Marj Hatzell

Marj Hatzell isn't a writer but she plays one on TV. She's a Domestic Engineer, Total Babe, and SAHM of two boys with Autism.  Marj was a band geek (she played the flute, and one time, at band camp) and prefers dogs to people, which means she has STELLAR social skills. She can be bribed to do anything with potatoes and/or bacon. Marj goes to eleven. Also? 42. You can find her at her non-paying day job, the wildly unsuccessful blog  The Domestic Goddess, at Twitter, and on Facebook and at her not-so-new and just-as-unsucessful blog, The Crazy Dog Lady.

 

Sipping on:

British Breakfast Tea with Raw Local Honey. Or Margaritas. One of the two.

also find Marj here:

• The Stir
• Thedgoddess on Twitter
• The Domestic Goddess on FB
• The Domestic Goddess
• Google Plus

Marj's Latest Posts

• Mom Moment

  Why I Won't Allow My Son to Use His Disability as an Excuse

  posted by Marj Hatzell March 11, 2012 at 7:46 AM in Big Kid

  

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  No excuses for inappropriate behavior!I don't let my kids use their disabilities as an excuse for their behavior. And I don't use their disabilities as an excuse, either.

  If there's one thing that irks me it's hearing other parents, particularly autism parents, tell me their child did XYZ, "because of their autism."

  Newsflash: having a disability doesn't give your child a free pass to misbehave. And while I'm all for explaining and providing a reason for a child's misbehavior and sometimes it is necessary to explain why their child may have done something out-of-the-ordinary, writing it off as an excuse for little Johnny's tantrum at the park? Not OK with me!

  Read More
• Heartbreaking

  Mother Kills Her Autistic Son

  posted by Marj Hatzell March 9, 2012 at 3:18 PM in Big Kid

  

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  According to neighbors and former teachers, George Hodgins was a pleasant adult with autism. He was non-verbal and afraid of the neighborhood dogs but enjoyed hikes, going on walks, and listening to music. This past week, however, things took a sad turn for the worst. George's mother shot her only child in his bedroom and turned the gun on herself. Her husband, George's father, found them a few hours later. Read More

• Heartbreaking

  Using Shock Therapy on Disabled Students Is Cruel Torture

  posted by Marj Hatzell February 29, 2012 at 7:50 PM in Big Kid

  

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  Shock therapy: torture or treatment?The United Nations calls it barbaric. And yet at a Massachusetts school, notorious for its use of aversive therapies on disabled students, shock therapy is a part of every day behavior management.

  A recent court case, in which a family is asking for a videotape of their son  being abused at the school to be unsealed and viewed, has once again brought the center to the forefront of the news. His mother is calling it abusive torture. Her son, despondent for days after the incident, was a student at the school.

  So why is it allowed to continue at the Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts?

  Read More
• The Future IS Bright for My Disabled Child

  posted by Marj Hatzell January 28, 2011 at 3:45 PM in Teen

  

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  Hand in Hand through life togetherWhen my husband and I first suspected our son Ian was autistic, we weren't sure what to think about his future. We had heard nothing but sadness, negativity, horror, and bleak pictures painted about what would happen to us when we were no longer around to care for him. When we were over the initial shock (okay, not so shocking, since we INSISTED he was autistic and no one would believe us. TOLD YOU GUYS! SO THERE!), we decided we had two choices: wallow in self-pity or get positive and get proactive.

  We chose the latter route because we felt our child would be best served by channeling our energies into things that would help him and help our family. Since people call us a family full of Energizer Bunnies, I think you can figure out that we decided to channel our energy into positive directions. We're just awesome like that.

  Read More
• What Happens When Your Special Needs Child Grows Up?

  posted by Marj Hatzell January 27, 2011 at 3:41 PM in Teen

  

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  One of the biggest questions parents of special needs children may have is, "What is going to happen to my child when he's an adult? What will happen when I die?" Parents have to begin planning while their child is very young for options for when they can no longer care for their disabled child.

  Whether it comes because their child becomes more than they can handle or because their child is no longer safe in their home, it is a difficult task finding a placement in a group home, independent living situation, or treatment facility.

  Read More