Chris Magnifico

Every family is navigating the pandemic differently, but for most households, this holiday season will look unique from any before.  If you’re still deliberating holiday plans as a parent or caretaker, inform your decisions with these risk factors from the CDC. Factor 1: Community levels of COVID-19 Keep track of COVID-19 spread in your area […]

With the election, the approaching holiday season, a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, and a great deal of related uncertainty, it is tempting for parents to forget self care altogether.  Thankfully, for those of us with hectic schedules, self care doesn’t have to mean turning our plans upside-down.  Here are quick steps parents can take

If your family has decided to start school from home this year, you may be facing a considerable set of challenges.  With screens separating students from instructors, even more responsibility falls on parents and families.  Daily schedules become even more complex.  Children with attention deficits may require constant guidance from adults to stay on task

For some families, keeping kids at home this school year is not a viable option.  Many Americans are struggling to stay afloat during the pandemic due to economic hardship, and some may simply feel their child needs a return to face-to-face instruction.  If you are sending your child back to school this fall, make sure

As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, incidents of racism against people of Chinese or Asian descent have become more and more common in American society.  Anti-Chinese sentiment and scapegoating have made Asian-Americans vulnerable to microaggressions and outright racist behaviors.  In the field of education, we have a responsibility to keep students and parents aware of

According to the CDC, pandemics can spread more than just disease: stress, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation can develop as we take sustained public health measures.  People with mental or chronic health conditions can find their symptoms intensifying.  Even those with no previous mental health concerns may find their sleep or eating patterns interrupted. Parents especially

In many Black and PoC families, conversations about race are necessary and frequent.  In white families, recent events are forcing parents to confront racial issues for the first time, often with no firsthand reference to spark discussion. However difficult, conversations about racism in white households are crucial, especially for kids with special needs.  Parents can

In recent months, the CDC have released updated guidelines for personal hygiene and safety: avoid crowded spaces, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, wash your hands, and wear a mask when around others.  For parents of autistic children, this not only means reminding children to maintain new norms: it means finding new ways to

This is a great project for any family with a bit of open space on their property.  Grab blankets, pillows, popcorn, and some flashlights, because we’re taking the movie theater to your backyard! Step 1: The Screen For the vast majority of occasions, a white sheet will work perfectly as an outdoor movie screen.  Find

This summer is sure to be one for the record books… and no, we’re not talking temperature.  With social distancing measures in place, we know Solterra families will be on the lookout for safe, well-considered fun in the sun.  We’ve compiled our favorite summer backyard DIYs to keep you and your kids feeling cool! DIY