The Lucky Few
- Episodes
- 382
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
Hey friends! Welcome to the Lucky Few Podcast where we are shifting the narrative by shouting the worth of people with Down syndrome. With your hosts, Heather Avis, Micha Boyett, and Mercedes Lara.
Episodes 382
345: Future Planning Without the Overwhelm w/ Phillip Clark from ENABLE SNP
What Families Actually Need to Do—and WhenWhat if planning for your child's future didn't mean having everything figured out right now? And what if the goal wasn't just protecting their future, but creating a …
Show notes
What Families Actually Need to Do—and When
What if planning for your child's future didn't mean having everything figured out right now? And what if the goal wasn't just protecting their future, but creating a life filled with purpose, opportunity, and belonging?
This week, Heather welcomes back Phillip Clark, co-founder of ENABLE Special Needs Planning, for an honest conversation about why future planning feels so overwhelming—and how families can move forward with confidence.
As a sibling to someone with Down syndrome, Phil brings both personal experience and professional insight to a conversation that challenges families to think beyond trusts, finances, and what happens when we're gone.
In this episode, we're talking about:
Where to start: Why families feel overwhelmed by future planning, what actually needs attention now, and why it's never too late to begin.
Planning for an abundant life: How to build a flexible, evolving plan centered on your child's strengths, relationships, independence, and opportunities—not just financial security.
Sharing the responsibility: Why one person doesn't have to do everything, how to build a future support team, and the importance of making sure every piece of your plan works together.
Whether you're starting from scratch or already have a plan in place, this conversation is a reminder that future planning isn't about predicting everything. It's about creating possibilities.
Resources & Links
ENABLE Special Needs Planning
Free Resource: Who Will Carry What? — A guide to understanding the different roles and responsibilities involved in building your loved one's future support team.
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Website: https://ENABLEsnp.com
More Conversations with ENABLE:
47. Planning for the Future w/ Phillip Clark from ENABLE SNP
252. Planning for the Future: Involving Siblings in the Decision-Making Process
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast.
Here's to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
343: Advent Unhurried: Finding Wonder and Stillness in the Holiday Season with Micha Boyett
The holiday season is here, and with it comes the endless lists, family expectations, traditions, and pressure to make everything magical. But what if we gave ourselves permission to slow down?This week …
Show notes
The holiday season is here, and with it comes the endless lists, family expectations, traditions, and pressure to make everything magical. But what if we gave ourselves permission to slow down?
This week, Heather sits down with co-host Micha Boyett to celebrate the release of her new book, Advent Unhurried: Daily Devotions for a Season of Wonder and Stillness.
Together, they're talking about finding peace in the chaos, making room for both joy and grief, and what it means to experience the holidays without getting lost in the expectations.
In this episode, we're talking about:
Why slowing down isn't about doing less, but finding moments of stillness and wonder in our everyday lives.
How parenting and caregiving shape our expectations during the holidays, and why it's okay to let some traditions go.
Micha's new book and how practicing hope, peace, joy, and love can help us navigate even the busiest seasons.
Whether you're celebrating Advent or simply looking for a more meaningful holiday season, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, be present, and make room for wonder.
RESOURCES & LINKS
Advent Unhurried: Daily Devotions for a Season of Wonder and Stillness — Get Micha's new book.
The Slow Way — Micha's newsletter on slowing down and finding meaning in everyday life.
ADVENT UNHURRIED — GROUP ORDERS & FREE VIDEOS
Planning an Advent study with your church, book club, or small group?
When you purchase 20 or more copies of Advent Unhurried through Baker Book House, you'll receive:
40% off the retail price of the books.
Four free digital teaching videos hosted by Micha Boyett, one for each week of Advent, exploring hope, peace, joy, and love.
Videos designed to guide meaningful group conversations throughout the Advent season.
The publisher provides the digital video downloads with qualifying group orders.
Order your books: Baker Book House — Advent Unhurried
Group order questions: [email protected]
Digital editions are also available through VitalSource.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
LET'S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast.
Here's to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
342: You Are Beautiful: Building a Business, Finding Your Voice with Raquel Caramello
What happens when you take a simple message like “You Are Beautiful” and turn it into a business that's changing lives?As we wrap up Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Heather sits down with Raquel Caramello, a …
Show notes
What happens when you take a simple message like “You Are Beautiful” and turn it into a business that's changing lives?
As we wrap up Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Heather sits down with Raquel Caramello, a jewelry designer, entrepreneur, college student, and disability advocate who is doing things her own way.
After experiencing bullying and navigating a childhood cancer diagnosis, Raquel turned her desire to help others feel seen and valued into Raquel Beautiful, a growing jewelry and gift business built around the message that everyone is beautiful and worthy, exactly as they are.
In this episode, we're talking about:
How Raquel turned personal challenges into a business centered on kindness, confidence, and celebrating others.
What it's like to be a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome, from building a brand and navigating rejection to advocating for herself and others.
Raquel's college experience, big dreams for the future, and why she wants everyone to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.
Raquel's story is a reminder that every person deserves the opportunity to pursue their passions, make their own choices, and have their voice heard.
RESOURCES & LINKS
Raquel Beautiful — Shop Raquel's jewelry, custom gifts, and accessories.
Pay It Forward Program — Visit Raquel's website to learn how you can help share gifts of encouragement with others.
Raquel Beautiful – Business Accounts
Raquel's Personal Accounts
Website: RaquelBeautiful.com
Also check out Episode 257: “Brother Do You Love Me?: A Journey of Resilience and Repair” with Manni and Reuben Coe.
The episode explores their relationship, Reuben's experience with Down syndrome, and their journey together, including walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
LET'S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast.
Here's to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
341: The Harm in Using People with Disabilities as “Inspiration” in Viral Videos (Throwback to Ep. 169)
Here we are, halfway through October and Down Syndrome Awareness Month, revisiting a conversation that's just as relevant today as when we first released it in July 2022.We've all seen those viral “feel-good” …
Show notes
Here we are, halfway through October and Down Syndrome Awareness Month, revisiting a conversation that's just as relevant today as when we first released it in July 2022.
