Covid 19 Summer Vacation – Maine instead of Spain
This year, our family had expected to travel to Madrid, Sevilla, the Algarve and Lisbon. That vacation had been meticulously planned by my husband, (who should be a travel agent in his next life). But the best laid plans, well, you know… The coronavirus not only...
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An Autism Mom’s Vacation Rules During Covid19
Believe it or not, my daughter Samantha asked me to make a list of vacation rules. Why didn’t I think of this 20 years ago? Probably I was too busy running around with my almost 10-year-old twins. Or maybe I never imagined Samantha would (or could!) follow even the...
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Love on the Spectrum – The Real Deal
As an autism mom and blogger, I was eager to watch the documentary series Love on the Spectrum. Of course, my daughter Samantha watched with me. Filmed in Australia and recently released on Netflix, Love on the Spectrum features autistic men and women in their early...
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Covid19: Oddities and Ends
Here in New York we’ve entered a not-so-brave new world of semi-normal. Forget about consistency—especially when it comes to viewing real estate. Many buildings on the Upper East Side allow brokers to show apartments with various limits. I’ve seen about half a dozen...
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Life Lived Backwards
When I was in my late 20s yearning to find a serious relationship, my psychotherapist sensibly suggested that I find my own identity first. Back then, I worked in financial public relations and had grown to hate every minute of it. I’d always wanted to be a writer,...
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Not Quite Independence Day 2020
Nobody looks forward to the dentist, but last week was an exception for me. Crazy as it sounds, I was eager to have my teeth cleaned. Has the pandemic driven me totally nuts? Not exactly. Tooth cleaning was an opportunity to take care of MYSELF! I know a few other...
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Reopening New York City During the Coronavirus – Are We Safe?
As Phase 2 began this week, I felt like a bird being (slowly) released from my East 73rd Street cage. On Monday, my daughter and I went for a haircut. We both prefer our hair long, but Samantha was beginning to resemble Rapunzel, and I looked as though a litter of...
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Autism and Covid19: Questions Without Answers
As the coronavirus drags on, and New York continues to be (mostly) shut down, my daughter on the spectrum is asking more and more questions I can’t answer. The onslaught of her curiosity and sincere desire to understand adds to our daily household stress. I have my...
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Autism, Racism and the Coronavirus
How does a privileged white mother explain to her autistic daughter about racism in America? How can I help her to understand the horrifying on-camera murder of a black man by a white police officer? These would be difficult questions to address with a neurotypical...
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Autism, Memorial Day and Covid19
Another so-called holiday is about to bite the dust. Actually, I’d prefer the holiday to EAT the dust, so that Samantha and I don’t have to vacuum this weekend. Already in need of repair, my Miele vacuum is 10 years old and sounds weaker and more exhausted than I...
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About Marguerite
Marguerite Elisofon is a New York City writer and the author of My Picture Perfect Family, a memoir about how her family navigated life with a child on the autistic spectrum before the internet and support groups existed. She also blogs about parenting young adults and disability related issues in The Never Empty Nest. Her writing has been featured in a variety of publications, including Time and NY Metro Parents magazine, and her family’s story has been featured by the NY Post, Fox News, The Daily Mail, and on Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny radio show. A Vassar graduate, Marguerite was born and raised in New York City, where she still lives with her husband, Howard, in their mostly-empty nest. She is available to speak about a wide variety of issues relating to twins, parenting, and autism. 