Doctored Up
If you are lucky enough to be “healthy”—aka free of terminal diseases—but saddled with the more usual chronic problems, you might just find yourself Doctored Up. By Doctored Up, I mean spending more time and money in the offices of “health providers” than you...
read moreSpecial Father’s Day Gifts
Early last week our twins went into Barnes & Noble together to buy Father’s Day gifts after having a rare lunch together. Just the fact that Max and Sarah shared a meal alone together was in and of itself a gift. Despite being twins, they are opposites in so...
read moreNest Shifts
The way our family lives now has completely changed from ten years ago—but not necessarily for the better. Ever since New York City started work on a subway for Second Avenue—where unfortunately our nest is located—our quality of life has gone downhill. Even...
read moreNot So Simple Summer
Summer is supposed to offer time to slow down and enjoy life’s simple pleasures, right? Now that Arctic temperatures and relentless blizzards have given way –FINALLY—to sunshine and warmth, it’s a tremendous relief to shed all those layers of clothing and skip...
read moreSarah’s Next Fifteen Minutes
Last summer Sarah co-starred in “Keep the Change,” a short film about two young adults with disabilities who struggle to find a romantic connection. (See “Sarah’s Fifteen Minutes,” 5/10/13). Written and directed by Columbia University film graduate Rachel...
read moreMiracle Milestone
I wish all the naysayers of the past 23 years could see Sarah now. All those educators and therapists who told me my autistic spectrum daughter would “never be independent and never go to college,” were WRONG. As of May 21st, Sarah graduated from Pace University...
read moreMissing on Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day, like all feel-good family holidays, is often tainted with some degree of tension and disappointment. At family gatherings, even in the best case scenario where in-laws get along, there’s usually some friction between other relatives. Even if...
read moreNest Escape
What’s the best way for a stressed out mom of difficult kids to escape and find some relief? Short of flying the coop and permanently abandoning your offspring, every mother should avail herself of a temporary release. Dare I say “me time?” I’m not talking about...
read moreSinging the National Anthem
As April ends—and with it so-called Autism Awareness month—I thought it would be appropriate to discuss discrimination against people on the spectrum and how it seems to apply to my beloved daughter, Sarah. Early last month, Sarah auditioned to sing the national...
read moreBlogged Down
Last week I waited for an inspiring subject for my blog, and—after running out of patience—decided in a eureka moment that waiting was a worthy subject. This week I got inundated with ideas and possibilities. There was Passover, which Henry and I did not...
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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. 