We've all seen those viral “feel-good” videos featuring people with disabilities. But are these stories actually celebrating people with Down syndrome, or are they reinforcing harmful stereotypes?
Building on our conversation in EP 339 about what we really want people to be aware of this month, we're throwing it back to EP 169 to explore the harm of “inspiration p*rn” and why the stories we share matter.
In this episode, we're talking about:
Why viral “inspirational” disability stories can sometimes do more harm than good.
The difference between celebrating genuine accomplishments and turning people with disabilities into spectacles.
How we can be more intentional about the stories we consume, celebrate, and share.
As we continue shifting the narrative this Down Syndrome Awareness Month, let's remember: People with Down syndrome don't need to do something extraordinary to be worthy of being celebrated.
RESOURCES
Listen to EP 339: What We Really Want You to Be Aware of This Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
LET'S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.
Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast.
Here's to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
340 Throwback: What Do You Wish You Knew When You Got Your Child's Down Syndrome Diagnosis? (Ep. 138)
Throwback: What Do You Wish You Knew When You Got Your Child's Down Syndrome Diagnosis? (Ep. 138)It's Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and we're heading back into the archives for a conversation that's just as …
Show notes
Throwback: What Do You Wish You Knew When You Got Your Child's Down Syndrome Diagnosis? (Ep. 138)
It's Down Syndrome Awareness Month, and we're heading back into the archives for a conversation that's just as relevant today as when we first recorded it.
What do you wish you knew when you first received your child's Down syndrome diagnosis?
In this throwback episode, Heather, Micha, and Mercedes reflect on the things they wish they could tell their younger selves and why the stories we tell about Down syndrome matter so much.
Too often, a diagnosis comes with a focus on limitations, challenges, and what a child may or may not be able to do. But that's only part of the story. This conversation reminds us that awareness means sharing a fuller, more honest picture of life with Down syndrome—one that makes room for both the hard and the beautiful.
In this episode, we're talking about:
What we wish we'd known when we first received our children's Down syndrome diagnoses.
Moving beyond assumptions, limitations, and expectations based on ability.
Why sharing honest stories of joy, challenges, and belonging matters for the next generation of families.
Whether you're new to the Down syndrome community or have been here for years, we hope this conversation encourages you to keep shouting worth and shifting narratives.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don't forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast.
Here's to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
339: What to Really Be Aware of This Down Syndrome Awareness Month
People with Down syndrome deserve belonging, opportunity, and dignity—without having to prove their worth through achievement.To kick off Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Heather and Micha ask what happens when …
Show notes
People with Down syndrome deserve belonging, opportunity, and dignity—without having to prove their worth through achievement.
To kick off Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Heather and Micha ask what happens when advocacy becomes centered on accomplishments. They share honestly about comparison, parenting expectations, and telling a fuller story that makes room for the entire Down syndrome community.
In this episode:
How to celebrate achievement without making it the measure of someone’s worth.
Why stories about “overcoming” disability can create pressure for people with Down syndrome and their families.
Questions to help us advocate for belonging across all abilities and support needs.
Questions for our community this Down Syndrome Awareness Month:
Are we challenging low expectations—or accidentally replacing them with a new kind of pressure?
Are we celebrating a person, or using that person to prove something?
Does our public advocacy represent the breadth of the Down syndrome community, including people with significant disabilities?
Can we celebrate achievement without making it the measure of a good life?
Whose version of a good life are we fighting for?
Do we believe belonging is something people earn through capability, or something they deserve from the very beginning?
Plus, Good News is back! Micha shares how Ace’s first youth retreat became a weekend full of friendship, joy, and belonging.
Keep the conversation going: Listen to Episode 338 on presuming competence and Episode 337 on belonging and inclusion.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What? Download it here.
338: What Does Presuming Competence Actually Look Like?
“Presume competence” is a phrase we hear often in the disability community. But what does it mean when someone also needs significant support?This week, Heather and Micha talk through the tension between …
Show notes
“Presume competence” is a phrase we hear often in the disability community. But what does it mean when someone also needs significant support?
This week, Heather and Micha talk through the tension between believing there may be more happening than we can see and honoring a person exactly as they are. They share stories about school routines, communication, reading, and friendship—and ask what changes when we lead with curiosity instead of assumptions.
In this episode:
Why presuming competence starts with seeing someone’s full humanity, rather than measuring what they can do.
How behavior or limited speech can obscure a person’s interests, needs, and desire for connection.
What it looks like to offer age-appropriate opportunities while providing real support.
Related listening: Episode 337 on belonging and inclusion, Episode 335 on autonomy, and Episodes 313–314 on apraxia and motor planning.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What? Download it here.
337. Belonging vs. Inclusion: Why the Difference Matters
“Inclusion says you’re allowed to be here. Belonging says this is your place.”In this episode, we’re exploring the difference between being included and being genuinely known, wanted, and valued. We share …
Show notes
“Inclusion says you’re allowed to be here. Belonging says this is your place.”
In this episode, we’re exploring the difference between being included and being genuinely known, wanted, and valued. We share real-life examples from school, church, dance, friendships, and community spaces—and discuss why simply offering access or accommodations isn’t enough.
True belonging means our kids don’t have to earn their place or change who they are to fit in. It means creating communities that recognize they are better because our kids are part of them.
In this episode:
Why inclusion without belonging can still leave people feeling unseen
What genuine belonging looks like in schools, churches, friendships, and activities
How adults can intentionally create spaces where every person is known, supported, and valued
Want to learn more about inclusion, community, and what it takes to create true belonging? Keep the conversation going with these episodes:
- 280. Can a Person With Down Syndrome Find Community & Belonging?
- 324. What We Wish We’d Known About Inclusion
- 326. What We Wish We’d Known About Loneliness
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
336: What We Need to Know About Disability Policy Right Now w/ Ashley Barlow
Disability policy can feel complicated and overwhelming—but these decisions directly affect the healthcare, education, services, and civil rights of people with disabilities.Today, Heather is joined by …
Show notes
Disability policy can feel complicated and overwhelming—but these decisions directly affect the healthcare, education, services, and civil rights of people with disabilities.
