Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Have You Seen "As We See It"?

On the Parenting Roundabout Podcast Round 2, we just finished watching season 1 of As We See It on Amazon Prime. It’s a series about three mid-twenties roommates on the autism spectrum (Jack, Violet, and Harrison), their aide (Mandy), and their family members (Jack’s dad, Violet’s brother, and Harrison’s parents). I liked it a lot and hope there will be a season 2. 

If you've watched the show or choose to now, listen to our commentary below on each episode. I'd be interested to hear what other folks thought about it.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

Posted by Terri Mauro at 9:59 AM 0 comments

Monday, March 28, 2022

Congrats to CODA

 For the second year, Catherine and I have managed to watch the eventual Best Picture Oscar winner, with CODA this year and Nomadland last year both being featured on our Parenting Roundabout Round 2. Listen to what we had to say about CODA below (along with another recent pop-culture product featuring a deaf actor).


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Sunday, March 27, 2022

The Stress That Keeps On Stressing

I do a lot of thinking about the IEP meetings I attended during my kids' schooling (because obsessively worrying about things I can no longer do anything about is kind of my thing). I think about the things that were said, the options that were offered, the viewpoints that were shared, the agendas that were pursued, the communication that did and did not take place, the things said behind backs, the inappropriate behavior on both sides, the tears shed, the mistakes made, the pushing and pulling, the opposition and the accommodation, the times when I won righteously and times when maybe I should have lost.

* * *

I wrote the above in January 2020, and just found it in my drafts folder, where I'd left it unfinished and unpublished before taking a bit of a break from blogging. I don't know where I was going with it then, but looking at this now ... dang, I'm still obsessing about this stuff, more than a decade after my last IEP meeting. Why does this stuff stick with me? Do parents of typical kids obsess about that one really bad teacher's conference in second grade? Do they always remember what that one educator said that one time that made them so mad? Or does life just go on?Maybe other parents who've run the IEP gauntlet are over it once it's over, and it really is just me. I guess holding a grudge is kind of my thing too.
Posted by Terri Mauro at 7:30 PM 0 comments
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Monday, January 06, 2020

Resolutions

I’m resolving to be calmer this year, to not look for problems, to count blessings and be grateful, and ... yeah, that’s realistic. Think I could probably give up coffee easier than I could give up worrying. In a Parenting Roundabout episode recently, I advised new parents to not look ahead for problems but enjoy their children right where they are, and man, that’s good advice. How I wish I could follow it. I’m trying to tell myself that anxiety over things that might happen, from the probable to the unlikely, is making me miserable now when it might never get a chance to make me miserable later, and what’s up with that. Stop it! I’m trying to practice meditative prayer and gratitude to get my mind off its but what about this terrible thing that could maybe happen? track. If I’m going to constantly live with projections of the future, how about some good projections, like, but what if I manage to be peaceful and hopeful and in the moment for twelve months? Could happen. I bought a fancy gratitude journal and everything, so obviously I’m going to be successful. What are you optimistically deluding yourself about right now? 
Posted by Terri Mauro at 8:07 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Recently on the Parenting Roundabout Podcast

While the Parenting Roundabout Podcast is not about parenting special needs specifically, that's the only viewpoint I have on parenting, so the topic comes up. Here are some recent discussions to which I brought a special needs parenting angle.

Listen to these episodes and subscribe to get all our episodes right in your podcast player of choice.
Posted by Terri Mauro at 4:51 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

Tweeting the Nourished Festival

On October 5, I attended the Nourished Festival in Secaucus, New Jersey, featuring gluten-free foods, some of which were also nut-free, paleo, keto, or plant-based. Here's what I saw and tasted.
Posted by Terri Mauro at 9:07 AM 0 comments

Monday, September 23, 2019

Going Snacking at ... Um, Reporting from the Nourished Festival

For the past couple of years, I've enjoyed going to the GFAF Expo, trying out a lot of cool foods, taking photos of the stuff I snack on, and sharing them on Twitter. (Like I did last year.) I'll be going again October 5-6, but this time the name has been changed to the Nourished Festival, and in addition to gluten-free and nut-free goodies, there'll be zones for paleo, keto, and plant-based foods. (Though actually, everything's gluten-free.)

If you live someplace where you can get to the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, and would like to check out the festival, comment here and I may be able to get you a pass or a discount. Otherwise, check @roundaboutchat on Twitter October 5-6 for my dispatches.


Posted by Terri Mauro at 2:54 PM 0 comments