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
Can you imagine a doctor showing up to surgery without knowing how to operate, but still going to the operating room to give it a good effort? That doctor simply operating and hoping for the best? As crazy as this sounds, this sort of medical care is what MANY mothers of children with Down syndrome face daily when taking their children to the pediatrician.
If you have just received a diagnosis that your baby has or will be born with Down syndrome, you are likely shocked, frightened, and searching for answers. Those feelings are completely normal, but it is my experience that those initial feelings are very misleading. I have also come to learn that not all doctors are well informed to be able to assist you in learning about what you, your baby, and your family might face. So we have tried to share here some of the better resources we have found and others that were recommended to us.
Up until not very long, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended NO screen time for children under two. Zero! While this has changed a bit and it is not recommended not to expose kids to screens until 18 months, I still do not think that this was a rule that we needed to apply in our home.
The following are the instructions for the crawling track that we made for our infant daughter. Her progress was immediate and striking. Mara started at three months. If we had to do it again she would have started the day she came home from the hospital. It is that valuable.
When Lennox was about one and a half, I bumped into a lady that complimented him for how verbal he was. I told her that I spoke to him all the time and he seemed to really be passionate about language. She then told me about a book called “How to Teach Your Baby to Read”. I asked her about the author and put all the info as a note in my phone.
The book is FASCINATING. I highly encouraged you to read the book, but here are a few points summarizing what the program is all about.
Eliana Tardío, is the mother of Emir & Ayelén, both with Down syndrome. Eliana is a successful professional in Marketing and Public Relations, who writes in different publications sharing her experience as the Latin mother of two children with special needs, giving her readers what she calls “The Best Advice for Any Human Being: Hope in Love .” She currently serves as the Director of the Parent Education Network, a program funded by the United States Department of Education, which offers training and support to families of children with disabilities.
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