Q & A For Women’s International Day

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We recently asked Easterseals staff, volunteers and family about their experience with the pandemic and their thoughts on how it has affected women in particular.

Name: Jeanine Johnson
Title: Administrative Assistant, Easterseals of SEPA Philadelphia Division
Children:  Autumn Williams (Easterseals Nurse)
Pets: Dog – Aurora, Cats – Me-Mo and Fieval, Turtle – Ursula

In what ways do you think the pandemic has been harder on women?

While family dynamics have evolved, the truth of the matter is that women still carry the bulk of the parenting responsibilities.  The pandemic in a lot of ways has amplified this.  The juggling of family and work has always been a fine balance, add to that, a scenario where there is no separation from the two and increased responsibilities of monitoring homeschooling.

What is your favorite Pandemic TV Binge?

I caught up on “This Is Us” and made my husband binge watch the complete 12 seasons of “Bones” with me.

What is the best part of working from home? What is the worst part of working from home?

The best part of working from home is the time you save not commuting.  My daily commute is 1 ½ hours each way every day.  The absolute worst part is not having the face to face interaction with the children and my co-workers!

What have you learned about yourself because of the pandemic?

I have learned that although I like my solitude, I am not a solitary person.  More than ever, I treasure my connections.  We always stress steady routines for our children.  I’ve learned that the same is kind of important for adults too!

Name: Linda McDevitt

Career/Job Title: Owner Tax Advisors, LLC.  I am a tax and financial planner, Easterseals Board Member
Children: 2 sons, ages 19 and 16
Pets:  none

In what ways do you think the pandemic has been harder on women?

This pandemic has created even more pressure on women with families as not only does everything that used to get accomplished get completed, but there are added burdens of protecting the family and providing for the family during the pandemic.  My husband is a bit older than me and that meant that for the first 3 months of the pandemic, he did not go out of the house as we didn’t think it was safe.  In addition to doing anything that required being outside, I had to be sure the boys were doing their school work and logged into the school properly and that their assignments were submitted and accepted while trying to keep life as normal as possible for the family.  In our particular situation my firm, Tax Advisors, is the main source of income for our family.  While the workload was consistent so we did not have a financial concern, some of our employees could not continue to work as they had to be home to watch over their own children.  Tax season 2019 never seemed to end and just ran directly into tax season 2020.  It will continue to be a challenge to get all the tasks completed in a safe, efficient manner.  It is automatically expected that the woman would take on the schooling issues of the family. 

What advice would you give to your pre-pandemic self? 

Life was busy and hectic but we managed to make it work well pre-pandemic.  Being the leader and organizer of our family is something that I was good at and probably didn’t give myself enough credit for keeping it all together.

What is a silver lining of the pandemic/staying at home? 

My workload only increased with the pandemic so while actors and others had the benefit of being home with their families and catching up on movies and family time, I had to take on the work of 4 people to be sure my business remained efficient and productive.  There has been no down time for me so it is difficult to find a silver lining.  The glimmer of hope that I hold onto is that at some point in time we can meet with people again, see our families and friends and travel again.  Vacations will be even more appreciated going forward for sure.  We have an official office and a home office so I am so tired of the home office and look forward to using the official office again soon.  We were fortunate that other than the mail being an issue, we were well set up for work at home.

What is one new thing you did during 2020/stay at home? 

I enjoyed going to get gas in the car just to get out of the house!  In 20 years of marriage, I never got gas in my own car no less enjoyed the experience of just being in my car!

What is your favorite Pandemic TV Binge? 

 The Bradshaw Bunch

What strength did you discover about yourself that you didn’t know you had? 

I’m good at putting fear aside and doing what needs to be done for the sake of the family.  Also there is always more in the tank than one thinks there is.  When you think you have given your all, there is always more to give.

What does your work from home situation look like?

We are fortunate that years ago we converted our 2 car garage to an office so I have a formal office to work from each day.  The hardest part was not kicking the kids off their school work or zoom meetings when I had zoom and teams meetings.  The problem with a home office is that work and home can blend.  I am cleaning out non-work items that found their way into the office. 

What is the best part of working from home? What is the worst part of working from home? 

