If you could go back and give your younger self advice about the holidays, what would you say? Do less? Ask for help? Let go of the tradition that leaves everyone exhausted?
Join us for a warm, honest fireside chat with three moms of children with disabilities who have learned through trial, error, and plenty of changed plans. They’ll share the expectations they tried to meet, the mistakes they made, and the moments that helped them rethink what a meaningful holiday could look like.
Together, we’ll talk about adapting traditions, communicating with family and friends, setting boundaries, and making room for children’s needs without forgetting our own. These moms will also reflect on how they discovered joy for themselves—not just as the people making the holidays happen for everyone else.
You don’t need a perfect plan to join this conversation. Come as you are and leave with practical ideas, reassurance, and encouragement to create a holiday season that includes your happiness, too.
By the end of this webinar, families will:
- Hear honest stories from three moms of children with disabilities about holiday challenges, mistakes, and what they wish they had known earlier.
- Identify practical ways to adjust traditions, set expectations, and make holiday plans that support their child’s needs and their own well-being.
- Build confidence in letting go of pressure, setting boundaries, and making room for their own joy during the holidays.
Register Here
Presenter Bios
Sarah Stiemsma is the Lead Family Support Specialist from southeast Iowa. She helps serve families across the state of Iowa, but is focused in the Great Prairie AEA. Sarah has a background working in schools in various roles, such as a social worker, substitute teacher, and associate. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Dordt University. Sarah and her husband, Mike, have two children, Eli and Naomi. Eli’s diagnosis of autism when he was younger led Sarah to want to share all the information she has learned and help other families.
Laura Jess is a Family Support Specialist living in rural Clinton County, Iowa. She serves families across Iowa, but is focused in the Mississippi Bend AEA. Laura earned her bachelor’s degree (BS) in Elementary and Middle School Education from Eastern Illinois University & has worked in various supporting roles in local school districts as a substitute teacher, aide, and volunteer. Laura’s biggest passion is her family, raising two twice-exceptional autistic sons, one of which has significant comorbid medical, behavioral, and mental health needs. Laura hopes to use her family's experience navigating the healthcare and educational systems to empower families to advocate for their own children.
Rebecca Hopkins is a Family Support Specialist from northwestern Iowa. She serves families across Iowa but is focused in the Northwest AEA region. Rebecca holds a degree in education from Western Kentucky University with postgraduate work in mental health and child development. She has taught all ages, from preschool to adult, but her passion is helping students access what they need to succeed. She is inspired by her own children with mental health needs, as well as her daughter with autism, and driven by her lived experience with chronic illness, ADHD, and anxiety.