Lyn Shaffer

By a MiMi who knows the learning curve is real Neurodivergent kids—I'm sure there are as many in your family as there are in mine—don’t grow in straight lines. Whether they’re navigating ADHD, giftedness, autism, anxiety, sensory differences, or a mix of all the above, they zig and zag their way through childhood. Sometimes they’re too loud. Sometimes they melt into tears over a simple “no.” They leap ahead in one area and struggle in another. They’ll talk your ear off one minute, and the...

I’m so lucky to have several of my grandchildren living close by. Like you, I love being involved in their lives—helping with childcare, attending concerts and performances, cheering at athletic events, and offering love and gentle emotional support. But involvement doesn’t mean overextension. So how do we set boundaries that protect our time, respect the parents’ authority, and create the kind of environment where grandchildren can thrive? Let’s talk about the boundaries every grandmother...

On January 19, 2026, my first novel was published. It’s crazy, and scary, and thrilling to step into something so new. I’ve always considered myself a writer, but really I'm just a storyteller. And that’s exactly how this novel came into being — through stories that gathered and grew and lived in me long before they ever lived on the page. Stories of LuAnn and Vince and Dario. Stories of Vince and Charlie, LuAnn and Dario. Stories of the daughters — Gianna, with her dream of opening a...