The best part of working from home that there is more time in the day and family and work can blend together.  The worst part of working form home is nothing is ever complete.  It is groundhogs day every day.  Not enough work gets done, not enough chores get done, not any me time.  The drive home after a client meeting is often relaxing and down time.  There is no such thing as down time with this pandemic.  I do enjoy being able to have time with my son that is a sophomore in high school during the day.  It is nice that he can still do activities like baseball and swimming so at least our lives a little normal.  We are able to adjust our schedule as needed so working from home certainly provides that benefit.  Our son that is a freshman in college can call at his convenience and we can make it work rather than worrying about work time/home time.  The problem with working form home is that it does not turn off.  I got a text from a client this morning, Saturday morning at 6:45.  It was not a great way to start my weekend.  Unfortunately the pandemic has blurred the lines between work and homelife and some clients act as if I should be available 24/7.  I have to be careful not to get caught up in their schedule.  We provide great tax and financial planning but it is not life threating so there is no emergency that has to be resolved the moment they think of the issue.  It will be nice post pandemic when people have more regulated schedules and there is a separate of home and work time.

Name: Tameka Love

Career/Job Title: Accountant/Accounting/Administrative Manager

Children: 3 – Including Easterseals Amabassador Timmy

Pets: none

In what ways do you think the pandemic has been harder on women? 

Typically, as women we’re expected to be keep moving because someone is always relying on us in both our professional and personal lives. The pandemic has caused a strain on our work/life balance. As a working mom, I’m now at home balancing a full-time job while taking care of my two young children which includes being their mother, their teacher and their therapist. Plus, you know trying to find time for myself somewhere in between. 

What advice would you give to your pre-pandemic self?

Enjoy life and don’t take things for granted. 

What is a silver lining of the pandemic/staying at home?

Spending time with my family and being a part of my children’s educational development. 

What is one new thing you did during 2020/stay at home?

I’ve dedicated myself to working on my professional development by taking classes towards my Bachelors’ degree. 

What is your favorite Pandemic TV Binge? 

I’m not a big TV watcher but I will admit that I did indulge in Tiger King! 

What strength did you discover about yourself that you didn’t know you had? 

Multitasking. Who knew I could balance it all without missing a beat?

What does your work from home situation look like?

I have two workstations. I switch between the dining room table and the kitchen counter near the Keurig (I need my caffeine throughout the day). Wherever I am, my kiddos are right there next to me. Best coworkers I’ve ever had! 

What is the best part of working from home? What is the worst part of working from home? 

The best part is being present to watch my children learn new things. The worst part of working from home is that the kids don’t understand that Mommy can’t play all day.  

Name:  Dr. Kimberley Brown-Flint          

Career/Job Title: Director of Programs for Easterseals of Southeastern PA

Children: A daughter and a son

Pets:  3- Giant Alaskan Malamute, German Shepherd/Husky mix and a fat grey cat.

In what ways do you think the pandemic has been harder on women?

Well, unfortunately we still have many people who feel a woman’s place is in the home.  I see mother’s home schooling, working from home and caring for elderly parents or infants.  This makes thing really hard for women.

What advice would you give to your pre-pandemic self?

Get in better shape. The covid 15 is real and I was lucky to kick it to the curb.

What is a silver lining of the pandemic/staying at home?

I got to spend a lot more time with my family. 

What is one new thing you did during 2020/stay at home?

I went to a mostly plant based diet and I can’t believe how much better my lab work is and how much better I feel

What is your favorite Pandemic TV Binge?  

The last Kingdom and anything Viking.

What strength did you discover about yourself that you didn’t know you had?  

The strength to stick to a plant-based diet and the ability to directly impact my health with the foods I put in my body.

What does your work from home situation look like?

I work wherever I can find quiet. 

What is the best part of working from home?

The best part of working from home is being able to wear my pajamas all morning and all the together time we have had as a family.

What is the worst part of working from home?  

We keep our house cold and find that I am cold all the time. 

Race, Equity and Anti-Bias Training Staff Perspective, Part 2

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This past year, our country faced race and equity issues that require conversation and change at every level. In an effort to truly understand these issues and affect change, Easterseals has begun Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training, which will be provided to every staff member. The process will include conversations about race, equity and bias within Easterseals and the communities we serve. These conversations will help guide future trainings to address concerns and issues within our organization.

The training will occur in small groups to help ensure that staff feels comfortable to discuss their experiences and their concerns about these issues. The trainings are being facilitated by Andrea Lawful Sanders. You can learn more about her at https://alawfultruth.com/about/

Ivy Lewis, Easterseals CFO, shared her experience through a Q & A session after her recent training.

Why do you think this type of training is important for Easterseals? 

I think this type of training is important for each and every human being. It is important that Easterseals begin and continue to conduct this type of training to open the lines of communication on the often avoided conversation of Race and Equity. Easterseals serves a diverse population and while there is some diversity among its staff, it is far from proportional with our clients. It is equally important for Easterseals to help its employees break down the barriers that exist due to implicit bias and dispel untruths that far too long been taken as fact. By providing Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training to employees, Easterseals will ultimately provide a greater service to many of our clients if staff truly understanding the disabilities they face often outweigh their medical diagnosis.      

