Amber Bobnar

Originally from Hawaii, Amber and her family moved to Massachusetts to be closer to Boston Children’s Hospital where her son, Ivan, now receives medical care.

 

She has a Master’s degree in English from Tufts University and spends most of her “free time” writing about being a parent of a disabled child on WonderBaby.org. But really most of her time is spent caring for and playing with her son.

Illustration of a mother recording milestones in her development journal.

Development, Special Needs

How to Track Milestones for Developmentally Delayed Babies

Developmental milestones are a set of skills or behaviors that most children achieve within a certain age range. They provide parents and caregivers with a roadmap of what to expect...

Cute little girl in a red beret with special needs enjoy having fun spending time with mother outdoor in aututm time.

Special Needs, Support

Five Steps to Finding Joy: Faith and the Journey of Parenting with Special Needs

When we pray the Rosary, the Joyful Mysteries invite us to reflect on moments that reveal profound spiritual truths. Yet, if you’re like me, you may wonder how these events...

Two kids at the table eating a Thanksgiving meal with family.

Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Special Needs

5 Tips for a Peaceful Thanksgiving with Your Child with Disabilities

Thanksgiving can be a joyful yet overwhelming holiday, especially for families with children who have sensory, motor, or dietary needs. With a little preparation and a few practical strategies, you...

Safe Place Bedding travel bed

Sleep, Special Needs

Safe Place Bedding Travel Bed Review

Traveling with a special needs child can be stressful! Having a safe, durable, and easy to use travel bed can make traveling so much easier!

Stressed out mom.

Special Needs

Developmental Evaluation Forms: Why Are We Doing This Again???

Developmental evaluation forms don’t define your child’s worth. Your child is awesome just the way they are, and no form in the world can change that.

Woman praying

Special Needs, Support

How Do You Keep Faith Alive When Your Child Remains Ill?

I understand the emotional toll of chronic illness, but I also believe in the power of faith and community to uplift and sustain us.

Black line drawing of two people hugging with a puzzle piece symbol.

Autism

When Autism Advocacy Goes Wrong: Supporting Parents of Profoundly Affected Children

If you’re not personally affected by autism or don’t work with autistic individuals, you might be unaware of the growing debate within the autism community.

Two kids playing with kinetic sand.

Cooking and Kitchen Play, Tactile Arts and Crafts

9 Best Edible Art Projects for Blind Kids

Crafts can easily be adapted to use edible materials so that tasting is both okay and encouraged.

A little girl creating tactile art with beads and clay.

Tactile Arts and Crafts

6 Tips to Make Art Projects Accessible For Blind Kids

Art is considered a visual activity, but by using varied textures and focusing on three-dimensional projects, touch can become the primary focus of the art.

A child tracing their hand with blue paint.

Tactile Arts and Crafts

11 Surprising Benefits of Art for Blind Children

Tactile art is the perfect way to introduce your blind child to artistic expression, and there are multiple surprising benefits as well!

Liberty braille water bottle

Braille and Literacy

Liberty Braille Bottles

Liberty Bottles creates customizable water bottles with raised and readable braille printing on their bottles.

Headphones with decals on them.

Autism, Behavior

Autism Headphone Decals

Many kids with autism wear noise-canceling headphones to help them deal with loud noises. These decals adhere to the headphones and let others know what they are for!

Xavier Society for the Blind

Braille and Literacy

Xavier Society for the Blind

Xavier Society distributes religious, spiritual, and inspirational reading materials in braille and audio to blind and visually impaired individuals worldwide.

One of the sets with text instructions for blind builders.

Toys, Visual Impairment

Bricks for the Blind

Bricks for the Blind provides text, audio, and braille instructions for LEGO sets that allows blind people to build LEGO sets independently.

Sense of Play by Dana Meachen Rau

Braille and Literacy, Product Reviews, Visual Impairment

Sense of Play

Dana Meachen Rau's book, Sense of Play, follows the adventures of Chip and Joy as they play. Chip is blind, but this doesn't get in the way of their play!