Same Journey. Different Paths

Have you ever thought about adding your voice to the special needs world? There's never enough information and advocates out there. If you feel like other families can benefit from your journey, start that blog. Let's dive into how to do that. 

When you hit play, you will hear the voice of Payton's Dad, Corwin takeover this episode. Today he's talking about fears that he has as a special needs father. Can you relate to some of these fears? We want to hear your reaction on our Instagram page @raisingpaytoncharlize

Have you been trying to get your child adjusted to doing therapy sessions virtually? Shaney has some tips to help.

Let's catch up! Shaney is opening up about her mental state through this pandemic and a recent miscarriage. 

With everything going on the world, it's always good to lean on scripture for strength, guidance, and reassurance. Today's episode is an interview I did on another podcast called Turned Up on the Word with Father Anthony M. Bozeman, SSJ. Follow Payton & I on IG @raisingpaytoncharlize

So, the COVID-19 restrictions are starting to ease up. Are you trying to get back into a routine that includes self-care for you? Let's look at 4 tips to help you ease back into being intentional about taking time out for yourself. Follow me on IG @raisingpaytoncharlize

Our last HPE spotlight in celebration of the Holoprosencephaly community will conclude with Crystal Ingram. She is a super awesome, single mom to Ruby who has Lobar Holoprosencephaly. Lobar is considered to be more high functioning that Semi and Alobar. Press Play!!!

Today I want you all to meet the Collazo Family. This interview is one of my favorite ones to date. Their journey so full of love, pride and concern for their daughter and each other. 

We are celebrating Holoprosencephaly Awareness Week. So naturally, sitting in my guest chair is a Shero HPE Mom, Doresa Smith Ibrahim. She is spilling the tea on her journey and her awesome business dedicated to other Special Needs families. 

As we almost wrap up our Developmental Disabilities Month from a Therapy perspective, we have Dani and Brandon sharing their expertise on Occupational Therapy. Whether your child has stopped OT or still doing OT, there are some nuggets in this episode for both including misconceptions about OT. Tune In!

Continuing our series celebrating Developmental Disabilities Month with Oliver Behavioral Consultants, today we are talking Speech Therapy. We were fortunate to not only have one amazing SLP, but two. Julie and Christine are a full wealth of information. To learn more about OBC, please visit their website www.oliverbehavior.com

For the entire month of March, we will be celebrating Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. To kick off our 4 part series, Founder of Oliver Behavioral Consultants, Dr. Patricia Oliver has graced our guest chair today. We will be speaking about Behavioral Therapy and she will drop some nuggets of wisdom and cool ideas and mindset for us parents. Visit their website at www.oliverbehavior.com

Today's episode is both a Shero Special Needs Mom testimony and an awesome discussion on caregivers. Tramaine's journey with her daughter Char'lee is beautiful and inspiring. 

Have you ever heard of the 5 Love Languages? What if I told you, that there's a book that will specify Love Languages for our special needs kids and those who interact with them regularly. Sitting in my guest chair today is co-author of Sharing Love Abundantly in Special Needs Families, Jolene Philo. Make sure to subscribe and leave a review! https://www.amazon.com/Sharing-Abundantly-Special-Needs-Families/dp/0802418627

Do you have your child in a fun after school program that is designed especially for them? Us parents are so blessed to have individuals in the world like Jackie Zamora that puts the passion in compassion for our kids. Listen as we discuss the foundation of the Zamdance Fitness Studio in Maryland. You can follow Jackie on IG @zamdance 

Today we are celebrating a Shero Special Needs Mom, Melanie Oates. She is a philanthropist, special needs advocate, momprenuer and most important a super mom to twin special needs children. She's doing all of this while working full-time. Dive into her story and learn a nugget of wisdom from her experience.

Moms, wish someone gave you a blueprint to achieve peace and happiness in whatever your current situation is? Well, Linda James Bennett has given us 21 Steps to Become A Seriously Happy Special Needs Mom in her book. The book is available on Amazon. 

Toby Karten is dropping some inclusion wisdom with us. How do you view inclusion and how does it affect your child? Karten breaks down the ins and outs of inclusion in our schools and homes. She says inclusion should be a way of life. We reference her publication, Building on the Strengths of Special Needs Students, which can be found here.

