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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26 Lessons Learned by an Autism Mom During the Coronavirus
As we approach the end of two months of “sheltering in place” and social distancing, some aspects of life have changed dramatically while others have stayed (stubbornly!) the same. Here is a sampling of the good, the bad and the ugly as experienced by one autism...
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Zooming Daily and Going Nowhere
During my six weeks (and counting!) confinement to our NYC apartment, I’ve been online and Zooming every day. Each morning I roll back my living room carpet halfway to create a mini-dance floor. I’m taking wonderful dance and Zumba classes online with my favorite...
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My Book
Consulting
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. 