Posts by Laura Simzyk
Sensory Experiences: How My Autistic Daughter See the World
My daughter is autistic and she has sensory processing disorder. She experiences the world around her differently than most people. You see the beauty in the smallest things. Tiny flower petals, a speck of sand, a ray of sunlight shining through your fingers as it casts itself onto the wall in front of you. When we take a walk together you notice the trees, the wind on your face, and the way the sidewalk cracks and breaks into different colored pebble textures on the ground beneath your feet. Kinetic sand…
Read MoreWhen They Say, “Very Delayed”
To the parents reading the school test scores that will get their child special education services at school, I see you. My daughter is fourteen years old and has been in the public school system since she was three years old. Every year Olivia has an IEP meeting. Her IEP team goes over all of her strengths and weaknesses and then we create goals based off of data collected from previous goals and testing. Every three years they do extensive testing to figure out what range she falls under cognitively,…
Read MoreAutism and A Moment of Connection
It was a beautiful spring day at the park in 2012. Olivia was only three years old and we had just recently gotten her official Autism diagnosis. She was running free not paying attention to anything. Breeze in her hair, sun on her beautiful face, stimming her happy sound, “Eeeeee” stopping only to put her hand up and watch it turn in the sunlight. I am always running right behind her to keep her safe. She makes a sudden stop, plops herself down, and starts inspecting these little yellow “flowers”.…
Read MoreShe’s the Girl With the Big Brown Eyes
She’s the girl with the big brown eyes, with lashes that go on for days. Thick brown hair that waves and swirls with red flecks that catch the sunlight. A big bright smile when the mood hits her right and a laugh that spreads like wildfire. She started this life healthy. It seemed only to become more uncomfortable by the day. Words that came early and all said with purpose and endless charm. Those very words were stolen from her with no warning or explanation, leaving silence and deep frustration. …
Read MoreI’m Not Special. I’m Just a Mom Doing Her Job.
As the parent of a child with special needs, I often get thoughts and opinions about my parenting from family, friends, and sometimes even strangers. It always leaves me feeling a bit perplexed. I don’t see myself as anything but a regular Mom with different challenges. “You are so strong” Not really, I am walking through my days just trying to do the best I can for my child. Sometimes I feel like I may break, but I keep that to myself. “I don’t know how you do it” It…
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