Michaela

Michaela Searfoorce – NYC Writer

Michaela is a musician/teacher turned never-stay-at-home mother. She is currently raising four exceptional children, who range in age from baby to teen. With so many kids at home, one with multiple disabilities, Michaela has explored all the Big Apple has to offer for a wide range of ages and abilities.

In addition to maintaining the blog thefoorce.com, she has written for Special Parent magazine, Big Apple Magazine, childmind.org and nymetroparents.com. In her gobs of spare time, she organizes meetings geared toward the special needs community, runs a summer social skills group, and speaks at various local organizations and schools.

Michaela and her husband recently moved from the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to accommodate their ever-growing family. She can be reached at msearfoorce@gmail.com or follow her on Google+.

Latest posts by Michaela

Bay Ridge Family-Friendly Restaurants: Soda Fountains and Eats from Around the World

Submitted by Michaela on Sun, 12/08/2013 - 10:00am

You're always close to great restaurants when you're in Bay Ridge. It's one of the many reasons we love living here. In fact, there are so many diverse culinary choices, my husband and I have been known to spend the first hour of our date nights strolling up and down Third Avenue before finally settling on a spot, always delicious.

But when we have our four kids in tow, indecisiveness is not an option. They don't want to walk and they want to eat now! Here are my family's top 11 kid-friendly restaurants in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Special Needs Art Classes for NYC Kids

Submitted by Michaela on Tue, 10/22/2013 - 9:00am

During my previous monthly special needs posts, I've rounded up music classes and dance lessons for New York City children with special needs. Today, I'm highlighting adaptive art programs for children with different abilities, like my tween son.

Although my boy has participated in all kinds of special needs sports, and social groups, art has never been very high on his wish list. With his limited fine-motor skills, short attention span and tendency to get easily frustrated, it's understandable that it's not a favorite. But I really wanted to find a creative outlet for him that he would enjoy.

So I started to investigate the kinds of special needs art programs available around the city, and as usual I wasn't disappointed—but I was surprised. While there are only a handful of studios offering adaptive experiences, some of NYC's major museums have incredible special needs hands-on sessions, most of which are FREE. Here are five special needs art programs for families, as well as two others that sound interesting but are open only to schools.

5 NYC Cemeteries to Visit During Halloween... or Anytime

Submitted by Michaela on Wed, 10/09/2013 - 9:00am

When you think about going on a fun family outing, hitting a cemetery probably isn't at the top of your destination list (unless your last name happens to be Addams). But perhaps it's time you reconsidered. New York City is home to many historic and surprisingly beautiful cemeteries that are open to the public and enjoyable to explore, especially as the fall leaves are changing. Some also come alive through tours and special events that take place throughout the year.

My family and I attended an awesome concert and picnic at Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery this past spring and had a blast walking through the gorgeous grounds. So now that my kids' favorite holiday, Halloween, is nigh, I decided to find out what was happening at five New York City burial sites to help get you into the spooky seasonal spirit.

Child Mind Institute: Important Mental Health Info for Kids

Submitted by Michaela on Sun, 08/18/2013 - 10:00am

I've written posts about many special needs organizations that have provided wonderful assistance to my tween with special needs and our family, like Advocates for Children of New York, AHRC New York City and YAI NYC. But the Child Mind Institute has a special place in my heart because it has helped me with all four of my children.

Founded by Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz and Brooke Garber Neidich, the Child Mind Institute is a national organization headquartered in NYC dedicated to connecting children and families with mental health care information and quality care. Even though I only have one “official” special needs child, my other kids have occasionally struggled with issues like anxiety and tantrums. So the Child Mind Institute has been an invaluable resource for all of my children. Best of all, often I can get the information I need just by visiting the nonprofit's free website—no need to pile on the subway!

The Friendship Circle: Socializing NYC Kids with Special Needs

Submitted by Michaela on Mon, 07/29/2013 - 11:00am

One of the harder things about being a parent to a preteen with special needs is playdates–or lack thereof. Due to his specific needs, I can't just drop him off. Instead, I end up hosting playdates and doing all of the work. And frankly, most of his peers without special needs don't really like the idea of a playdate anymore. They just go around by themselves, something my son isn't ready to do.

