out, even if I hardly had a voice from my cold.
If you want to continue the conversation and get more details on how to write IEP goals that make sense (and help your child make progress).... START HERE.
IEP Coach Life... I love it!
Mentoring IEP Coaches is EXCITING! Knowing that IEPs across the country are going to be changed by people (like you) who want to dig in and work with IEP teams, while keeping the child first makes my heart full.
One of the first questions I get when someone is considering Becoming and IEP Coach is... what will I do all day?
Let me share that you will never lack for things to do. It will be up to you how busy you want to be. How many families you want to help. How many IEP coffee talks you want to host... its YOUR practice. You design your days for what works for you.
Here's a little of what works for me...
- I start my day with coffee... I actually didn't begin my coffee habit until my 30's, but my warm mug, my planner, and starting my day with intention is a MUST for me now!
- IEP Reviews - going over IEP documents parents have sent to me along with the parent telling me their top 3 concerns for their child's education. I'm reading and taking notes on how we can use their child's IEP...
Traveling - It's Not Easy, But It's Worth It
I've always liked experiences vs things, but when my daughter suffered from severe seizures and I turned into an official "special needs mom"... experiences and living days to their fullest became even more important to me.
So this year, as my oldest graduated 8th grade and we couldn't think of anything material that she really wanted, we started to plan a trip. It was decided that I'd take only her with me for a mom and daughter trip to hang out before the big years of high school begin. I'll do the same with my youngest when she graduates next year.
As a special needs mom and single mom, there are so many things to consider when traveling! Where can we stay that is kid-friendly, access to everything, including our dietary needs and let's us feel safe as women traveling.
We decided to head to New York! My daughter, Julianne, LOVES photography and I knew she'd struggle to put her camera down on this trip. Which is exactly what I wanted.
My biggest decision was how...