How do you think working at Easterseals has impacted your view of equity and inclusion? 

My view has widened during my time at Easterseals in terms of equity and inclusion for differently-abled (instead of disabled) people. However, working at Easterseals has done nothing to change my view on Race and Equity. Easterseals is a microcosm of the nation as a whole. I am a black woman living in America for all of my life, more than half a century now. Whether within in the confines of an Easterseals building or not, what I experience as a black woman does not change. My blackness doesn’t go away if I don’t mention it or people claim they don’t to see color. However, I appreciate Easterseals for taking the first step in recognizing the enormity of this problem and providing staff with this training. Perhaps with this training staff will be inspired to learn the truth about the inequities that exist for people of color which began more than 400 years ago and surprisingly still exists today. If staff share this knowledge with those outside of Easterseals to affect change, working at Easterseals will have an impact on my view of equity and inclusion from Race, Equity and Anti-Bias perspective.    

What was the most valuable thing about this training from your perspective? 

The most valuable thing is that Easterseals thought it important enough to provide this training to every employee. Equally important is engaging the incomparable Ms. Andrea Lawful-Sanders to facilitate the discussion and provide tools to break down the barriers that separate different points of view as well as building blocks for a better understanding to bridge the divide.

What are your thoughts on how we can be more inclusive in our everyday lives? 

I think it’s simple, to be more inclusive in our everyday lives we just need to take these words to heart…  “I’m starting with the (wo)man in the mirror, I’m asking him (her) to change his (her) ways. And no message could’ve been any clearer, if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a CHANGE.”
Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson

Race, Equity and Anti-Bias Training Staff Perspective, Part 1

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This past year, our country faced race and equity issues that require conversation and change at every level. In an effort to truly understand these issues and affect change, Easterseals has begun Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training, which will be provided to every staff member. The process will include conversations about race, equity and bias within Easterseals and the communities we serve. These conversations will help guide future trainings to address concerns and issues within our organization.

The training will occur in small groups to help ensure that staff feels comfortable to discuss their experiences and their concerns about these issues. The trainings are being facilitated by Andrea Lawful Sanders. You can learn more about her at https://alawfultruth.com/about/

The following post is by Mildred DelValle Morales, a Speech Language Pathologist at our Early Intervention Center, in which she shares her perspective on the training.

I have been working for Easterseals of SEPA for 4 years now and have met a wonderful group of peers that address each day with passion. Many of them I can say are now my friends. Working every day in an intensive roller-coaster of emotions, adventures, challenges, celebrations and paperwork can be overwhelming if you take it on by yourself. Feeling part of a team was my first expectation when I started working at Easterseals and it has truly been a dream come true. I couldn’t serve the population we serve without such a supporting staff.


After 25 years in my profession as a Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist, I can honestly share that I feel like a student. I learn from everyone around me including the kiddos we serve every day. As part of this agency, I am used to attending trainings but this year’s Anti Bias training really touched my heart. I guess we all expected the same type of training where you listen and ask questions, but this time it was different. I felt as if I was participating of a retreat where I had the chance to know about others true stories and how everything happening now in our community impacts what they do. Feelings can easily be dismissed by stating a word or simply describing it with a sentence but sharing your feelings and thoughts as part of a conversation where we all participate as equals, is refreshing. During the training I was able to transport myself to my childhood even when others were sharing their own experiences. I found myself feeling excited, happy, mad, emotional as I listen to my coworkers shout out the truth about what is true in their lives. I did hold back many times so that I could listen to others, because I grew and added to my experience of life as they shared theirs. I can’t wait to meet again and continue this journey building relationships, learning from each other and coming up with strategies that will allow us to see with new eyes.


Feeling thankful and excited at what is to come!

Milly and her husband, Dr. Jose R. Irizarry and their dog Ginger, participating in the virtual Walk With Me

The Importance of Enthusiasm

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by Jennifer Latt

This year has been unique for all of us in so many ways.  If I am being completely honest, I have to admit that when we were told we were moving towards doing virtual therapy this past spring, I thought “I can’t do it!”  I had no vision how this could take place and I doubted myself even more.  I have learned it takes a lot of planning and communication with the families.  When I work in the Easterseals building, it is pretty easy for me to roll in and get started with a session.  I have been working in the physical therapy department for years.  I have a plethora of ideas in my head that I can pull out for whatever I think we need to work on that day.  I know what the PT gym has in it, as far as things to play with and use, to help our children meet their sensory needs.  At first, I thought “how am I going to get all this information across to parents?”   I began to do my research on virtual sessions and then I needed to just buckle down and give it a shot.