Today, Heather is joined by attorney, IEP expert, and longtime friend of the podcast Ashley Barlow. Together, they break down current changes and challenges surrounding Section 504, community living, Medicaid, and special education—and explain why families need to pay attention.
In this episode:
- What current policy changes could mean for disability rights and community-based services
- What’s happening with Section 504, the Olmstead decision, and the Department of Education
- How families can advocate by contacting legislators, sharing their stories, and following trusted disability organizations
The issues are complex, but one truth remains clear: disabled people belong in our schools, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities—without having to earn or prove their worth.
Learn more from Ashley:
- The Collaborative IEP,
- Follow Ashley: @thecollaborativeiep
Listen to previous episodes with Ashley:
- 273. Breaking Down Barriers: The Parent’s Role in IEP Success
- 292. What’s Going on With the Department of Education?
- 294. Why Down Syndrome Isn’t Something to “Cure” 298. What’s Going on With the Department of Education? Part 2
- Bonus: The Fight for 504—Why Disability Rights Are on the Line
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
335: Autonomy for Adults with Down Syndrome w/ Val Schlieder
What does it look like to truly honor the autonomy of adults with Down syndrome?Today we’re joined by our former producer, occupational therapist, sibling, and advocate Val Schlieder to talk about autonomy …
Show notes
What does it look like to truly honor the autonomy of adults with Down syndrome?
Today we’re joined by our former producer, occupational therapist, sibling, and advocate Val Schlieder to talk about autonomy, infantilization, and the dignity of risk.
We explore why protecting people with Down syndrome from every possible risk can actually limit their independence, the difference between risk and genuine danger, and how we can support our loved ones in making their own choices.
From everyday decisions to navigating adulthood, Val challenges us to assume competence, make room for choice, and provide support without taking away autonomy.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Infantilization, autonomy, and the dignity of risk
- The difference between protecting someone and limiting their independence
- Practical ways to assume competence and support everyday choice and self-determination
Learn more from Val Schlieder
Listen to previous episodes with Val Schlieder:
- Episode 43 — Back to School & All Things Best Buddies w/ Val Schlieder & Allison Covell
Listen / Episode Page - Episode 162 — What Happens After High School? (Ft. Val Schlieder — OT + Producer)
Listen / Episode Page
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
334: Staying Organized When Our Kids Go Back to School w/ Angela O’Brien
Back-to-school season brings more than new supplies and schedules—especially when you’re raising a child with Down syndrome. There are IEPs, appointments, transportation plans, medical information, therapies …
Show notes
Back-to-school season brings more than new supplies and schedules—especially when you’re raising a child with Down syndrome. There are IEPs, appointments, transportation plans, medical information, therapies, emails, paperwork, and approximately 47 things nobody else in your house seems to remember.
Today, Heather sits down with professional organizer, Enneagram coach, and fellow Down syndrome mom Angela O’Brien to talk about creating organization that supports the life you actually have.
Angela explains why disability families often carry more physical and mental clutter, how delayed decisions contribute to the overwhelm, and why the goal isn’t a Pinterest-perfect home. She shares realistic systems for managing incoming paperwork, organizing digital records, simplifying morning and after-school transitions, and helping our kids become more independent.
Whether you create one place for every incoming paper, lower a backpack hook so your child can reach it, or spend five minutes tackling one drawer, small changes can give your family more time, energy, and capacity.
Friends, you don’t need to overhaul your entire life. Start small, build systems around your family’s natural rhythms, and give yourself some grace along the way.
Learn more from Angela:
- Your Space Reclaimed
- Listen to the Especially Organized Podcast
- Follow Your Space Reclaimed on Instagram
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-fewDon’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
333. Happiness Is Down Syndrome w/ Misty Coy Snyder
When Misty Coy Snyder received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis during the early days of the pandemic, fear and uncertainty shaped much of her pregnancy. But when her son Jed was born, the joy she …
Show notes
When Misty Coy Snyder received a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis during the early days of the pandemic, fear and uncertainty shaped much of her pregnancy. But when her son Jed was born, the joy she experienced changed everything—and eventually inspired the community known as Happiness Is Down Syndrome.
Misty returns to the podcast to talk about her new book, Happiness Is Down Syndrome: Strategies and Support for Parents at Every Stage. Designed as a practical companion for families, the book brings together personal stories, expert guidance, helpful resources, and the voices of people with Down syndrome. It covers everything from diagnosis, grief, and early intervention to IEPs, inclusion, advocacy, sibling relationships, and adulthood.
Misty and Heather discuss holding grief and joy at the same time, taking each season as it comes, and why parents don’t need to figure everything out alone. They also explore what “happiness is Down syndrome” really means—not a life without difficulty, but a life filled with deep connection, ordinary joys, and unexpected goodness.
This is an encouraging conversation for parents, educators, extended family, and anyone who loves someone with Down syndrome.
Show Notes:
Learn more about Misty at MistyCoySnyder.com
Follow Misty @MistyCoySnyder
Follow @HappinessIsDownSyndrome
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What? Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
332: Back to School Anxiety: Why a New School Year Feels So Big When You’re Raising a Kid With Down Syndrome
Back-to-school season can bring a lot more than new backpacks, school supplies, and first-day photos—especially when you’re raising a child with Down syndrome.In this episode, Heather, Micha, and Mercedes talk …
Show notes
Back-to-school season can bring a lot more than new backpacks, school supplies, and first-day photos—especially when you’re raising a child with Down syndrome.
In this episode, Heather, Micha, and Mercedes talk honestly about the complicated feelings that come with starting a new school year. From new teachers and IEP meetings to inclusion, friendships, behaviors, and the pressure to make sure our kids have the opportunities they deserve, sometimes “back-to-school anxiety” is really a mix of fear, grief, frustration, comparison, and the exhaustion of knowing how much advocacy may be ahead.
