Lessons I Learned From My Time as a Division 1 Athlete

In a former life, I was a D1 college athlete. I played 3 seasons of indoor volleyball and 1 season of beach volleyball for TCU before a career ending injury changed the course of my life with sports. One of my best friends, and greatest teammates, Alexia Heist, recently started a business devoted to teaching athletes how to train their minds and bodies with purpose so that they can achieve their goals and become all they were born to be. Alexia recently asked me to share a little bit about my journey with her, and today, I would like to share it with you. I believe life is a lot bigger than sports. And I believe that the words I shared with Alexia are applicable to a lot more than just athletes.

Other TopicsMacy GilsonNovember 4, 2019Comment

Ways to Make Halloween More Inclusive

Halloween is right around the corner! For most, October 31st is a fun day, filled with costumes, friends, and of course, candy! But, for families with different needs, Halloween can be tough. I am hoping to make Halloween more inclusive this year, and I hope you will join me. Keep reading to read about four ways you can make all of your trick-or-treaters feel included this year.

Growing Up with a Sibling with a Disability

In continuing with our celebration of Down syndrome Awareness Month this October, today’s blog post is all about growing up with a sibling with a disability. I spoke with Lindsay Shabet, the older sister of Jake, who was born with Down syndrome. Keep reading to see her wisdom, insight, and passion for differences.

What Causes Down Syndrome?

Perhaps you’ve heard of “Down syndrome” but you aren’t quite sure what causes Down syndrome. Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition, affecting 1 out of every 700 births, which means that in the United States, alone, over 6,000 babies with Down syndrome are born each year. Down syndrome, also called Trisomy 21, is caused by an extra copy on the 21st chromosome...

Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition, affecting 1 out of every 700 births, which means that in the United States, alone, over 6,000 babies with Down syndrome are born each year. I am going to tackle some common misconceptions in an effort to spread awareness and educate as we celebrate #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth this October.

Q & A Session with Lisa Stout : Part 3

As we all know, whenever we see a newborn in an infant carrier, we always wanna take a peek at the baby and “ohh” and “ahhh” over it. I knew this may be a little difficult for me because my baby wasn’t the typical “perfect” baby most people expect to see, however, I was as proud as they come! She’s mine and I’m hers, so take a peek if you like.

Here’s where it gets tricky. We were standing in line waiting to check out and the lady in front of me took a step back to see my baby. As she looks into her infant carrier, she gasped and looked at me as if I didn’t know my baby had an opening in her lip. She didn’t say a word. She looked like she felt sorry for me, as if I didn’t know.

September 11th - Seeing the Good in Humanity

I was 8 years old on September 11, 2001 and my husband, just a day shy of turning 8 years old. He was living outside of Dallas, TX, and I was in Orange County, CA. I asked him what he remembers, if anything, about that day.

He told me that he was in first grade, and when the news broke, the administrators rolled in large TVs on tall stands. The teachers watched and cried, as the school went on lock down. Parents came to pick up their kids, and he remembers watching the news with his mom and dad for the rest of the day.

In California, news broke before I had ever made it to school. I came downstairs to find my mom and dad watching the news, as they did every single morning. Before I made it around the corner, my mom, crying, said, “Look what’s happening.” I glanced at the TV, which seemed like just another news story, just another fire, and sat down at the kitchen table. I finished my breakfast and got up to get ready for school. “We’re at war” I overheard my dad say to my mom. She immediately started to cry. That’s when I realized that what happened on this day was not, in fact, just another news story.

Other TopicsMacy GilsonSeptember 11, 20199/11, September 11, September 11 2001, world trade center, day of remembrance, 9/11 day, never forgetComment

My Favorite Books About Bullying - Part One

This month, I am sharing My Favorite Books about Bullying and three literacy-based activities to promote friendship and kindness! While this product is intended for classroom use, it can also be used at home as a great way to talk to your children about bullying.

Educator Resources, Macy's Must ReadsMacy GilsonSeptember 4, 2019bullying, literacy-based learning, literacy-based activitiesComment

Speech & Language Development

As a speech pathologist, I have a huge passion for educating parents and teachers on effective ways to facilitate and encourage healthy speech and language development. I have compiled a list of 3 “Do’s” and 3 “Don'ts” to help encourage you to play an active role in your child’s speech and language development.

“Intelligence plus character.
That is the goal of true education.”

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“Intelligence plus character. That is the goal of true education.”

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“Intelligence plus character.
That is the goal of true education.”