Welcome to The Denville Moms Network Meet A Mom Series
Michele with her family!
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
I have two children – my son is 7 and my daughter is 9.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in New Jersey?
I am originally from Mount Arlington and aside from spending 8 years living in Florida for high school and undergrad I have lived in Morris County my whole life.
Favorite things to do with your kids?
We are a very active family and enjoy most sports and hiking, biking, running, waterskiing, kayaking, skiing, ice skating..anything outdoors really! We also love our movie nights spent snuggling on the couch.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
Hmmmmm….not sure I am a very surprising person. 🙂
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
I have a very close group of girlfriends who I met through events in my community who are always there for a quick text, call or hang. We call us “the tribe” and I don’t know where I would be without their mom-ing support! We live in Indian Lake and overall the community itself is full of amazing moms. I am also surrounded by moms in my work every day who are sharing the pleasures and struggles of parenting sensory kids alongside me – we continuously learn from and teach each other. I am forever grateful for my support system of strong moms.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
I am the Founder and Director of Great Kids Place in Rockaway, New Jersey. I, along with a group of strong women and moms, provide Occupational Therapy for children. We specialize in Sensory Processing and Integration, Social Emotional Development, ADHD and Dyspraxia.
Sensory processing is how we make sense of what we sense in the world and how we use this to guide our interactions and actions. While we all process information coming from our environment in different ways, sometimes the way we process it makes us feel uncomfortable, irritable, confused, overwhelmed and/or frustrated. This can lead to challenges in emotional regulation, social interactions, attention and focus, and planning and organizing our actions in the world. Through play based sensory motor work we help children normalize and optimize the way they take in sensations and process them to be successful in their world. We work with families to develop a sensory lifestyle to support the well being of everyone in the family.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
Denville Moms were the first to reach out to me through Great Kids Place for support for their children. They were the first to recommend me to other moms in the area and surrounding areas. They built the foundation and reputation of my business and continue to help me to help others. I am sure that it is the special bond of the Denville community that has allowed me to reach and help so many families.