Micha shares about preparing for Ace’s transition to middle school and advocating for the movement and sensory support his body needs to learn—and even to sleep. Mercedes opens up about the unexpected pressure she feels as Sunflower enters seventh grade and the milestones she thought they might have reached by now. And Heather shares the weight of sending Macyn into her senior year after an incredibly difficult school experience, while still fighting for something every student deserves: to be a meaningful part of their school community.
They also talk about the comparison trap—especially when social media makes it look like everyone else’s child is having the school experience you hoped your child would have—and the reminder that we rarely know the whole story.
But this conversation isn’t about pretending everything will be fine. It’s about making room for the hard while still holding onto hope.
Maybe we don’t need to have everything figured out before the first day. Maybe we can simplify our goals. Maybe instead of measuring a successful year by achievement, we can ask:
Is my child known?
Do they have a friend?
Are they included?
Do they know they belong?And when the world outside our homes doesn’t always get inclusion right, we can still create homes where our kids know without question that they are valued, adored, and that they belong.
Why back-to-school season can bring unique anxiety for families raising kids with Down syndrome, including emotions like grief, comparison, and uncertainty
Real-life transitions and advocacy: new school years, changing grades, and supporting sensory, social, and inclusion needs
Reframing success and belonging by focusing on inclusion, self-worth, and creating supportive, radically inclusive home environments
You don’t have to have everything figured out before the first day.
You can change course when something isn’t working. You can ask questions. You can advocate. You can feel nervous. And you can hope for a good year without pretending that some parts of it may be hard.
Your child’s worth is not measured by their progress.
Here’s to a school year where our kids aren’t simply present—but known, valued, included, and loved.
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Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.
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ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What? Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-few
Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
331: We’re Back! Catching Up on a Big Summer in the Down Syndrome Community
Episode 331: We’re Back! Catching Up on a Big Summer in the Down Syndrome CommunityWe’re back! After a three-month summer break, we’re catching up on some of the biggest conversations, stories, and moments that …
Show notes
Episode 331: We’re Back! Catching Up on a Big Summer in the Down Syndrome Community
We’re back! After a three-month summer break, we’re catching up on some of the biggest conversations, stories, and moments that happened across the Down syndrome community while we were away.
We start with a difficult conversation surrounding YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife Ashley, who publicly shared their prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis and decision to terminate their pregnancy. We talk about the weight of sharing deeply personal moments online, the pressure advocates can feel to respond publicly, and the misinformation and fear that still surround a Down syndrome diagnosis.
We also discuss the importance of how we narrate the lives of people with Down syndrome—not through tragedy or inspiration, but through the fullness of their humanity.
Then we turn toward some of the encouraging stories we saw this summer, including Texas Rangers usher and dancing queen Hannah Speirs, Rachel McKay Bailey’s perspective on expecting a baby with Down syndrome, and the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act supporting Down syndrome research.
We also remember Born This Way star Christina Sands and the legacy she leaves behind.
And finally, we’re sharing some good news from our own families: Ace reaching a new level of independence, Sunflower’s first mother-daughter pedicure, and Macy turning 18.
We missed you, friends. We’re glad to be back.
Links:
Hannah Speirs — Texas Rangers Dancing Queen
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/hannah-speirs-texas-rangersRachel McKay Bailey — Pregnancy & Down Syndrome
The Times: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/pregnancy-downs-syndrome-motherhood-gzkfrh7mbAmy Julia Becker — Responding to the Jesse Ridgway Controversy
https://amyjuliabecker.com/who-gets-to-tell-our-story-of-down-syndrome/DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act
GLOBAL Down Syndrome Foundation:
https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/deondra-dixon-include-project-act/Thank You to Our Sponsors
Down For Greens creates practitioner-formulated, third-party-tested greens specifically designed with the nutritional needs of the Down syndrome community in mind.
Learn more: https://downforgreens.co
Promo code: LUCKY — get 50% off your first order.ENABLE Special Needs Planning helps families create coordinated plans for the future by bringing together the vision, financial, legal, and practical pieces of special needs planning.
Free resource: Who Will Carry What?
Download: https://ENABLEsnp.com/the-lucky-fewDon’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you listen to The Lucky Few Podcast. We love hearing how these conversations are meeting you and your family.
Here’s to shifting the narrative for people with Down syndrome.
Stories & Resources MentionedIn This EpisodeThank You to Our SponsorsDown For GreensENABLE Special Needs PlanningConnect With Us
330. What We Wish We'd Known About Advocacy
In this final episode of our “What I Wish I Knew” series, we’re taking a step back to reflect on advocacy—what it’s looked like for us over the years, what’s changed, and what we wish we understood earlier.We …
Show notes
In this final episode of our “What I Wish I Knew” series, we’re taking a step back to reflect on advocacy—what it’s looked like for us over the years, what’s changed, and what we wish we understood earlier.
We talk honestly about the emotional weight of advocating for our kids with Down syndrome, the tension of speaking up in systems that don’t always listen, and the growth that comes from learning to trust your instincts.
From early parenting moments to IEP meetings and navigating social media, this conversation explores the complexity of advocacy—how it evolves, where it gets messy, and why it’s never just one moment, but a lifelong process.
We also dig into how advocacy has shifted in the age of social media—the connection it brings, but also the pressure, comparison, and confusion around what it’s supposed to look like.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unsure, or alone in advocating for your child, this episode offers perspective, honesty, and encouragement.
- Why advocacy is unavoidable as a parent of a child with Down syndrome
- Learning to trust your gut—even when “experts” disagree
- The emotional reality of speaking up and pushing back
- How advocacy evolves over time and gets more complex
- Social media: connection, pressure, and comparison
- Redefining what advocacy actually looks like
Advocacy isn’t about doing more or being louder—it’s about staying grounded in your “why,” trusting your instincts, and showing up for your child over time.
