A Caretaker’s Conundrum
As the mother of a 28 year-old daughter on the autism spectrum, I will always be a caretaker. When Samantha was born 7 weeks early, I promised her that if she just kept breathing, I would help with everything else. That was before the diagnosis of autism and...
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My Heart Books – Connecting Neurotypical and Special Needs Children
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could find new ways to create greater understanding and acceptance of special needs children in the mainstream community? Nearly one-fifth of all Americans—more than 54 million men, women and children—have a physical, sensory or...
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EPIC Players Sing Their Hearts Out
On Sunday, September 22nd, EPIC Players sang their hearts out to a full house at Joe’s Pub. Described as a “neuro-inclusive Musical Experience,” EPIC Players performed “Songs About Ourselves,” addressing cast members’ individual dreams and challenges in love,...
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Autistic Blind Man Wins “America’s Got Talent”- Sharing the American Dream
Just when I was complaining to my husband that I had writer’s block and wasn’t inspired to post a blog this week, he happened to mention that Kodi Lee, a blind, young autistic man, 22, won “America’s Got Talent.” What could be more inspiring for an autism mom...
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Autism Family Adventures: 4 Countries in 17 days
Before our family vacation, friends gently suggested that the trip we planned might be “overly ambitious.” Translation: “You’re crazy! It sounds exhausting.” Autism families might even think we had cooked up a recipe for disaster. Certainly, I had my own doubts. How...
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Breast and Worst Adventure
How would you feel if you went to a doctor for a needle biopsy on your breast a week before you were leaving on vacation? What if you arrived there not knowing if those white dots that showed up on yesterday’s mammogram are calcification or cancer? And you’re forced...
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Autism: Mountains vs. Molehills
For a person on the autism spectrum, learning to prioritize among multiple options can be overwhelming. Every single one of life’s ordinary glitches—or even choosing between two conflicting activities—can provoke agonizing anxiety. For my daughter, who enjoys catchy...
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Autism “Actorvist” Performs on New Stages
What’s an “actorvist?” That’s the word Pace University’s “30 under 30” catalog of accomplished young alumnae used to describe my daughter Samantha Elisofon. As an actress, singer and autism advocate, Samantha jumps (almost!) seamlessly from one stage to the next,...
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Empowering an Autism Mom – A Perfect Escape
Well, my escape wasn’t quite perfect. Shortly before landing in Las Vegas, my traveling companion received a text saying one of our bags hadn’t made it onto the plane. Not surprisingly, the missing luggage turned out to be mine. My bag would arrive on a later plane...
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Encouraging Disability Inclusion – Game of Thrones
After watching eight seasons of Game of Thrones, I expected to be disappointed by the last episode on May 19th. I couldn’t imagine a satisfying finale to the long, bloody and convoluted story of powerful families fighting to control the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and...
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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. 