My first plan of attack was to come up with what I wanted to accomplish with my session for a particular child.  Next, I would try to find pictures of the activities or I would actually have my son step in and I would take pictures of me helping him in different positions to show families what I was doing.  I would email these plans to the parents the night before so they could prep.  I also asked families to give me a list of items that they had at home, favorite toys, and even take a picture of their playroom so I knew what I could work with.

It has truly been a joy to be able to connect with families during this time.  I know that most people would not wish to be trapped at home trying to work and teach their kids and get their therapies in.  However, it has been so amazing for me to be able to connect with families and get the opportunity to see how they interact.  It has also been beneficial for families to get a greater understanding of what we do and why we do certain activities.

The one obvious down side of all of this for me has been the frustration of not being hands on with the children and not always being able to elicit the intended results.  Flexibility has been the key!  I want to applaud all the parents out there who have had to put their homes and their lives on display.  It is not easy trying to take over the role of therapist or teacher, and understand what we are asking you to do.  Know that from my point of view I think the families have been remarkable through all of this.  The most important thing I wanted to share is, that as parents, you need to allow yourselves to be silly during your sessions with your children.  I know that taking on the role of therapist can be intimidating and overwhelming with all of your other responsibilities. In my experience, I know that when I show some silliness, it makes for a much more productive and fun session for not only the child, but also myself. Some of my most fun sessions are often the most engaging and productive. So give yourself permission to not stress about doing it perfectly, and just enjoy this time as much as possible. Your energy sets the tone for your child.

I would like to give several life examples of how this could play out.  I coach high school basketball.  It is easy for me to order the girls around and tell them to run and do one activity after the other. If this was always my approach, they would quickly resent me.  Instead, I constantly cheer them on and offer positive reinforcement.  I run with them and do the activities too, so they know they are not alone.  I offer incentives.  For so many free throws made, I will make them brownies.  If a player really hustles during a game I will bring them a treat.

Both of my children started taking Suzuki piano at a very young age.  It was incredibly difficult and stressful to say the least, especially for my son.  He learns differently and memorizing very complex songs was at times an impossible task.  We did fight!  Yet, I knew this was good for him in so many ways.   I could have continued to fight or I could change my ways.  I came up with incentives.  I would cheer him on and hug him.  I would have incentive charts for so many repetitions of lines played.  I would have his figurines lined up on the piano and when he played through a required line we would play make believe with the figurines.

As parents, when you are asking your children to do activities for school or therapy, don’t be afraid to cheer and get silly and dance around, and make it fun.  Be willing to do the activities with your kids or do it first and then have them do it.   During music time, clap your hands and sing and dance with your kids. If you put on an exercise video, then put on a funny workout outfit and do it with your kid.  During PT for example, if your child has to kick a ball so many times, then when he is done lift him up and spin him around or give him hugs and tickle him so that he associates having fun during therapy.  If you are ever in the Easterseals building when I am doing therapies, you are likely to hear me singing bad renditions of made up songs about what we are doing in the moment.  I even like to break out with Queen’s ”I like to ride by bicycle” when working on riding a bike.  I promise, that we as therapists, are not going to laugh at your silliness during the sessions.  You and your child will feel much better and connected to each other when the task is fun and not just something to get done.  I know that this may all seem like common sense but often we get bogged down with just getting the task done or fitting as much as we can in our allotted times that we forget what it feels like to be a kid.

I want to end with one of my favorite pictures of my son from when he was little.  He had just received this dress up outfit for his birthday.  The pure joy on his face at dressing up and being silly is priceless.  Try to embrace this kind of enthusiasm when you are working on tasks at home.  Don’t give up.  Learning to let yourself go and be silly takes time.  If you have a bad day and a session with your therapists or teachers doesn’t go as planned, forgive yourself and your child.  Every day is a new opportunity.

On GRATITUDE

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A Q & A with Jennifer Lynn Robinson

To kick off the Easterseals’ virtual, free Quarterly Town Hall Series on Thursday, January 28, 2021 on Zoom, our special guest speaker Jennifer Lynn Robinson, Esq., CEO of Purposeful Networking, will help us explore how the small practice of gratitude can have big impact on your life and well-being. This engaging conversation with Ms. Robinson will provide action-items and takeaways that you can use in your daily life.

We spoke briefly with Jennifer about gratitude.

Easterseals: So, why do you think gratitude is important?

Jennifer: “Gratitude leads to greater happiness. It also helps with health benefits, building stronger relationships and dealing with adversity.”