What We CoverKey Takeaway
🎧 More on Advocacy
- Episode 101: Jalondra Davis on Race, Disability, & Advocacy
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000508421336
- Episode 262: 45 Years of Advocacy — A Conversation with Kandi Pickard
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000660264316
- Episode 17: Self Advocacy — Down Syndrome in DC (with Kayla McKeon)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000425139176
- Episode 172: Defining Ableism, Allyship & Advocacy + Redefining “Inclusion” (with Priya Lalvani)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000574499987
- Episode 256: Celebrating Motherhood, Advocacy, & Community (with Black Down Syndrome Association)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000654745623
- Throwback: Unlearning the Advocacy Language
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000504975552
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Are you using functional medicine with your child—or just starting to look into it? Feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin? We’d love to hear from you.
Find us on Instagram: @theluckyfewpod
329. What We Wish We'd Known About Functional Medicine
In this episode of our “What I Wish I Knew” series, we’re talking about functional medicine—what it is, what’s helped us, and what we wish we understood earlier.We share real experiences navigating diet …
Show notes
In this episode of our “What I Wish I Knew” series, we’re talking about functional medicine—what it is, what’s helped us, and what we wish we understood earlier.
We share real experiences navigating diet changes, supplements, specialists, and the cost of it all, while exploring a whole-body approach that looks beyond symptoms.
We also talk about how to integrate functional and traditional medicine without feeling like you have to choose one or the other.
If you’re curious about functional medicine but unsure where to start, this is a practical, honest starting point.
What We Cover
- What functional medicine is and how it looks at the whole body
- How diet, gut health, and environment can impact behavior and overall health
- Practical ways to start without getting overwhelmed or spending a lot
Key Takeaway:
You don’t have to choose between functional and traditional medicine—start small, stay curious, and pay attention to what actually helps your child.
Links:
Listen to Previous Episodes
- Episode 38: Nonlinear Learning & Communication (with Dr. Vaish Sarathy) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000624491053
- Episode 79: Understanding Functional Nutrition for Our Kids w/Down Syndrome (with Dr. Vaish Sarathy)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000487763974 - Episode 80: Assuming Intelligence in Our Kids w/Down Syndrome (with Dr. Vaish Sarathy)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917?i=1000487049081
- Vaish Sarathy: https://www.meaningfulspeech.com
- Follow Vaish Sarathy on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulspeech/
- Speaking of Health & Wellness: https://speakingofhealthandwellness.com
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Are you using functional medicine with your child—or just starting to look into it? Feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin? We’d love to hear from you.
Find us on Instagram: @theluckyfewpod
328. What We Wish We'd Known About AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication).
In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we continue our “What I Wish I Knew” series with a real and honest conversation about AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) - Supporting Communication Without …
Show notes
In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we continue our “What I Wish I Knew” series with a real and honest conversation about AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) - Supporting Communication Without Limiting It
Micha shares her journey with her son Ace and how her understanding of AAC has evolved over time—from treating it like a therapy tool to recognizing it as a language and a way of life. Along the way, we talk through common misconceptions, frustrations, and the mindset shifts that can make all the difference.
If you’ve ever wondered whether AAC is “right” for your child—or felt unsure where to start—this episode is a grounded place to begin.
What We Cover
- What AAC actually is—and why it’s for more kids than people think
- The shift from testing communication → modeling communication
- How to get started (IEP, evaluations, and real-world barriers)
Key Mindset Shift + Takeaways
AAC isn’t a tool you bring out for practice—it’s a language you live in.
That means modeling instead of requiring, assuming competence even when it’s hard to see, and remembering that communication is about connection—not just requests. For many kids, the challenge isn’t understanding—it’s motor planning. And like any language, AAC only works when it’s used consistently in everyday life, not just during therapy or structured time.
Links:
AbleNet https://www.ablenetinc.com/ Torganization mentioned in the episode for helping families get AAC devices (including working with insurance).
Mercedes’ “third class Titanic” photo reference (watch here):
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVMSIy0EsI5/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Are you using AAC with your child? Thinking about it? Struggling with it?
We’d love to hear what’s working—and what’s not.
Find us on Instagram: @theluckyfewpod
327. What We Wish We’d Known About Travel & Accessibility
In this episode, we’re talking about travel and accessibility—what’s actually available, what we’ve learned the hard way (and the helpful way), and the questions that come with it.Fresh off an international …
Show notes
In this episode, we’re talking about travel and accessibility—what’s actually available, what we’ve learned the hard way (and the helpful way), and the questions that come with it.
Fresh off an international trip, Heather shares real-life stories of navigating airports, museums, and public spaces with accessibility services—and realizing oh… this changes everything.
Also, turns out you might not need to stand in that two-hour line. Just saying.
We also wrestle with the bigger question: Should we use these services if our kids can do it without them?
We talk about:
- Using accessibility services in airports (like TSA Cares and pre-boarding)
- Skipping long lines at museums and major attractions
- Free and discounted access for people with disabilities and their companions
- The tension between presuming competence and accepting support
- Letting go of pressure and adjusting expectations while traveling
- Why flexibility matters more than having the “perfect” trip
We share stories from New York, London, and Paris—and how these supports made travel not just possible, but enjoyable.
At the end of the day, this is about knowing your child, trusting your instincts, and using what’s available to make space for your family.
Your family belongs in these places.
Related Episodes
- Can a Person with Down Syndrome Travel the World? (Ep. 278) – Exploring what’s possible with global travel.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/278-can-a-person-with-down-syndrome-travel-the-world/id1349646917?i=1000672187141 - Planes, Trains & Presuming Competence (Ep. 296) – Travel, transitions, and supporting our kids well.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/296-planes-trains-presuming-competence/id1349646917?i=1000704406975 - Traveling with the Lara Family (Ep. 35) – A real family’s experience traveling with Down syndrome.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/35-traveling-with-the-lara-family/id1349646917?i=1000446155118 - How to Keep Your Kids with Down Syndrome Healthy While Traveling (Ep. 129) – Simple ways to stay healthy on the road.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/129-how-to-keep-your-kids-with-ds-healthy-while/id1349646917?i=1000532940758
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CONNECT WITH MICHA BOYETT
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LISTEN TO THE SLOW WAY
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LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
Throwback: From School Plays to Disney Star: Noah Matthews Matofsky
Friends, we’re bringing back one of our favorite conversations — our interview with Noah Matthews Matofsky, who starred as Slightly in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy.When this film premiered, Noah became the first …
Show notes
Friends, we’re bringing back one of our favorite conversations — our interview with Noah Matthews Matofsky, who starred as Slightly in Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy.
