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

NYC Restaurants Where Kids Can Make Their Own Food

Submitted by Michaela on Mon, 04/08/2013 - 10:00am

When you have four kids like I do, eating out can be more of a chore than just staying in and cooking. A "kid-friendly" restaurant isn't going to cut it; we need a place where our brood will be truly engaged. That's why I'm always on the lookout for interactive restaurant experiences so eating out feels like a fun activity, not just another meal.

In the past, we've covered New York City restaurants where kids can play and eateries with family entertainment. But there are also a handful of local restaurants that offer make-your-own-food activities. My family has tried a few of them, and they're worth seeking out. Where else can you encourage your kids to play with their food and mean it?

Advocates for Children of New York: School Assistance for Families

Submitted by Michaela on Sun, 02/24/2013 - 10:00am

When our neighborhood school wouldn’t accept our child with special needs into the second grade because there was supposedly “no space,” we called Advocates for Children of New York. After suffering through weeks of stress and strife on our own, the organization got us in touch with the right people and our son was enrolled into our school of choice within two days.

My son and I are understandably very thankful for Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), which was founded by three activists in 1971 to help disabled, disadvantaged, minority and low-income families access quality education for their children. This unique agency provides all NYC students ages 0 to 26 and their families with free one-on-one guidance and advocacy so they can successfully navigate the jungle that is our city's educational system.

While AFC isn't solely concerned with special needs families, we are one of the communities it serves. So I'm profiling the organization today as part of my series of posts about resources for NYC children with special needs. But remember, it serves all NYC students.

Don't Miss Out: Resources for Children with Special Needs (RCSN)

Submitted by Michaela on Wed, 12/19/2012 - 10:00am

As a mom to four children including a tween with special needs, I'm always happy to share information about the best resources I've found for New York City special needs families. So I'm continuing my series of monthly special needs posts with a look at an organization we (and countless other families) count on for information on the best services available in NYC: Resources for Children with Special Needs.

RCSN was founded in 1983 by three local mothers and offers information about resources for NYC children and young adults with social, cognitive, physical and behavioral issues. A call to the organization's friendly staff can swiftly connect you with the appropriate programs and services for your family. RCSN is also skilled at helping parents become advocates for their children, and hosts many free workshops and events for special needs families including its upcoming annual Special Camp Fair in January.

Here's a look at some of the services Resources for Children with Special Needs offers:

YAI NYC: Autism and Other Special Needs Services for Families

Submitted by Michaela on Thu, 11/08/2012 - 10:00am

When my family and I moved to New York City a few years ago, we were excited about living in a place that had so many opportunities for our son with special needs. But after we finally figured out the school situation and a couple of extracurricular activities, we wondered what our next steps would be (aside from a much-needed vacation). Redoing evaluations; finding medical, therapeutic and respite services; attending workshops; planning for future residential or job placement—it was all completely overwhelming.

That's when someone recommended we reach out to the YAI Network, an organization serving people with disabilities and their loved ones. YAI has provided a one-stop-shopping experience of quality special needs information and assistance, saving us effort and oh so precious time. The staff was even able to provide the psychological evaluations necessary for our son to be deemed eligible for certain therapies and services—evaluations that would have cost us a fortune out-of-pocket otherwise. And they did it all with a smile and a sincere, caring attitude that is hard to find these days.

With four kids in total at home, we haven’t been able to take advantage of all that YAI has to offer (yet). But here are just a few of the unique events, services and resources YAI provides to the NYC special needs community and their families.

Dyker Heights with Kids: 20 Things to Do for NYC Families

Submitted by Michaela on Sun, 11/04/2012 - 11:00am

There's a reason Dyker Heights, Brooklyn feels like a swanky suburb. When it was originally developed in the late 19th century, it was marketed as exactly that, a community of stately mansions within commuting distance of the hustle and bustle of the city. Sandwiched in between the more commercial areas of Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, the neighborhood is primarily residential and is well known for its extravagant Christmas displays, which attract a slew of locals and tourists every holiday season. But whether you visit in December or at another time of year, Dyker Heights is a lovely area to stroll through with its large single-family homes and manicured lawns. It's hard to believe you're in NYC.

While you won't find a ton of family attractions in the area, there are a few cool spots for kids, including Dyker Beach Park, CityParks Junior Golf Center, a BounceU and a bunch of delicious restaurants, bakeries and markets. Since Dyker Heights is overwhelmingly Italian, it's a great place to pick up pizza, pasta and fancy pastries. One downside: It's quite a walk from the nearest subway stops (the N or the D, depending on where you're going).

Throughout November, we'll be covering all the things there are to do, see and eat in the nabe. For the purposes of our posts, our boundaries are Interstate 278 to 14th Avenue, 65th Street to Shore Parkway. Here are our top 20 things to do on a visit to Dyker Heights.