by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 3, 2014 | 1950s, autism, breadwinners, caregivers, college grads, empty nest, gender roles, Little League, New York Times, Pace, parenting, rugby, special needs, Stay-Home Fathers, twins, Vassar, working mothers, young adults
When kids leave home, do fathers feel worse than mothers these days? That was the question explored by “Sad Dads in the Empty Nest” in Sunday’s New York Times (9/21/14). According to the article, the empty nest transition for dads has become harder than ever...
by Marguerite Elisofon | May 30, 2014 | "Keep the Change, actors, Artists Public Domain, Asperger's Syndrome, autism, Facebook, film festivals, films, movies, special needs, Tourette's Syndrome, young adults with disabilities
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...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Mar 28, 2014 | ADHD, autism, Bing, blog advertisers, blog statistics, cell phones, computer literacy, encyclopedia, Google, Huffington Post, ipads, National Geographic, Nielsen, parent blogs, social media, special needs, YouTube
Believe it or not, March marks the end of my first year in blogdom, with “The Never Empty Nest.” I’d like to say “what a difference a year makes,” but that would be a lie. The truth is that while some things have changed—like Max graduating from college and...
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 | Feb 21, 2014 | actors with disabilities, assistant teachers, autism, autistic spectrum, colleges, employment for disabled adults, Landmark College, learning disabilities, OASIS, Pace University, special needs
I should be simply thrilled that my “special needs” daughter, Sarah, is graduating with a BA from Pace University in May. (Knock on wood.). But “simple” is not in my vocabulary, at least not when it comes to Sarah. Diagnosed on the autistic spectrum with a variety...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Sep 27, 2013 | autism, Board of Education, college, familly isues, government, learning disabilities, life skills, sequestration, special education, special needs, supplemental social security
Is it possible we did too good a job of helping our daughter, Sarah, partially emerge from autism for her to qualify for disability payments? Getting supplemental Social Security Income for Sarah wasn’t going to be easy, our Disabilities Advocate, told us....
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. 