Leah Lynch
Leah is a Massachusetts native who grew up in the MetroWest area. She met her husband in 2006 and they bonded over all things Boston. After moving to North Carolina for 4 years, they realized they had to move back to New England. (love that dirty water!) In 2011 they welcomed a son into their family. Then 2014, 1 week before having their daughter, their son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The last but not least little guy came in 2017. With three kids and special needs in their life, they rely on an amazing support system of friends and family. Leah is a stay at home mom, who is also growing a small business, and enjoying the independence and freedom it has given her.
Loves: Great food (mostly made by her talented husband), playing with the kids, the beach, date nights, The Pats, The Sox, The B’s, new socks and bras, and American history, and movies.
Can’t stand: Cotton balls, weeds, broken crayons, pollen, and vacuuming up Cheerios every half hour.
My Kid’s Oral Fixation Is Making Me Crazy!
I remember the day my son figured out how to get his tiny thumb into his mouth. He was 4 months old, and when I went to check on him during a nap he...
Thank Our Veterans
My hope is that my children see me model this and it becomes something they copy and do themselves. My kids are 8, 5, and 2, so too young to really understand what it means that their "Pop" served in Vietnam. However, I do expect them to thank my father-in-law. Someday they will know and understand the sacrifices he made. And they can be just as proud of him as I am, and just as proud of him as I was of my grandfathers.
Please Stop Teasing Your Kids
I'm not talking about joking around and being silly — my husband and I act that way with our kids all the time. The type of teasing I am talking about is humiliating or shaming kids. I am talking about words and actions that are unkind and meant to embarrass. For example, think about when an adult gives a negative remark about a child's appearance. I recently witnessed a father say, in front of his child, 'He needs to lay off the ice cream or he's going to be fat like me,' and then chuckle about it.
My Son Takes Dance, and It’s Awesome!
Like, he really LOVES it! He loves the recital and performing on the big stage. He enjoys the choreography and often reminds his dance teacher if she does the wrong step. He is constantly dancing at home. And if his teachers put music on at school for indoor recess, he will dance there too. It gives him joy and pride. He knows and loves his 'dance girls.' We are truly grateful for dance and this studio. They even allowed my son and my daughter to perform a short duet last year to a song my son composed on his iPad. I mean, how cool is that!
My Kids Do Not Get Along, Like, Ever, and It’s the Worst
I sneak upstairs and wash my face. I put in one contact lens. Then I hear screaming from the preschooler — 'Stop sitting on me! Stop bothering me!' I go down the stairs — half blind — hop the baby gate, and pull the toddler off his sister. I bring the toddler upstairs while I finish getting ready. Desperate to just get out of the house, I allow him to bring his potato chip breakfast upstairs, too.
A FREE Boston-Area Park Worth Driving To
It's that time of year — when we create our summer bucket lists and make plans for day trips to explore all Greater Boston has to offer. Want a new spot to add to your list? Try World War I Memorial Park and Zoo in North Attleboro!
6 Favorite Day Trips for Special Needs Families in Boston
As a mom of a special needs kid, I know how stressful, difficult, and frustrating it can be to plan a family trip. Here are some awesome places to go with the family that...
Infertility to Adoption :: A Fight for a Family
After three years of infertility treatments that included IVF and surgery to help them conceive, the final answer was unbearable. No. No, they would not have a child together.
Autism :: More Than Awareness, It’s Time to Accept and Appreciate
"Over the years I have had mixed feelings about 'autism awareness.' It has never sat quite right with me, and being a completely burned out mom with three kids, I've never had the energy or time to really think about what I want to say. But the past year has hit us hard at home and at school. Now that my son is getting older, his behavior and quirkiness are more obvious to others, including his peers and his younger sister. It is making me realize awareness is not enough. What I need, as a parent, is autism acceptance and autism appreciation."
Got Behavior Problems? Try a Social Story
Whether kids have special needs or not, they occasionally need a clearer picture of what is expected in certain situations. A social story is a visual way to show them just that!
Executing a Plan to Achieve a Goal :: Patriots Style
Now, as an adult, and 17 years after that first win, I get even more satisfaction from watching the Patriots crush their opponents every playoff season. Why? Because of the absolute laser focus of this team. Year after year it is still incredible and is truly so far above anything that has ever been seen in sports before. How they do it is really so simple. They make a plan, execute a plan, and achieve the goal.
The Last Day I Will Ever Cry in a Parking Lot
And then there's the 'mom guilt' I am so tired of. I feel guilty I don't play with my kids enough, guilty they have too much screen time, guilty I made them chicken fingers twice in last week for dinner and a frozen pizza once. I just want five minutes of not being needed. I want to go to the bathroom without an audience. And then I feel awful that I have mom guilt. It's so confusing, and raw, and overwhelming.
My 11-Year Age Gap Relationship :: Does It Matter?
I know there may be a time down the line when our decade-plus age gap could lead to heartache for me. However, we have a whole wonderful life to live together now, and I refuse to spend a minute of my time on the pointless emotion of worry. He is truly my soulmate — who cares if he is old?
3 Tips From a Pharmacist’s Wife
Winter is coming, which means cough, cold, and stomach bug season is upon us parents. We all do the best we can to protect our kids from the worst of the germs, but despite all the hand scrubbing and avoiding shared food and drinks, your kids will get sick. As a pharmacist's wife, I have learned a few useful tips and want to share the knowledge.
Please and Thank You Are Not “Magic Words”
For the most part, my kids have good manners and often say please and thank you. However, they did not learn this important life skill through bribery.