Ever wonder what your non-disability children are feeling about their special needs sibling? We are diving into this topic with Jessica Leving, Author of Special Siblings: Growing Up With A Special Needs Sibling and the host of new podcast, Special Siblings. Get the show notes and the link to her book at http://shaneywashington.com/episode26  

It feels great to be back after the holiday hiatus. Let's catch up on holiday events and dive into the process of setting goals vs resolutions as a special needs parent. Please leave a review!! Join my Squad at shaneywashington.com

Can't believe it's already Thanksgiving! Where has the year gone? Let's talk about being Thankful for our journey, relationships and experiences. Have you counted your small victories this year? Add them up. It may surprise you, with everything actually accomplished this year. 

Unfortunately, we still have to educate people on making things ADA compliant. But what about when things are not at the top of our minds? Can we still be upset with the other person? Tune in to hear about my encounter at a Special Needs Workshop this past weekend. I also have some answers to some of my questions from Episode 15: Disabilities in the Church. Listen to end for my BIG NEWS!!

A common saying a special needs parent will hear is Know Your Rights. What if you don't understand them or know how to go about receiving things you are entitled to by law? What about the special needs community holding these politicians accountable during election season? We have work to do. Let's discuss.  FB & IG @raisingpaytoncharlize YouTube: shaneywashington shaneywashington.com

Getting the kids ready for Halloween this week? What are you doing for your special needs kids? I have some tips for you to make it an enjoyable holiday for everyone this year. It will take some creativity on your part, but you can do it!!  Follow us @raisingpaytoncharlize Link to Payton's Trick or Treat Bag https://www.etsy.com/listing/565481871/halloween-bag-for-special-needs-autism?ref=yr_purchases Link to Payton's Costume https://www.etsy.com/listing/527075034/tiana-dress-disney-princess-dress?ref=yr_purchases

It's October!!! which means it's CP Awareness Month. Shout out to all the Green Ribbons out there. Today is about you, moms. I just wanted to say I see you and our journeys and our paths are very similar. Follow me & Payton on FB & IG @raisingpaytoncharlize and on Youtube @shaneywashington

Moms! Stop! Stressing! I know it's easier said than done. Sometimes I fall off the wagon too. But it's literally matter of life and death. Let's talk about it. Follow me and join the conversation on FB & IG @raisingpaytoncharlize and join my Mom Squad at shaneywashington.com

What does it truly mean to have it all? Your definition may differ from my own. When was the last time you did something for you? When was the last time you invested in a skill that you would like to turn into a business? When was the last time you took a vacation? When was the last time you could hear yourself think? It's ok to have aspirations for yourself that has nothing to do with your kids. You can be a super mom and kick-ass, happy woman at the same time. Dive in with me here. Follow us on FB & IG @raisingpaytoncharlize and Subscribe to our new YouTube channel @ShaneyWashington.com

You may hear me speak a lot about making sure your kids hit their milestones. If you don't know where to start, join the Progressive Parenting Mastermind Group. Let's get together and make our kid's day to day functions easier. Press Play to find out more.  Follow us @raisingpaytoncharlize on FB & IG

Are you making sure your special needs child are truly living the carefree life of a child? They already have so much to deal with, when can they just be kids instead of being a patient? Sometimes they just want us to be mom or dad. After all the hard work we are putting in, I  think it's important to have cheat days when they can do or eat things they would not typically be able to do. But you have to know how far you can push them without causing any harm to their health. Let's discuss. Follow me and Payton on FB & IG @raisingpaytoncharlize and join the Mom Squad shaneywashington.com

What do you do when you want your child to be baptized in church, but they may not be able to cognitively choose to follow, love and serve God? In some dominations, each individual must choose to follow that path. In addition are you active in your church to help make them more inclusive to special needs families? Ever thought about a Disability ministry? Let's discuss. Press Play. Share with your friends and join in the conversation. Subscribe and leave a review.

Ladies, do you ever think about who you used to be before you became a mom? It's ok, we all do from time to time. Today we dive into the details of the decisions that we make as mothers to let that consume us. Society has told us, if we love our kids, we can't love ourselves. That we are selfish and unfit. It's time to change that narrative. We can be an awesome mom and still do things that we enjoy. Let's Discuss. Press Play.