Easterseals: Given the events of the last year, why is gratitude even more important right now?

Jennifer: “We are almost a year into this. Obviously we are dealing with large issues such as COVID and a racial reckoning in our country. But there are also the smaller but no less important things. We are mourning seeing friends & family, missing reunions, weddings, vacations–and even just the everyday normalcy of making small talk and seeing the people we interact with smile instead of behind a mask. Gratitude is even more important right now to combat those dips in our emotional and mental well-being. Additionally, by focusing on the positive we tend not to spiral and reach high anxiety levels about those things we cannot control.”

Easterseals: What is something small we can do right now to bring more gratitude into our day?

Jennifer: “Start a gratitude jar for the rest of 2021. Each day write down something you are grateful for or a highlight of your day. On New Year’s Eve read all of them! Some days it may be hard to find a silver lining but find something small. I remember one year at Thanksgiving we were going around the table asking everyone what they were thankful for and my youngest nephew said he was thankful for the color yellow. I still remember it years later.”

Want to learn more about gratitude? Register for our free, virtual Quarterly Town Hall Meeting today.

Jennifer Lynn Robinson, Esquire
Speaker| Moderator| Media Contributor |Emcee|Trainer
CEO Purposeful Networking
As seen: CBS, NBC, FOX, PHL17
Watch my TEDx talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_lynn_robinson_from_fighting_for_breath_to_fighting_for_life?fbclid=IwAR1oR4JAnnc7znFhi-QVxzsQpSoGj5FcgF5LhmNvTzcXNpQVyWeWcbpECPA
purposefulnetworking.com
@areyounetworked

Social Emotional Learning Elf

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by Lisa Wzorek, OTD, OTR/L

This week I decided to do an experiment with our Elf on the Shelf.  Our son recently turned 10 but surprisingly (and gratefully on my part, I will add!) still believes in the magic of the Elf.  I won’t lie and say that the pandemic has been easy for us at home; our son is an only child and is participating in virtual learning, so his interaction with other kids his age is very limited. 

Like most families, we have good days and bad days with all of us at home together all day, every day.  Because I have such an interest in social emotional learning and adding that to my practice as an OT, I decided to experiment with the Elf as a partner in crime regarding helping my son’s outlook.  When he wakes in the morning, he will typically search for the Elf in the house.  Along with a surprise location of the Elf, I started leaving positive notes “written” by the Elf.  The notes always praise something good that he did the day before.  For example, Friday he cleaned his schoolwork area without being asked to, so on Saturday he woke up to a note that read, “You cleaned your school area without being asked! That is being a good helper!  Your Elf.”  Another note read, “Awesome job reading yesterday!”  Now, I know I did not invent this idea of a positive note-leaving Elf; I’m sure many other parents have thought about this as well!  Sometimes it is hard for us to think of the good things we are doing, but it certainly feels good when it is pointed out to us. 

Activities like this help us to keep focused on the positive things we are doing.  And, how nice to start the day with a compliment! So, what is the verdict on the experiment? I can report, although it has only been a week, that my son starts the day with a big smile and has been doing some things around the house without me asking him.  I would say, so far, so good!

A Parent’s perspective

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Easterseals Physical Therapist, Melody Katz has been providing home-based physical therapy to Violet, a baby girl who has Down syndrome. The family is very loving and nurturing and Melody has enjoyed working with Violet. Her father wrote an article about Violet for Down Syndrome Awareness month that was published by the Courier Times and he allowed us to share.

You can see the original article here.

Coming up Violet this October for Down Syndrome Awareness

By John Anastasi

Born in May, Violet Anastasi has trisomy 21, an extra copy of the 21st chromosome that causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

There are 31 days in October. Last year, Down syndrome crossed my mind during none of them. That was me in 2019. Before Violet.

Recognizing October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month may be one of the least significant things my daughter has taught me in the five months since I held her for the first time in the maternity unit of Capital Health Hopewell in Pennington NJ.

We knew before we arrived at the hospital on that Tuesday morning in May that our Violet had trisomy 21, an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. That additional piece of genetic material causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

A prenatal screening had revealed the trisomy 21 way back in November. My wife Emily and I grappled with the news that Violet would likely be the one baby of 700 born in the United States with Down syndrome.

It was hard. As all would-be parents probably do when they learn they’re expecting, Emily and I dreamed about what kind of life our child would have. We did the same thing before her older brother Luke was born in 2017. Receiving the diagnosis prompted a painful course correction.

