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
After announcing all 36 Honor Roll Unified Champion Schools earlier this month, ESPN and Special Olympics recently announced the Top 5 Unified Champion Schools for 2020. Delaware: Postlethwait Middle School Iowa: Theodore Roosevelt High School Minnesota: University of Minnesota Twin…
When Mara was 6-weeks-old, I was interviewed on Despierta America (the #1 morning show in Spanish in the United States) to talk about the release of my book “The Light After Loss”. Once it was shared on the show’s social media channels, it got so much traction as people kept sharing it on Facebook. Eight months ago, it reached one million views and a few days ago it reached two million views.
Did you know there’s a billion dollar industry trying to make you think that you NEED certain toys to put your baby in? So you can be more productive. Work more. Do more. Be back to your “pre-baby” lifestyle. But did you also know that placing your baby inside of toys and not on the floor can actually limit development and delay typical milestones?
During my pregnancy with Mara, I found myself having to educate doctors about they way to deliver certain messages they believed I needed to hear to prepare to have a baby with Down syndrome. “You must know that 40% of babies with Down syndrome are born with a heart defect” was the first warning I was given about the apparently terrifying life that was awaiting for me. Right there and then, with my little baby still in my belly, I decided to change the conversation.
As you know, early childhood development has been a big passion of mine since I became a mom, and I am so excited to get to share the things that I am learning along the way. I believe that sensory stimulation in early childhood is often overlooked, so let me share first why I think you want to start stimulating your babe as soon as they are born.
My driving force behind everything I do is my sister, Rebecca. Becky is my older sister. She is severely disabled. Yes, she had challenges, and yes, she was different, but she was a living, breathing, beautiful human who deserved the same love and respect that any of us do.
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