by Marguerite Elisofon | Nov 20, 2015 | autism, CDC, disabilities, George Orwell, homeless, ISIS, jihad, millennials, Muslims, Obama, Paris, Paul Ryan, refugees, suicide bombers, Syrian refugees, terrorism, xenophobia
After the mass murder of 129 innocent people in Paris by ISIS terrorists, are you surprised that many countries—including the US—are reluctant to allow Syrian refugees entrance? Paul Ryan and other conservative politicians are rightly worried about the wolf in...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Nov 12, 2015 | Africa, children, civil war, displaced families, homes, Hungary, Lebanon, Lesbos, Marty Scorcese, migrants, movies, rape, refugees, Steven Spielberg, Sudan, Syria, Turkey Jordan, Ukraine, USA
Beyond the loss of a loved one, there may be nothing more tragic than the loss of a family home. Never before, have I read so many news headlines about people losing their homes to war and violence. In many parts of the world, children are growing up in massive...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 30, 2015 | autism, candy, Christmas, costumes, disabilities, evites, ghosts, Grim Reaper, Halloween, Julia, Muppets, New Year's Eve, Raggedy Anne, Sesame Street, Thanksgiving
“I thought Halloween was just for children,” my 88 year old mother remarked in a tone of disbelief (and some disdain) when I said I was going to a Halloween party. (Clearly, my mom is not a fan of the marvelously entertaining Halloween Parade in the Big...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 23, 2015 | adolescents, Boardwalk Empire, crime, Democrats, gangsters, Governor Cuomo, Koch brothers, legalizing pot, marijuana, minorities, New York, Obama, politicians, prisons, Republicans, social programs, taxes, youth
Is there any way on earth to end government gridlock? Will it ever be possible for the “No!” party (See “The ‘No!’ Party,” 10/16/15) to plod forward and grapple with the yes-word instead? Call me crazy, but I wanted to offer a couple of positive suggestions...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 16, 2015 | Bloomberg, climate control, Congress, Donald Trump, gun control, health care, John Boehner, John McCain, NY Magazine, Paul Ryan, Planned Parenthood, Republicans, social security, Speaker, tantrums, taxes, Tea Party
If I had to pick one word to describe the Republican Party today, I’d choose “no!” And, yes, the exclamation point IS necessary. Perhaps it sounds insulting to compare Republican politicians to a bunch of “terrible” two year olds who prefer to say “no!” if they...
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. 