The day we found out, we left work early. We did research, we prayed, we struggled. We built the ultimate “fake-it-until-you-make-it” narrative we’d employ when we told our families and friends the news: Don’t say you’re sorry. Don’t feel bad for us. We’re excited. Our baby is perfect. She is exactly what God intended and we’re going to work hard to be parents who are worthy of her. Yes, she may have related health problems and cognitive delays but her possibilities are still limitless.

Some days we meant what we said 100%. Other days, we faked it.

Emily threw herself into the research. She found specialists, joined Facebook groups for support, bought books, watched videos, tracked down people she knew with children that have Down syndrome and set up Zoom calls with them. Emily also ran point on Violet’s early intervention efforts.

No stone would be left unturned if there was a chance that beneath that stone was something that’d give our baby a better shot or help Emily be the mom her daughter needed.

We met our sweet Violet and fell head over heels for her. She was healthy. She also cleared a number of hurdles that’d worried us from the beginning. She has an atrial septal defect (a hole in the wall separating the two upper chambers of the heart) but it’s small and the specialists say it needs only to be monitored at bi-annual checks. If it does get larger, Violet’s a good candidate for a less-invasive surgery that can be done in a catheterization laboratory.

A friend told me “anytime the doctor sees it and says ‘come back in six months’ that’s a win.” I’m going with that.

As befitting her extra chromosome, Violet is extra everything — affectionate, happy and curious with a smile that can light up the darkest corners of our minds and hearts. She also exhibits a scrappy, stubborn side that comes out during her physical therapy sessions. But it’s her sweetness we keep coming back to. It’s as immeasurable as it is unconditional.

Violet is challenging us every day to follow her example by living joyfully, loving completely and trusting absolutely. 

Even in our first five months as the parents of a child with special needs, we’ve been touched by so many people, many of them here in Bucks County, who’ve welcomed us into this community.

Specifically, we’ll mention the fine work of everyone at Bucks County Early Intervention, Jack’s Basket, a nonprofit that provides congratulatory gifts, support and resources to the families of children with Down syndrome, and Nothing Down, which works with the medical community to promote compassionate notification of Down syndrome diagnoses, plus up-to-date education and resources. And we highly recommend the Bucks County Down Syndrome Interest Group and the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network for parents looking to get connected.

We’d also like to thank those in the Commonwealth for speaking out in support of Pennsylvanians with Down syndrome earlier this month.

They include Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf, who spoke of the need to “honor the contributions of individuals living the Down syndrome to our communities…” and human services Secretary Teresa Miller, who encouraged Pennsylvanians to play an active role in celebrating and uplifting the stories and experiences of our family, friends and neighbors with Down Syndrome so they can live an everyday life with inclusion and opportunities that they are entitled to and deserve.”

Today, we celebrate Violet’s story in the hopes that, by telling it, we can do something small to help secure an inclusive future world for Violet and all of her brothers and sisters with Down syndrome.

We can’t wait to see what Violet does next, what she’ll be like when she’s older, how she’ll stare down prejudices and push back on those who try to tell her what she can’t do. It’s going to be amazing.

Holiday Mindfulness Activity Ideas

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by Lisa Wzorek, OTD, OTR/L

It is officially holiday season, which although for many is a joyous time, it can also be a time of sadness and increased stress for others.  This year brings more of a challenge to celebrating the holidays while living with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Even though we have been living with the pandemic since March, and the related closures and recommendations for social distancing, it can be upsetting and unsettling to not be able to celebrate holidays the way we normally would.  And this can be harder to understand for our children.  Spending time with our immediate families on some mindfulness activities can help alleviate the stress we are feeling.  Doing a stroll around the internet, I found a variety of activities and resources that may satisfy this need to take some breathes, acknowledge how we all are feeling, and find the gratitude in what we do have in this time of pandemic.  One of my favorite mindfulness activities this time of year is taking an after-dark walk in the neighborhood to enjoy the lights and decorations that people have put up.  Bundle up, make some hot cocoa and grab flashlights for this activity with your family.  Wishing all a safe, healthy and peaceful holiday season!

