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
The more I studied as I learned how to help Mara thrive, the more I realized how many lifestyle changes we could make to improve her development. Obviously, anything that I learn and consider good for Mara’s development, I use with my son Lennox, as well. In general, there are two major changes that we have made. I feel strongly that these changes had a significant, positive impact on their mental and physical development.
Today, almost two years after starting the program we do daily with Mara, I can assure you that it is a much better approach when it comes to development for children. And not just children with Down syndrome. This applies includes the neuro-typical children as well – Lennox also follows this program.
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.
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.
The mission of The Confetti Foundation is to supply birthday parties to children who have to spend their birthday at the hospital, pediatric oncology clinic or hospice facility. The foundation was started with the hope that families will be able to shift their focus from their child’s sickness for just 30 minutes and celebrate. Although the party is not a cure, it will be a welcome distraction and a good reminder that every child deserves to be celebrated.
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…
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