by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 29, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 19, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 5, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | May 22, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | May 16, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | May 1, 2020 | Uncategorized
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...
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. 