Center for Family Involvement Blog
The Center for Family Involvement works with families to increase their skills as advocates, mentors, and leaders so that people with disabilities and their families can lead the lives they want.
Our blog shares snippets of the unique journeys many of us are on – from the celebrations, struggles, joys, pains, and more.
UNSUNG HEROES: NORMA’S STORY
When caring for a loved one with a disability, routine appointments like well visits and dental care can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain. As our Elderhood and Aging Specialist Norma Draper shares, accommodating for the needs of each individual makes a world of...
UNSUNG HEROES: DAWN’S STORY
Gratitude isn't just for Thanksgiving. This December, the Center for Family Involvement is showing love for those UNSUNG HEROES in our lives. Our blind/visual impairment specialist Dawn Peifer-Snow kicks off the series. "There have been many unsung heroes over the...
UNSUNG HEROES: IRENE’S STORY
As we all get swept up in holiday celebrations, the Center for Family Involvement is taking a moment to celebrate the everyday people who make a difference in our lives. Our deaf/heard of hearing specialist Irene Schmalz: "My unsung hero is Dr. Margaret McCabe,...
MOVIE AND THERAPY ALL-IN-ONE?
The stigma around caring for our mental health is finally fading away. But taking those first steps can feel daunting. Enter "Stutz". The Netflix Documentary by actor/filmmaker Jonah Hill provides an intimate, raw view into his relationship with his...
KIDS AND COVID: IT’S COMPLICATED
It's impossible to comprehend the anxiety that families of medically complex and fragile children have felt since the start of the pandemic unless you ARE that family. "COVID is just not a big deal for kids." That's what we've been told since 2020, that's more than 2...
CAREGIVING AND PARENTING ARE NOT THE SAME: BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION
Shortly after my first child was born and we were still processing his Down syndrome diagnosis, a family elder said to me, “What you’re dealing with now is not different than what any parent experiences. You just got all of the let down and disappointment up front.”...
TIME FOR SOME SCREEN CLEANING
Younger children can outsmart even the most tech savvy parents when they're determined to watch something they want to. Keeping parental controls in check with all the screens floating around these days can be challenging. Even if your child isn't interested in...
POLAR BEAR DOCTOR
By Dana Yarbrough Director, Center for Family Involvement I was raised to be an independent woman and a caretaker of family members. Many of the women in my life outlived their male partners so examples of independence were everywhere. As a child, I told my...
TAKE YOUR ADVOCACY TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH VIRGINIA LEND
When you have a child with a disability, your life shifts dramatically. For some of us, it's a steep learning curve. As our child grows and we learn more through experience, reading, and attending conferences. But many of us want more. We want the medical...
LIVING IN THE COVID MULTIVERSE
Anyone else feeling like they are living in a completely different reality than those around them? For the Spiderman fans out there – it’s like we’re Peter Parker slipping in and out of other dimensions of the universe. For our family of five with an 11-year-old...