Our topic today is one that we all know oh too well. Today we are talking about Tantrums vs Meltdowns. Unfortunately, these types of situations happen more frequently than we would like. How many times have you tried to avoid public outings just in case your sweet baby decides to cry and yell their guts out? Most of the time, it’s not because we are embarrassed, it’s because we let the general public make us feel bad. So let's talk about it. Follow me @raisingpaytoncharlize FB & IG

Sometimes we, as mothers, feel as though we are the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to plans of actions for our kids. Do we ever stop to think or ASK their opinion? You'd be surprised by how some of our husbands are actually listening to us when we are talking about our day. Ladies, if you have a partner who WANTS to be present, don't take that for granted. Join the discussion with me and my husband Corwin Washington. Follow us @raisingpaytoncharlize

Today, I would like to touch on the topic of Hospital Stays. Now if you’re wondering what inspired this topic, it’s because we were just in the hospital about a week ago. For those of you who follow my social media knows that last week my daughter has surgery on her nose and had her tonsils taken out.  What all do you take with you to the hospital? Chime in @raisingpaytoncharlize

Most of us special needs moms are super familiar with the diagnosis Failure to Thrive. I'm telling our story on how we are dealing with the agonizing struggle of weight gain. We've tried added calories, blended diets, sticking to the doctor's plan and created our own plan. You decide what's best for your child. Join my Mom Squad to get updates on recipes to address Failure to Thrive at http://shaneywashington.com

It's almost school time! Are you nervous about sending your special needs kid to a traditional school? How do I set the tone for the school year with my child's teacher? How do I tackle understanding their IEP?  Stacy Badon from Everything Autism Strategies for the Home, has all the answers. She is one of our experts that will keep things very honest and direct while sharing her knowledge with us. Visit the show notes to get more info about contacting Stacy http://shaneywashington.com/epsiode9

Let's tackle the question of "How do I learn to take care of my special needs child?" Someone asked me this question on one of my posts and this is such a big question to answer. There are so many possible answers and everyone's opinion and methods are different.  I am sharing for the first time ever the 4 steps I took to walk into the like of "Taking It One Day At A Time". Press Play. Visit http://shaneywashington.com/podcast  

Sometimes we question God when major tragedies happen in our lives, like losing a child. On this episode will tackle the topic of grieving. It's easy for people to say, "Did you see a therapist?". That may not be the answer for everyone. We are specifically exploring the journey of April Blais, owner of Lil Bayou Boutique. Look her up on Etsy to see her amazing G-Tube Products. 

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like your child is being used to further an agenda? People being fake nice for show? How do you spot them in the crowd and how do you handle them? Join in the conversation http://shaneywashington.com/episode6 

Ok fellow Moms. It's time to share the spotlight with the Dads. Have you ever stopped to consider your significant other may be processing your special needs journey different than you? I asked my husband to come and speak his truth. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but this conversation was needed between us. I found out things I never knew until this episode. So grab your husband and listen to this special episode. Visit http://shaneywashington.com/podcast

Every month we will be sharing a spotlight with an organization that helps special needs families. Today's organization is Families for HoPE. They are the only organization in the WORLD that caters to our Holoprosencephaly babies. What to hear more about Payton's disability? Press Play and Roxanne Steele is going to drop some knowledge. Donate: familiesforhope.org or FB @RaisingPaytonCharlize

Do your child have a disability that people can't see with the naked eye? Join the conversation with my guest Taniya Hussain, she helps busy Entrepreneurs and busy Employees beat burn out by helping you to create time, space and energy in your life. But today she is just wearing her fabulous mom hat. Homework: Subscribe Leave a Review Visit shaneywashington.com for the show notes.

As a parent of a child with special needs, we often become experts and inventors of possible products or services for the special needs market. Let me know if you can answer yes to any of these questions: Aren’t you tired of big corporations making millions off of our babies? Simply because they put “Special Needs” in front of the title. Do you think you can be an amazing first time special needs mom coach because of all the experience, patience and wisdom you’ve picked up along the way? That hobby where you create cute g-tube covers, have you ever thought about turning that into a 6 figure business? Are you a Stay At Home Mom that is looking for additional income to bring into your home? Do you want to put a business in place where your child can earn an income and become self-sufficient? If you were able to answer yes to any of these questions, you need to hear this episode and share it with another mom who needs to hear it.   I have a freebie for you @ http://www.shaneywashington.com/episode2   Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.

Welcome to Same Journey. Different Paths. A Special Needs Parenting Podcast. I am seriously excited to jump into this journey of being bringing families and resources together. We will cover a variety of topics that will come from experts, nurses, educators, doctors and most importantly other families.  My personal mission is to Educate. Empower. Economically Develop Special Needs Moms.  So we will not only talk about our kids, but we will talk about owning stay at home businesses, marriage, intimacy, self-care, etc.  In this episode, I dive deeper into my personal special needs journey with my daughter, Payton and why I felt the need to host this podcast.  It's almost like my audition for you to determine if you like me enough to keep listening next week....lol   Here's your homework!! Subscribe Review Get Your FREE gift on my website http://www.shaneywashington.com/episode1