071 How Do We Help Our Kids Have Meaningful Friendships Across All Abilities with Lindsey Larsen

Send us Fan MailListen to this episode, "How Do We Help Our Kids Have Meaningful Friendships Across All Abilities with Lindsey Larsen" as Occupational Therapist and Mom, Lindsey Larsen joins Dori Durbin.With 1 in 4 adults having a disability, how can we guide our kids to confidently connect across differences? Occupational therapist and children's book author, Lindsay Larsen shares ideas for fun inclusive activities, respectfully answering questions, and insights as a mom of two. Learn simple ways to overcome awkwardness and embracing kids' uniqueness. Join us to help shape the next generation’s views.The Challenges Families FaceRecognizing a Disability as a Parent Misconceptions About Capabilities Reading from "Meeting Exceptional Friends"Approaching Families with DisabilitiesTeaching Kids About DisabilitiesFinding Lindsey and Her BooksMore About Lindsey:      Lindsey Larsen earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University in 2007 and is a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist.  She is also the mother to two amazing daughters, an award-winning author, a homeschool educator, a military spouse, and a parenting coach.       Lindsey’s older daughter, Madelyn, survived a  massive stroke in infancy which resulted in a variety of disabilities. Her life quickly shifted from being a health care clinical practitioner, to being the parent of a patient. Lindsey began homeschooling her children, adapting learning activities and life skills, so both of her children could succeed in their own unique way.  Lindsey decided to write a children’s picture book to educate all children, and the adults in their lives, about asking questions regarding disabilities, because understanding leads to inclusion!        Lindsey’s book, Meeting Exceptional Friends, was released in December 2022. Her book recently won the 2023 Nautilus Book Awards for best picture book/fiction ages 2-6. Lindsey hopes to continue to write books that spark nurturing conversations between children and adults. You can find Lindsey’s book, Meeting Exceptional Friends, on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, her website, and most major online book retailers.  Follow Lindsey:https://www.lindsey-larsen.comhttps://www.instagram.com/ot_homeschool_momBooks: https://www.amazon.com/Meeting-Exceptional-Friends-Lindsey-Larsen/dp/B0BPGGB3BSDid you love this episode? Discover more here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-good-parenting/id1667186115More about Dori Durbin:Dori Durbin is a Christian wife, mom, author, illustrator, and a kids’ book coach who after experiencing a life-changing illness, quickly switched gears to follow her dream. She creates kids’ books to provide a fun and safe passageway for kids and parents to dig deeper and experience empowered lives. Dori coaches non-fiction authors, professionals, and aspiring authors to “kid-size” their content into engaging kids’ books!  https://doridurbin.com/Buy Dori's Kids' Books:https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dori-Durbin/author/B087BFC2KZThinking about writing a kids' book?  Book a Chat with Dori:Intro for TDP (version 2)