But I don't want my son to miss out on valuable social interactions. Playdates help him forge relationships and learn typical social cues. That's why I'm so glad I found The Friendship Circle, a nonprofit organization that pairs teen volunteers with children with special needs for fun and friendship.

Special Needs Dance Classes for NYC Kids

Submitted by Michaela on Mon, 06/17/2013 - 10:00am

A few weeks ago I wrote about special needs music classes for kids in the five boroughs. Today I'm spotlighting dance programs for children with special needs in NYC.

Just as organizations like Daniel’s Music Foundation changed my son’s life and allowed him to be able to get up on stage in front of people and sing, there are dance programs that help children with special needs do the same with dance. There are a variety of dance classes and summer camps throughout NYC for children with special needs. Here are some of our favorites:

AHRC New York City: Assistance for Families with Special Needs

Submitted by Michaela on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:00am

As the mother of a son with special needs, we have our work cut out for us in many areas. While we’ve pretty much figured out the crazy NYC school system (at least for the moment) and explored a whole slew of extracurricular activities, there are still lots of things we need help with on a day-to-day basis.

Previously I profiled YAI NYC and NYC's Resources for Children with Special Needs, two wonderful nonprofit organizations that offer resources, advice and assistance for local special needs families. However, since many agencies have full caseloads and wait lists for in-demand services, it’s always a good idea to have a few more irons in the fire.

That's why I recently called AHRC New York City, an organization that has been serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their loved ones since 1950. I found out that AHRC has a special needs dental clinic located about 30 minutes from my house, which is a good hour less than we had been traveling for the last few years. But the dental clinic turned out to be just a glimpse of what AHRC has to offer.

AHRC states on its website that its goal is “to offer individuals with disabilities day to day living that is as rich, absorbing and worthwhile as possible, with an emphasis on helping individuals live up to their maximum potential in the community.” Based on what I’ve found out so far, that’s an understatement. Here are just a few of the unique events, services and resources AHRC provides to the NYC special needs community and their families.

Special Needs Music Classes for NYC Kids

Submitted by Michaela on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 10:00am

As a musician turned stay-at-home-mom, I've made sure that music plays a major part in my children's lives. But that's been a bit of a challenge with my oldest son, who was born with multiple disabilities, including severe sensory issues. He cried at the sound of applause at concerts, ran and hid whenever he heard the "Happy Birthday" song (you can imagine how well that played out during school) and screamed at me to "Stop singing with the radio! You're hurting my ears!" Bruised ego aside, it killed me that my son wasn't able to experience and love music the way the rest of my family did, but there didn't seem to be anything I, or a team of therapists for that matter, could do about it.

When we moved to New York City, I was thrilled to find so many special needs-friendly activities, and quickly signed my son up for adaptive baseball, soccer and basketball. And, since I refused to let go of my dream of turning him on to music, I decided to give Daniel's Music Foundation a try.

During our initial interview, I explained my son's anxiety with music in general, but the staff didn't seem fazed. His first day of classes went well, and while I waited to pick him up, I heard the teacher announce a birthday. I froze, waiting for the meltdown. Nothing. I peeked anxiously inside. My son was sitting next to a helper, calmly waiting for the next song. It was a miracle! And the progress didn't stop there. Six months later, he stood on stage for the first time in his life and performed in the DMF holiday show. As the end of the song neared, he began to cry in anticipation of the applause. DMF cofounder Mike Trush hopped up on stage and helped my son stay up there through the clapping. Four years later, my son now performs with a proud grin on his face, even during the applause.

While DMF has earned a permanent place in our schedule and my heart, I'm happy to tell you that there are many New York City programs that give children with special needs the chance to learn an instrument or how to sing, and to perform on stage—in front of strangers no less. Here are some of our favorites: