Autism Families – 5 Tips for Enjoying a Happier Halloween
Choose a Comfortable Costume—If your child on the spectrum is old enough to pick out a costume, take her with you before the stores are too noisy and crowded. Encourage her to choose a simple costume—that doesn’t have lots of accessories or complicated closures—so...
read more
Behavioral Solutions – Comedy, Tragedy or Horror Show?
This week I’m sharing my recent email to Behavioral Solutions, the government agency that was assigned to find life skills and vocational support for my high-functioning daughter on the autistic spectrum. Why am I posting this email? First and foremost, I would like...
read more
Teaching Young Adults on the Spectrum to Speak Appropriately in a Crazy World
Never has there been a more challenging time to teach my 25 year-old, fairly independent, daughter on the spectrum how to communicate politely AND effectively with the neurotypical world than NOW. Like many young adults on the spectrum, Samantha sometimes struggles...
read more
Teaching Young Adults with Autism to Vote
Although my daughter on the autistic spectrum is 25, she has never voted in an election. Hopefully, the 2016 presidential election will be the first of many elections where Samantha will make her voice heard. Like many other parents of young adults on the spectrum, I...
read more
Advice to the Disabled – Vote for Hillary
Two years after my daughter on the autistic spectrum graduated from Pace University (cum laude), she still has no job, no comprehensive vocational training, and no life skills help. After mountains of paperwork have been signed, approved and shuffled back and forth,...
read more
Autism, Airports and Apples
Aside from the letter “a,” how are autism, airports and apples related? Trust me, this is NOT a trick question, but one from which all autism families can learn. No matter how carefully you plan your vacation to accommodate a family member on the autistic spectrum,...
read more
Autism Informs Theater – Struggling to Transcend Stereotypes
The off-Broadway musical Newton’s Cradle, about a young man with autism and his family, could have been a thoroughly exhilarating experience instead of a near miss. What could be nearer and dearer to my heart than shining a spotlight on an autism family? As the mom of...
read more
Helping Your Child with Autism Cope with Loss of a Loved One
Last week, my daughter Samantha’s beloved (and brilliant) developmental optometrist Dr. Harry Wachs, died in his sleep at age 92. Although Samantha had not seen Dr. Wachs for nearly seven years, she was heartbroken. My daughter had worked with Dr. Wachs from age 10...
read more
Finding Autism-Friendly Doctors
For autism families, who struggle every day to help their children with myriad challenges, finding a knowledgeable AND compassionate doctor is a MUST. Whether parents choose a doctor through recommendations or from a list of specialists covered by their insurance...
read more
7 Sex Education Suggestions for Children with Autism
Are most “special” schools tackling sex education so kids on the spectrum can understand the physical and emotional transitions that accompany puberty? I’m guessing the answer is a resounding “no.” Sex education is a difficult subject for neurotypical pre-teens and...
read more
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. 