Christmas-related Mindfulness Activities:

  1.  From the website Counselor Keri, follow the link for instructions and activities.  I like the breathing exercise called Breathe Like Santa, the listening activity called Shake the Bells, and make your own snow globe or a “snow” mindfulness jar.  https://www.counselorkeri.com/2019/11/29/christmas-mindfulness-activities/
  •  From the blog Education’s Voice, follow this link for activities and instructions.  I like the
    Christmas Advent Chain and the YouTube links to Christmas meditation music, which are listed below:

https://educationsvoice.wordpress.com/2017/11/19/mindfulness-in-the-classroom-christmas-mindfulness/

Hanukkah-related Mindfulness Activities:

  1.  From Stress Free Kids, follow this link for activities such as a Light the Menorah medication:  https://stressfreekids.com/13199/hanukkah-with-kids/
  •  On this webpage by Swami Mommi, this is a great article about teaching about diversity and a variety of mindful Hanukkah activities:
Don’t Be left in the Dark: Teach Kids About Diversity with Mindful Hanukkah Activities for the Curious.
  •  This link has a free, printable Menorah coloring page:

https://www.bigactivities.com/coloring/hanukkah/menorahs/menorah2.php

  •  This link contains a simple craft activity, making a paper plate Menorah:
Paper Plate Menorah

Kwanzaa-Related Mindfulness Activities:

  1.  If you celebrate Kwanzaa or would like to learn what Kwanzaa is about, check out this website that discusses the five traditions of Kwanzaa:

https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural-traditions/5-kwanzaa-traditions.htm

  •  Kwanzaa-related crafts and information at this website.  I like the Kwanzaa wreath using hand cut outs and the Kinara place mat. 
30+ Kwanzaa Crafts and Activities for Kids
  •  Other link for Kwanzaa crafts and information.  I like the crafts using corn kernals and the African drum idea: 

https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/kwanzaa-crafts

It feels good to do good

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by Kristine DelMonte, Development Specialist
 
This week I am attending a virtual conference from my makeshift (and yet somehow more and more permanent) office in my dining room.
 
It is an annual conference for fundraising professionals hosted by Blackbaud, the platform Easterseals uses to manage donor data.
 
Initially, I wasn’t super excited to be glued to my computer for Zoom Keynotes and Zoom breakout sessions and Zoom networking (what even is that?). That PLUS my regular Zoom meetings seemed like maybe too much zooming.
 
Then, the people at Blackbaud scored Amy Poehler as a keynote speaker.
 
(If you don’t know Amy Poehler’s alter-ego Leslie Knope from the long-running TV show Parks & Rec, you *must* go right now and binge-watch it on Netflix. It is a definite pandemic pick-me-up.)
 
#BBCON, you had me at Amy Poehler.
 
Leslie Knope is known for her commemorative scrapbooks and detailed event binders, her dedication to her job, and her enthusiastic encouragement of absolutely everyone to be their very best. She is the ultimate development professional: nothing gets her down, she can always find a way to work around a “no,” and she has never-ending energy.
 
(I kind of love Leslie Knope.)
 
But it was the actress, not the character giving the keynote, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
 
Turns out, Amy Poehler is her own brand of Leslie Knope, having recently started “Amy’s Smart Girls,” a nonprofit “dedicated to helping young people cultivate their authentic selves.”
 
She was amazing.


 
She talked about the physicality of doing her voice work as the character “Joy” in Disney Pixar’s Inside Out. She talked about the world right now, about finding happiness in uncertainty, and about philanthropy.
 
Two things she said stuck out to me.
 
First, she said “Do work you are proud of with your talented friends.”
 
CHECK. I am proud of the work we do at Easterseals. It’s SO hard right now because of COVID pivots and uncertainty, but I know that what we are doing makes a difference in the lives of the kids and families we serve. And boy do we have some amazing talent. From our teachers and assistants to our PT/OT/Speech and Music therapists to our Assistive Tech Department and even accounting, we have staff that work here because they love it, and it shows.
 
Then, when talking about philanthropic giving, she said “Giving is self-care.”
 
It feels good to do good.
 
Leslie Knope couldn’t have said it better herself.  
 
As we approach the season of giving, I don’t want our donors to “give till it hurts.”
 
I want to help our donors learn more about what we do, about how we serve people with disabilities, and how we continue to serve families through COVID. I want donors to get Leslie Knope-level excited about our mission. I want them to understand why their gifts are so critical (especially now), and to see the absolute joy on a child’s face when they achieve a goal… a goal made real in part because of our donors’ gifts. 
 
I want our donors to give until it feels good.
 
I’d even be willing to make a scrapbook to commemorate the occasion.

Extended School Year Reflections: Two Different Perspectives, Five Takeaways

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By: Matt Parsons and Melanie Solano

Melanie’s Perspective:   

This summer marked my 5th year as an ESY (Extended School Year) teacher for Lower Merion School District through Easterseals of Southeastern PA.  I have worked with students in the program from grades K to 12, and while I mostly work with students in their own homes, in past years I have meet with kids at local camps, equestrian farms, libraries, churches, and even cafes. All work is provided by the child’s special education teacher and I track data for each goal highlighted in the child’s IEP. I LOVE this program and the all of the students I have worked with throughout the years. I normally have a new group of kids each summer, but I have met with some students multiple years in a row. Every family I have met has been warm, inviting, and grateful for my summer help.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this summer was the first time I completed my tutoring sessions online. At first I worried that I would have trouble connecting with each student in a virtual format, but each child’s personality was still able to shine through. I had one student who bonded with me over our shared love of guinea pigs. At the final session, she showed me her pigs, and I held up all three of mine. I had another student who was very into technology. Each session he had a different virtual background waiting for me to see. I learned a lot of new Zoom features by working with this child!