When this film premiered, Noah became the first actor with Down syndrome to have a speaking role in a live-action Disney feature film. And we had the joy of sitting down with him not long after the movie was released.
In this episode, Noah joins us from the UK to share:
How he went from school plays to being cast in a Disney film
What it was like auditioning during lockdown
Learning lines and filming stunts (yes, he had a stunt double!)
Six months on set in Canada
Red carpets, press tours, and being recognized in public
Why representation matters
His dreams for what’s next (Harry Potter? Toy Story? We’re planting seeds.)
We also hear from Noah’s dad about what it was like supporting him through filming, balancing family life, and watching his dream unfold.
This conversation is joyful, funny, and hopeful. It’s a reminder that our kids belong on every stage — including the biggest ones.
Noah is also an ambassador for Down Syndrome UK and continues to use his platform to encourage others:
“Don’t take it as a disadvantage. Add that to your life and do more in your life.”
We’re so proud of him. And we’re so grateful for the way representation continues to grow.
Follow Noah on Instagram for more behind the scenes and see what’s next!
Noah has been invited to be a keynote speaker at the International Down Syndrome Congress in Florida this summer and is raising funds for his travel expenses.
CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST
CONNECT WITH HEATHER AVIS
WEBSITE: THE LUCKY FEW OFFICIAL
CONNECT WITH MERCEDES LARA
CONNECT WITH MICHA BOYETT
IG: MICHABOYETT
LISTEN TO THE SLOW WAY
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
Throwback: Episode 3 — College, Expectations, and Ruby’s Rainbow with Liz Plachta
This week we’re revisiting Episode 3 of The Lucky Few Podcast—originally recorded in April 2018.In one of our very first conversations, Heather, Mercedes, and Micah sit down with Liz Plachta, founder of Ruby’s …
Show notes
This week we’re revisiting Episode 3 of The Lucky Few Podcast—originally recorded in April 2018.
In one of our very first conversations, Heather, Mercedes, and Micah sit down with Liz Plachta, founder of Ruby’s Rainbow, to talk about what’s possible for individuals with Down syndrome after high school.
At the time, this conversation felt hopeful. Now, it also feels proven.
What started as one mom’s idea—to help one person with Down syndrome go to college—has grown into something much bigger:
1,015 scholarships awarded
$3,776,000 in scholarship funds
26+ awareness campaigns changing the narrative
And that momentum hasn’t slowed. Ruby’s Rainbow is currently in the middle of its 2026 “3/21 Pledge” campaign, with a goal to raise $600,000 by World Down Syndrome Day (March 21) to fund at least 120 scholarships. As of early March 2026, they’ve already surpassed that $600,000 goal—another signal of how much belief and support continues to grow around this work.
This episode captures the early heart behind that movement—and why raising expectations still matters
Give the gift of a dream. Change a life. Help someone with Down syndrome go for their college dreams! Take the 3/21 Pledge TODAY
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WEBSITE: THE LUCKY FEW OFFICIAL
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LISTEN TO THE SLOW WAY
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
326. What We Wish We’d Known About Loneliness in honor of World Down Syndrome Day (3/21)
In this episode, we continue our What I Wish I’d Known series in honor of World Down Syndrome Day (3/21) and this year’s theme: Together Against Loneliness.When we first became parents of children with Down …
Show notes
In this episode, we continue our What I Wish I’d Known series in honor of World Down Syndrome Day (3/21) and this year’s theme: Together Against Loneliness.
When we first became parents of children with Down syndrome, no one talked to us about loneliness.
Not the loneliness that can come in high school.
Not when siblings leave.
Not when friends start driving.
Not when graduation comes — and the path forward feels unclear.
Not when your child is included, but still isolated.We talk about the loneliness our kids experience — and the loneliness we feel as parents. We unpack the difference between inclusion and belonging, and why belonging is what truly combats loneliness.
World Down Syndrome Day isn’t just about celebration.
It’s about awareness.It’s about connection.Wear the socks.Have the conversations.
Extend the invitation.Let’s be together against loneliness.
Show Notes
🌍 World Down Syndrome Day
Official site (theme, resources, global events):
https://www.worlddownsyndromeday.org/College scholarships for students with Down syndrome:
https://www.rubysrainbow.org/Creators of the annual World Down Syndrome Day campaign videos:
https://www.coordown.it/This year’s campaign video (featuring Noah, focused on ending use of the R-word):
https://www.youtube.com/@CoorDownTheir classic video “Dear Future Mom”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju-q4OnBtNUFree programming and community for individuals with Down syndrome:
https://gigisplayhouse.org/🎓 Ruby’s Rainbow🇮🇹 CoorDown (Italy)💙 GiGi’s Playhouse
🎉 Celebrate World Down Syndrome Day With Us
We’ve been celebrating World Down Syndrome Day since the very beginning of this podcast. Revisit past conversations here:
Episode 1 – World Down Syndrome Day 2018
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/1Episode 53 – World Down Syndrome Day 2019
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/53Episode 104 – World Down Syndrome Day 2020
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/104Episode 156 – World Down Syndrome Day 2021
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/156Episode 207 – World Down Syndrome Day 2022
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/207Episode 259 – World Down Syndrome Day 2023
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/259Episode 310 – World Down Syndrome Day 2024
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/310CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST
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WEBSITE: THE LUCKY FEW OFFICIAL
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CONNECT WITH MICHA BOYETT
IG: MICHABOYETT
LISTEN TO THE SLOW WAY
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
325. What We Wish We’d Known About Infantilizing
Show NotesIn this episode of were talking about infantilizing — what it is, how it shows up, and why it matters.To infantilize someone is to treat them as younger or less capable than they are. For people with …
Show notes
Show Notes
In this episode of were talking about infantilizing — what it is, how it shows up, and why it matters.
