A Little About Us
I am Sandy. I am author, entrepreneur and digital content creator. I have two children: a sweet little boy called Lennox and the precious little girl in the picture, Mara. Mara was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome when I was 11 weeks pregnant. Her diagnosis came as a shock, but it only took me 4 days to get back on my feet and take charge of the situation to make sure that my little girl would have all the resources and support she may need.
I spent my entire pregnancy learning about neuroplasticity and how we can improve the physical and cognitive abilities of our babies. Since Mara’s birth, I have spent countless hours implementing a routine that includes daily physical, cognitive, visual, and tactile stimulation. I keep getting surprised by how much we can assist our children and equip them to conquer anything they want if they receive proper early stimulation.
My motto as a mother, and more specifically as a special needs mom, is “information is power”. That is why I decided to create this website. I know that every single child can reach their maximum potential if we, as parents, have access to the right information.
about us
How We Got Started
After repeated requests from many of my loyal @Instagram followers for more information about what we were doing to help Mara in her development, @MaraTheWondergirl Instagram was born. It was a great way for us to share Mara’s progress, her infectious smile, and her huge personality. It was also a great way to connect with other mamas who had questions and were seeking advice.
Little by little, the “How did you do _____?” questions grew. And it was becoming increasingly clear that one-on-one messages did not allow me to serve the needs of our growing community in the way I wanted. We knew that the impact could be bigger and that we could reach more families. And so, MaraTheWondergirl.com was born. It is an important next step to provide a new home for all of us. Thank you for being a part of it.
Glad You Have Joined Us On Our Adventure
Top Posts
I get asked how to handle tantrums so so often on my Instagram account, so I decided to invite an expert to talk about the subject. Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist specializing in parenting, managing anxiety, and building…
Kids with Down syndrome, as well as many typically developed kids and others with special needs, have low muscle tone in their feet and legs. Bones in children are not entirely developed and if a shoe is not properly fitted, then the child’s body’s biomechanics can be altered. Therefore, careful consideration is needed to support the foot and to encourage proper form when walking.
I get asked how to handle tantrums so so often on my Instagram account, so a few weeks ago I decided to invite an expert to talk about the subject. And this now she is back to share some more insight on dealing with tantrums when there is more than one child needing your attention.
One of the things I want my kids to remember about their childhood is how much I loved playing with them. One thing I do with Lennox daily is role play. If you could watch me at home, you would rarely find me speaking in my own tone.
Oh, potty training! When it comes to delays in children with Down syndrome, I have read a lot about potty-training. I must confess that I found it really intimidating. But that did not stopped me from continuing to research. During my time trying to learn more about successful potty-training experiences, I learned about “elimination communication”. I found stories from many moms talking about how by using this method, they had been able to get their kids with DS potty-trained within a neuro-typical range.
Do you know how much heartache and tears I could have saved if ANYONE would have told me this? Breastfeeding is not the best thing ever.
English 
Español