I struggled to figure out how to teach over Zoom, using the scanned paper and pencil tasks that had been left by the students’ teachers. I ended up using the “Snipping Tool” to “cut” the daily tasks we would be completing together. I then pasted each activity into a Google Slides presentation. I made a new set of Google Slides for each session, and started each presentation with the objectives for the day. I locked each task so that it could not be moved, and then added text boxes on top of the task so that the student could type the answer. We also used the line feature for matching activities and the scribble tool for multiple choice questions. Students were able to work in Google Slides with me during the session, which made our time much more fun and interactive. When it was time to send materials back to the teachers in August, I was able to include a document of Slide links, instead of scanned pictures or individual materials. What I thought was going to be a more difficult summer of adjusting to teaching online, actually ended up being much calmer and organized than I could have planned. I am excited to return to my regular position of teaching second grade, where my district will be fully virtual until at least October 2.

Matt’s Perspective:

This was my first summer taking part in the Easterseals program for ESY, working with high school students in writing. After several years as a professional writing tutor for a couple of universities in the area, I took the chance to broaden my experience by working with students at a different grade level. Online tutoring, as a result of the pandemic, is a mixed bag: on the one hand, I’ve done totally virtual tutoring in the past, so the transition was smooth for me. I point that out because, conversely, students were still adjusting to the shift from in person learning to using computers from home, logging on to school and tutoring. The readiness of distractions, coupled with the separation from a dedicated learning space, made for difficulty early on. As the first couple of weeks went by, students started to adjust to this new situation. We established routines and had clearly defined expectations for each session we met for.

This year, everyone needed to adjust to these new circumstances: teachers, parents, and students. ESY was no exception, as families were forced to cancel vacations, children had to stay inside away from friends, and both present and future were uncertain (and remain so). While ESY may not have been most students’ first choice on how to spend this new summer vacation, I believe it did help to bring some sense of normalcy to their lives. No matter what else may have been going on, there was at least the knowledge that “I’m going to be doing writing work later this week.” While keeping skills sharp during summer break, ESY gave the chance for routine, which is important for anyone during times like these. I feel great knowing that working with Easterseals helped provide not only learning, but structure for these students.

Our Takeaways to Remember for Online Learning:

1) Keep an open mind: While virtual teaching is different from the in-person learning we are used to, it has many positives. Students can interact with coursework in new ways and show off their computer skills. There is still time to bond with each student, so look for their interests and help foster connections with those.

2) Keep to a routine: Students thrive from routine and structure. If possible, use the same link for each session and meet at the same time each day. Structure your activities in the same format such as: warm-up, mini lesson, practice, fun review game. Students will know what to expect and will feel more confident participating.

3) Be organized: In an online format activities and lessons need to be easily accessible and ready to go to maximize time-on-task with students. Consider placing your lesson into a format like Google Slides or Google Docs that students can complete with you. If students are not completing tasks on the screen, these formats can still be used for organization when you share your screen. Use easy to use fonts and do not overload each slide with excessive pictures or colors. Keep student interest by alternating text with videos, games, and other activities.

4) Set expectations: Telling the students the objectives of the lesson upfront will help them stay on task as the lesson moves forward. When working with students with IEPs, tell them which goal you are working towards and why. Students are often much more motivated to complete tasks if they know what they are working towards. Some students are also competitive and want to beat their own scores when they notice a pattern in assessments and have a set goal. Celebrate their victories when they move closer to their goals or surpass them. Consider graphing their progress each week to add an extra element (and some math!) to the process.

5) Be flexible: Everyone is adjusting to new territory this year and many students are going through more than we know. Try to be patient and encouraging with students by allowing them to keep their videos turned off, allowing time for snacks, and factoring in some movement breaks. Sometimes allowing for something this simple can keep the student working hard throughout the session.

Matt Parsons is a professional writing tutor and adjunct professor at two local universities. Melanie Solano works as a second grade teacher and the LMS Curriculum Coordinator for Springfield School District in Delaware County. They both love teaching and helping students meet their goals.

  • Matt hard at work
  • Melanie In her home office
  • The guinea pigs
  • close up!