by Marguerite Elisofon | Jul 25, 2015 | ACCES-VR, autism, baby boomers, college grads, disabilities, hope, John Milton, Larry David, lawyers, millennials, optimism, OPWDD, Pace University, pessimism, Shawshank Redemption, twins
In one of my all-time favorite movies, Shawshank Redemption, Red reads a letter from his friend Andy, who escaped from prison after years of being punished for a crime he didn’t commit. In the letter Andy says: “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things,...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jul 16, 2015 | "Keep the Change, ACLU, actors, autism, autistic spectrum, Captain Hook, disabilities, Dustin Hoffman, love, Marlee Matlin, neurotypical, Quasimodo, Rachel Israel, Rain Man, Seed and Spark, villains
Remember the child’s game, Red Light, Green Light? A leader turns his back on a group of friends and calls out “green light;” then the kids run forward from a starting line until the leader says: “red light,” and everyone must stop. Anyone caught still moving is...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jul 3, 2015 | autism, autistic spectrum, Caitlyn Jenner, colleges history, gays, hip hop, John Robison, neurodiversity, OASIS, Pace University, same sex marriage, segregation, Supreme Court, Temple Grandin, Vassar
Last week the Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 to legalize same sex marriage, granting homosexuals multiple civil rights that heterosexuals have enjoyed since the United States declared independence from Great Britain. Finally gay men and women are free to marry...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 19, 2015 | actors with disabilities, autism, autistic spectrum, civil rights laws, disabilites, equal opportunity, George Clooney, John Robison, love, Meryl Streep, neurodiversity, Temple Grandin, truth
Q: What do people with autism want out of life? A: Love and acceptance. What people on the spectrum want is what EVERYONE wants: a fighting chance to succeed in life. All parents hope their kids grow up and are able to leave the family...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 12, 2015 | adulthood, Asperger's Syndrome, autism, autistic spectrum, babies, chemistry, child rearing, college, electronics, empty nest. John Robison, marijuana, memoirs, neurodiversity, police, Raising Cubby
Raising Baby – Roller Coaster Ride Q. What could be more thrilling (and exhausting) than giving birth to the next generation in the form of your own flesh and blood? A. Raising that son or daughter, of course. Unlike all other creative projects, raising a baby...
by Marguerite Elisofon | May 15, 2015 | Advil, armor, Aspies, autism, autistic spectrum, cards, family drama, family holidays, flowers, gifts, grandmothers, Hallmark, hearts, Mother's Day, neurotypical, Tums
When families get together for Hallmark holidays, it’s NOT always hearts and flowers, right? I’m sure there’s a mom or two out there who reached for some Advil or Tums on their special day in response to an unpredictable relative creating drama during Mother’s...
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. 