by Marguerite Elisofon | Nov 21, 2014 | "White Christmas, autism, birthdays, Christmas, college graduates, empty nest, family traditions, Hanukah, holiday songs, holidays, Jews, menorah, millennials, New Year's Eve, Scrooge, single women, Thanksgiving
When I was single in my 20s, I dreaded the holiday trifecta: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The ordeal began on Thanksgiving, when my parents cross-examined me about my social life. If I was dating anyone, they wanted to know if “the relationship...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Sep 12, 2014 | autism, college graduates, English, film, financial aid, Joan Rivers, Josipa Roksa, liberal arts, millenials, networking, Pace, Richard Arum, Robin Williams, unemployment, Vassar
Why are so many students “drifting through college without a clear sense of purpose” and moving back to the family nest without a job after graduation? According to a new book, Aspiring Adults Adrift, colleges themselves are the main culprits. Co-authors and...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 13, 2014 | air conditioning, autism, college graduates, construction, elevators, emissions, family, landlords, love nest, Neil Simon, Norwich Terriers, Second Avenue, subways, tenants, traffic, young adults
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Mar 21, 2014 | ADHD, autistic spectrum, college graduates, Dr.Stanley Greenspan, health care, heart defects, helicopter parents, special needs, twins, unemployment, young adults with disabilities
The question of when to let go of our children—how much and how quickly— is extremely challenging. This seems especially true if you have special needs kids, and it becomes even more complicated when you have twins. All things being equal, most people would...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Dec 13, 2013 | ADHD, autism, bed bugs, best supporting actor, college graduates, executive assistant, gender roles, housekeeping, housemen, millenials, New York Times, Stay-Home Fathers, Wall Street Mothers
These days it seems like more men and women are comfortable switching traditional roles: stay-at-home fathers are enabling working mothers to be the high-powered, bread winners. According to Sunday’s New York Times article, “Wall Street Mothers, Stay-Home...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 18, 2013 | bedbugs, college graduates, debt ceiling, democracy, Democrats, entry level jobs, Georgetown University, government, magazines, Malala Yousafsai, Nobel Prize, Obama Care, Republicans, Taliban, unemployment, women
Sometimes (but not too often) I wake up with the idea that possibilities exist to resolve problems big and small in my family and the outside world. Today was one of those days. Dare I say that I felt hopeful? I’m not even sure what “hopeful” means anymore in...
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. 