Personal Perspectives - Penfield Children's Center

June 2, 2016Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesby Shelby Schnell

New and Exciting! Introducing Cristina Moreno, monthly columnist to our Personal Perspectives section

Hi! My name is Cristina, and like most people, I am many things. Professionally, I am the Bilingual Outreach Specialist at Penfield Children’s Center, a certified medical interpreter and a new regular contributor on the Penfield Building Blocks website. If you ask my sisters, I am overly sensitive, the one …

May 4, 2016Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesby Shelby Schnell

Growing Up with Cerebral Palsy – A Personal Perspective

By: Alex Diaz-Granados What does it feel like to have cerebral palsy (CP)? Though this might seem to be a simple question about a physical disability, it’s actually a psychological conundrum with no simple answer. There are many variables, including the fact that there are several types of CP (spastic, …

October 28, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal PerspectivesADHD, behavior, Development, kidsby Shelby Schnell

Early Intervention for Learning Challenges

It is estimated that between 15 and 18 percent of children have mental health problems and other brain-based challenges that interfere with learning. The most common of these are Attention Deficit Hyperactivity, Oppositional Defiance, Anxiety Disorders and a wide range of Learning Disabilities. Believe it or not, that is actually a …

October 7, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Parenting Tips, Personal Perspectivesby Shelby Schnell

The Benefits of Babywearing

Babywearing has been practiced around the world for centuries, but gained popularity in the U.S. in recent years. Take a look at your grocery store tabloids and you’ll likely spot a celebrity mom or dad wearing their baby proudly as paparazzi snaps shots of them purchasing fruit from their local …

September 30, 2015Growing Up, Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectives, Positive Parentingby Shelby Schnell

Talking to Children about Race

I remember being a young girl, pulling out crayon after crayon from their box, trying to find the perfect shade to fill in the skin color of the coloring pages in front of me. The problem was always the same; my skin color did not exist in that box. I …

June 24, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesfamily, kids, parenting tips, special needsby Shelby Schnell

Finding a “Normal Day” with a Special Needs Child

If you would ask parents what their greatest challenges are, many of them will mention managing the family’s time, energy, and resources. This becomes an even greater challenge in a family with a child with a special need. In a special needs family, there are numerous doctors, therapies and insurance …

May 27, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesallergies, childhood allergiesby Shelby Schnell

Handling Your Child’s Food Allergies – A Primer

One of the scariest times in my life was when my husband Jonathan and I found out that our daughter Alex has severe food allergies. The reaction itself (hives all over her body and a swollen eye) was scary enough, but learning to live with food allergies was just as …

April 22, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal PerspectivesDevelopment, IEP, Individual Education Programs, kids, medically fragile, parenting tips, safety, special needsby Shelby Schnell

Lessons Learned: What to do When Your Child has a Special Need

As a mother of a child with a rare genetic condition, there are lessons I’ve learned over the years that have helped me become a better parent and effectively advocate for my son. Dealing with the diagnosis of a special need is difficult, but there are steps that every parent …

February 25, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesby Shelby Schnell

Responding to Others’ Reactions to Your Special Needs Child

If you have a child with special needs, I am sure you are no stranger to the looks, stares, pointing and sometimes off the wall comments you may get when you are out in public. But, how do you respond to the situation? Do you let your emotions take over …

January 14, 2015Kohl’s Building Blocks, Personal Perspectivesby Shelby Schnell

Advice for the Single Parent

The best advice that I’ve received as a single mother is simple: take 10% of my day and reserve it for me. Not for laundry or dishes. Not for a trip to the grocery store or to catch up on housework. Dedicate 10% of my day to doing something I …

New and Exciting! Introducing Cristina Moreno, monthly columnist to our Personal Perspectives section

Growing Up with Cerebral Palsy – A Personal Perspective

Early Intervention for Learning Challenges

The Benefits of Babywearing

Talking to Children about Race

Finding a “Normal Day” with a Special Needs Child

Handling Your Child’s Food Allergies – A Primer

Lessons Learned: What to do When Your Child has a Special Need

Responding to Others’ Reactions to Your Special Needs Child

Advice for the Single Parent

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