To infantilize someone is to treat them as younger or less capable than they are. For people with disabilities, this often shows up in subtle but harmful ways: baby talk, lowered expectations, behavior plans for age-appropriate teen behavior, speaking about someone as if they aren’t in the room, or limiting choices because we assume immaturity.
We share real stories:
When typical high school behavior is labeled as a disability issue
How communication differences get mistaken for lack of intelligence
The risk of tying maturity to verbal skills
The hidden cost of withholding autonomy and choice
How even we, as parents, have had to unlearn assumptions
We talk about the radical assumption of competence — and how dignity starts with how we speak.
Our kids’ age is their age.
Their interests don’t define their intelligence.
And adults deserve to be treated like adults.This conversation is nuanced. It’s uncomfortable at times. But it’s necessary.
Let’s raise expectations.
Let’s offer real choices.
And let’s stop talking to adults like they’re toddlers.CONNECT WITH THE PODCAST
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DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
324. What We Wish We’d Known About Inclusion
In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we continue our What I Wish I’d Known series by talking about inclusion — and being honest about how it actually feels.When we hear the word inclusion, we don’t …
Show notes
In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we continue our What I Wish I’d Known series by talking about inclusion — and being honest about how it actually feels.
When we hear the word inclusion, we don’t immediately feel hopeful. We feel heaviness. Process. Fight. Sometimes discouragement.
We talk about why inclusion so often becomes a disability service instead of a true community responsibility. We wrestle with school settings, adult programs, housing, and the limited options available once our kids grow up. We name the exhaustion of always being the one advocating — and the toll it takes on our kids to keep showing up in spaces not built for them.
At the center of this conversation is this truth:
The existence of a person with Down syndrome in the world is their resistance.
Our kids take up space. They walk into rooms. They show up in communities that weren’t designed for them. That matters.
Inclusion isn’t a program to be applauded. It’s a cultural shift. And while we may feel weary some days, we still believe our kids belong — not as a service, but as neighbors, coworkers, and friends.
We see you doing the work. Take a breath if you need to. And keep going.
Show Notes
For more thoughtful work on disability, community living, and person-centered inclusion, visit Open Future Learning: https://www.openfuturelearning.org/**
Interested in diving deeper?
We’ve talked about inclusion before — especially in the context of school, IEPs, and advocacy. If you want to explore more episodes with an emphasis on inclusion in education and collaboration, start here:
Episode 78: Building Trust (Not Barriers) w/Your Child’s IEP Team
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/iep-advocacyEpisode 94: IEPs During COVID-19 (ft. Vickie Brett & Amanda Selogie)
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/inclusive-education-projectEpisode 270: IEP Success: How to Plan, Communicate, and Collaborate (w/April Rehrig)
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/270-iep-success-how-to-plan-communicate-and-collaborate-april-rehrigEpisode 272: What Do We Wish We Knew Before Our First IEP Meeting?
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/272-what-do-we-wish-we-knew-before-our-first-iep-meeting-heather-avis-mercedes-laraEpisode 273: Breaking Down Barriers: The Parent’s Role in IEP Success (w/Ashley Barlow)
https://www.theluckyfewpodcast.com/episodes/273-breaking-down-barriers-the-parents-role-in-iep-success-with-ashley-barlow
323. What We Wish We’d Known About IEPs
IEPs can feel overwhelming, emotional, and complicated—and that’s because they are.In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we kick off our new season, What I Wish I’d Known About…, by talking about IEPs—what …
Show notes
IEPs can feel overwhelming, emotional, and complicated—and that’s because they are.
In this episode of The Lucky Few Podcast, we kick off our new season, What I Wish I’d Known About…, by talking about IEPs—what we wish we understood from the very beginning, and what we’ve learned the hard way.
Fresh off a multi-hour meeting, we share honestly about the exhaustion, the tension, and the “us vs. them” dynamic that can creep in. We unpack how evaluations drive goals, how goals drive placement, and why learning the language of the IEP changes everything. We talk about inclusion, evolving expectations, and what it looks like to follow our child’s lead as they grow.
Most importantly, we remind ourselves—and you—of this:
Our kids are not problems to fix.
The IEP exists to serve them.Whether this is your first meeting or your fifteenth, we hope this conversation helps you feel more steady, more informed, and less alone.
SHOW NOTES:
For more practical guidance, we’ve learned a lot from Ashley Barlow and her work at Ashley Barlow Co.. She offers clear, actionable resources to help you navigate IEPs, strengthen your advocacy skills, and understand your rights—all in one place.
Check out more IEP Episodes:
78. Building Trust (Not Barriers) w/Your Child’s IEP Team – IEP advocacy tips.
94. IEPs during COVID-19, ft. IEP Lawyers Vickie Brett & Amanda Selogie – IEPs & distance learning.
272. What Do We Wish We Knew Before Our First IEP Meeting? – Reflections on early IEPs.
270. IEP Success: How to Plan, Communicate, and Collaborate (w/April Rehrig) – Practical IEP strategies.
273. Breaking Down Barriers: The Parent’s Role In IEP Success (w/Ashley Barlow) – Parent advocacy in IEPs.
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DISCOUNT CODE
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HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
322. Throwback: Elana Meyers Taylor — Gold Medalist & Lucky Mama
We’re bringing back one of our favorite conversations in honor of an extraordinary athlete, mom, and advocate who continues to redefine what’s possible.Elana Meyers Taylor is a five-time Olympian and one of the …
Show notes
We’re bringing back one of our favorite conversations in honor of an extraordinary athlete, mom, and advocate who continues to redefine what’s possible.
Elana Meyers Taylor is a five-time Olympian and one of the most decorated athletes in winter sports history. She has earned one gold, three silver, and two bronze Olympic medals for Team USA, and is a four-time World Champion, with two gold medals in both the two-woman and mixed team events. She is also the most decorated Black winter Olympian of all time.
