Kelley Coleman, mom to two amazing boys, and disability advocate, addresses empowering v's saving our disabled children.

Kelley's Unique Trait:
- Kelley shares her love for spelling bees and drinking tea, highlighting her occasional fun side.

Kelley's Special Needs Mom Journey:
- Kelley discusses her journey as a mother of two boys, one of whom, Aaron, has multiple disabilities.
- Details Aaron's various diagnoses, including cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, cortical vision impairment, microcephaly, and more.
- Reflects on her initial fears and feelings of inadequacy upon starting the parenting journey with a child with disabilities.
- Emphasizes the lack of open dialogue surrounding disability, leading to societal discomfort and misconceptions.

Influence of Parenting on Aspirations:
- Kelley discusses the significant shift in priorities and career focus due to her son's support needs outweighing other commitments.
- Highlights the challenges and rewards of transitioning to a full-time caregiver role.
- Shares the pivotal moment of realizing the need to write her book, "Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child."

Empowerment vs. Saving:
- Emphasizes the importance of empowering disabled individuals rather than attempting to "save" or "fix" them.
- Shares personal and anecdotal experiences of realizing and fostering her children's abilities and preferences.

Audience Engagement and Conclusion:
- Host expresses appreciation for Kelley's insights and book.
- Encourages listeners to check out Kelley's website for more information.
- Kelley offers words of encouragement to overwhelmed moms, emphasizing validation of their feelings and the power of starting with small victories.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING!

Find Kelley:

Website: www.kelleycoleman.com

Kelly's book:

"Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to Essential Systems, Services, and Supports" by Kelley Coleman

Link to download book: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Tells-About-Parenting-Disabled/dp/0306831708/

Kelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author, who is active in the disability advocacy community. She serves on committees for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and Canine Companions. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports stems from her own parenting experience, giving parents the tools to spend less time navigating the stuff and more time just loving their kids exactly as they are. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and her son’s service dog.

Music Acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk

Link for book: The S.H.I.N.E. Principle: The special needs mom's path to strength, hope and happiness
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CW18ZXGX  (Canada)

Love to connect: email me any questions or comments:
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Learn more about your host at:
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Here's a community for special needs moms to share, uplift and learn from each other...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/specialneedsmomscircleofstrength

Learn more about your host at:
https://coachingwithvalerieanne.com/