Jeanetta and her family were flooded with new information when her daughter Lindsey was diagnosed with autism. In this journey, a lot of useful information and guidance came from other parents who had themselves gone through similar situations. Encouraged by results, Jeanetta decided to turn her family’s experience into a mission to help other families of children with special needs. She founded Abilities Workshop, a community consisting of a team of parents, teachers, therapists, doctors to help and support every child with special needs through various knowledgeable resources and expert programs. Jeanetta is also the owner of Little Turtle Learning Tools, a company that develops learning apps for children with special needs.

Can you tell us how you started “Abilities Workshop”? What was the key milestone in the journey of making this idea successful?J: Abilities Workshop was based on our personal experience in having my daughter, Lindsey diagnosed with Autism. When she regressed into Autism, we were faced with a mountain of information that all seemed to be time sensitive and was written in what seemed to be a foreign language, or at least it was foreign to us. Not to mention the emotional toll we were carrying by having physicians tell us that our child would never grow to independence or live a social or academic life. By Gods grace, we met other parents that guided us to answers and relief. We have watched our daughter grow and defy the odds and this company, this vision, has allowed us to pay that favor of hope and encouragement forward to the next family.

How do you usually coordinate with subject matter experts for your workshop?J: We are proud to work with experts of their discipline from all areas of the world. Some of these relationships are based on our journey and the people we have met over the last 8 years; others have been met predominately in networking and having a common interest in providing valuable information to the public in hopes that another success story can be born or at the very least we help a family know that they have all the tools they need to help their child be their best.

Would you like to share some experiences which helped you while raising your daughter?J: Not to sound redundant, but the best “help” we found was advice from other parents and guidance from them. No two children with Autism are the same, the symptoms will vary and the abilities will differ, so there is no one size fits all solution- BUT if you search through the information and experiences of others you will find your path. Those breadcrumbs and ideas lit a way for us to find the best practices for Lindsey. It is still because other parents are so open and transparent that we continue to find ways for her to continue to move forward. My suggestion to anyone else is to be accessible – try to talk with folks in the waiting room, play ground and school- you will be amazed what you can learn.

What was your toughest phase as a parent after your daughter was diagnosed with autism?J: The first few hours were dark- its emotional learning that your child will have a more challenging path than you expected. Then, after a couple of years of fighting for her, no matter how wonderful her gains were, the reality that this will be a life long endeavor starts to set in. Knowing that even if she developed her abilities to neuro typical that she would need to catch up academically and socially. It was hard to realize that this fight for her life would be a long-term fight, and that it would likely be emotionally and financially draining. That moment was hard- but it was only a moment- you have to keep pushing forward to see what greatness lies ahead.

What fun activities do you love to do as a family?J: We live in Orlando; FL and it is a great thing that we do- many of our “fun days” are spent riding rollercoasters. We all love the adrenaline rush of being swept away in flight, but none of us more than Lindsey. For most of the COVID-19 lockdown Lindsey measured her height daily, hoping to qualify for a new level of thrill chasing. She rides coasters that many adults shy away from the front row and is insulted at height check points. This year looks like the year she will have that growth spurt that puts her over the top and able to ride them all! Aside from being at the “Parks” we also enjoy going to the park, bike rides, nature trails and movie nights.

What is your message for other parents of children with disabilities?J: “Hold tight to your HOPE”. Never allow anyone to diminish your child’s abilities. Each of these children are destined for greatness, they may go on to defy the odds or they may create perspective for all that get the pleasure of knowing them. The fact is they are indeed special and God has a plan for them and you.