But medals are only part of her story.
Elana is mom to two boys. Her son Nico has Down syndrome, and both of her sons are deaf. In this episode, she shares what it was like to welcome Nico at the start of the pandemic while continuing to train at the highest level. It’s an honest look at motherhood, elite sport, and advocacy.
Elana brings her family with her and uses her platform to speak openly about Down syndrome, ASL, and greater inclusion in winter sports.
As we replay this episode, we’re cheering her on — not just for what she’s accomplished, but for how she leads.
321. What We Wish We’d Known (And What We’re Still Learning)
January felt heavy. So instead of pretending we had it all figured out, we talked honestly about what we wish we’d known earlier.In this kickoff episode of What We Wish We’d Known, Heather, Micah, and Mercedes …
Show notes
January felt heavy. So instead of pretending we had it all figured out, we talked honestly about what we wish we’d known earlier.
In this kickoff episode of What We Wish We’d Known, Heather, Micah, and Mercedes reflect on lessons that only come with time, experience, and a lot of unlearning.
In this episode, we talk about:
Letting go of milestone pressure, assuming competence, and unlearning ableism
Rethinking inclusion, communication (including AAC), and what real support looks like
Identity, advocacy, and why the goal was never a “poster child” — just a whole human
This episode is part reflection and part reset. Whether you’re brand new or years into this journey, we hope it gives you permission to breathe, recalibrate, and keep learning.
💛 DM us what you wish you’d known — and what you want us to cover this season.
SHOW NOTES
Check out AbleNet, an assistive technology company that helps families access AAC devices quickly, often handling insurance and paperwork on their behalf.
DISCOUNT CODE
Friends, grab your narrative shifting gear over on The Lucky Few Merch Shop and use code PODCAST for 10% off!
HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE
Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!
LET’S CHAT
Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News or Shout Outs for future episodes.
320. Diving Deeper: Communication, Self-Talk, & Down Syndrome
Today we’re diving deep into the way our children communicate! We’re asking some difficult but important questions about how we support their speech and language. How do our kids feel when people cannot …
Show notes
Today we’re diving deep into the way our children communicate! We’re asking some difficult but important questions about how we support their speech and language.
How do our kids feel when people cannot understand their speech? How do they feel when we, as their parents, cannot understand their speech?
How are we supposed to implement all the speech therapy tools? When is it time to just focus on one area of growth for our kids?
How do our kids use “self-talk” to share stories and self-soothe?
And that’s a wrap on this season focused on brain health and Down syndrome! We hope you learned as much as we did from these last 10 episodes. We’ll see you again in the new year!
SHOW NOTES
Visit our Therapist Directory to find mental health support for your loved one with a disability.
Fill out THIS FORM to be added to our therapist directory.
SPONSOR
Sign up for Enable SNP HERE.
319. Brain Health & DS: Communication w/Jennifer Gray, SLP
Jennifer Gray is a certified speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience working with the Down syndrome community. Today we’re asking her all the questions we’ve forgotten to ask our children’s …
Show notes
Jennifer Gray is a certified speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience working with the Down syndrome community. Today we’re asking her all the questions we’ve forgotten to ask our children’s own speech therapists.
When should speech therapy start for individuals with Down syndrome? (Hint: Jennifer says research shows it can be helpful before age 1)
What makes speech more challenging for individuals with Down syndrome?
Can individuals with Down syndrome experience speech regression?
What is self-talk?
We hope you learn something from this important conversation about communication for people with Down syndrome!
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SHOW NOTES
Visit grayspeaktherapy.com
Instagram: @downsyndromespeech and @grayspeaktherapy
SPONSOR
Sign up for Enable SNP HERE.
318. Diving Deeper: Trauma and Intellectual Disability
Last week we sat down for an interview with trauma expert Dr. Karyn Harvey and today the three of us are unpacking all of our feelings about it. We’re asking ourselves some pretty heavy questions about trauma …
Show notes
Last week we sat down for an interview with trauma expert Dr. Karyn Harvey and today the three of us are unpacking all of our feelings about it. We’re asking ourselves some pretty heavy questions about trauma and intellectual disability.
Do our kids really encounter trauma every time they step out the front door?
Are we holding our children to unrealistic standards and expectations for behavior?
Do the benefits of an inclusive education outweigh the trauma that comes with it?
Why have our kids never been offered mental health support at any of their regular screenings?
Here’s what we know for certain: our children with intellectual disabilities understand when they are being excluded. And it’s our job to remind them just how incredibly lucky this world is to have them in it. Friends, we hope your children receive the mental health support they need so they can become exactly who they are meant to be.
SHOW NOTES
Learn more from Dr. Karyn Harvey and read her publications here.
SPONSOR
Sign up for Enable SNP HERE.
317. Brain Health & DS: Trauma and Intellectual Disability w/Dr. Karyn Harvey
Dr. Karyn Harvey is a psychologist, author, trainer, speaker, and EXPERT in the field of psychology, intellectual disability, and trauma. Have you ever thought of the trauma that individuals with intellectual …
Show notes
Dr. Karyn Harvey is a psychologist, author, trainer, speaker, and EXPERT in the field of psychology, intellectual disability, and trauma. Have you ever thought of the trauma that individuals with intellectual disabilities face each day? The examples are endless.. a negative diagnosis experience, being excluded, or even being placed in an institution. Today Dr. Karyn Harvey is on the show to teach us:
How does trauma influence behavior? What do symptoms of trauma look like in people with intellectual disabilities?
Can we assume that all individuals with intellectual disabilities face trauma?
What does therapy look like for an individual with an intellectual disability?
We’re also breaking down a few real-life examples of incidents in our child’s lives. This episode is full of wisdom for all of us who wish to support individuals with disabilities and their mental health.
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SHOW NOTES
Learn more from Dr. Karyn Harvey and read her publications here.
SPONSOR
Sign up for Enable SNP HERE.
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