Melissa has three children and lives in Parma.

What do you do to relax?

Workout, read, watch my favorite TV shows.

What benefits has Connecting for Kids brought to you and your family?

Connecting for Kids has given my son with autism more activities to participate in.

Which have been your favorite Connecting for Kids resources?

Music Therapy & More has been a safe space for Bryan at the library, and allows him to participate in an education program at his pace without fear of judgment. I appreciate at the end of each session, we are able to discuss accomplishments or milestones he has recently achieved. The achievements may not be major for a typically developing child, but for someone with autism, these small achievements mean so much.

My greatest lesson learned was...

No matter his diagnosis, he is perfect just the way he is.

The hardest thing for me to learn was...

Accepting his differences around typical children who may not understand or accept his behaviors.

The most difficult part of parenting a child who struggles...

Not knowing what his life will be like in the future and if he will be able to live an independent life as an adult.