Posts by Kate Swenson
Hope is a Funny Thing
Hope is a funny thing. It ebbs and flows. It even changes over the years. When I found out I was pregnant for the second time I hoped I wouldn’t miscarry. I hoped for a happy, healthy, ‘like every other kid I knew’, baby. I secretly hoped for a girl too. When I found out I was having a boy at 20 weeks, and that we would name him Cooper, I hoped for baseball games, camping, swimming, biking and fishing. I hoped for endless conversations and a beautiful family. I…
Read MoreMarklund Makes Life POSSIBLE
When you have a child diagnosed with something the words can be crushing. Maybe you found out in utero. Maybe at birth. Or maybe years in. Either way, whenever it happens, it can be very scary. You will feel like your world has been turned upside down. The control you once had as a person and a parent, now feels lost. What parents need as they move through the special need’s journey is support and hope. They need the professionals in their life to see all of the amazing…
Read MoreWhen Family Isn’t Best
It’s been a year. A whole year. My son, Tucker, and I just got back home from his open heart surgery. My daughter, Hazel, was in the throes of her worst regression to date. And my husband Sam, and I just decided to move to Texas for a new job; more or less on a whim. That was the day I found out that Hazel had been hurt. Sam left early from the hospital, we just couldn’t afford for him to stay in Rochester with us, and Hazel needed her…
Read MoreThe Ability to be Vulnerable
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son is diagnosed with autism. His name is Jack. He is fifteen years old, and over six feet tall. As an autism mama, I am pretty used to advocating for the things we need, whether it’s an adjustment to his IEP, or a new kind of therapy, or a change in his medication. This has not always been easy for me. I have sat in many meetings, and through many appointments, with a bubble of rage in my…
Read MoreLove Needs No Words
If you’ve followed this page for any period of time, you know my son loves photos. Photos of Jamie and I when we were young. Party photos. Baby photos. Me as a freshman in college dressed up as a naughty nurse for Halloween. His dad taking a shot out of a beer bong made out of a plastic penguin named Petie. Our friends too. Old and new. He loves really happy photos. Carefree people. Letting loose. He hunts around the house for them. Digs in Rubbermaid tubs in the basement.…
Read MoreNever, Ever Give Up
Dear Autism Moms and Dads, We’re not so different, you and I. I imagine our days are filled with similar struggles, similar frustrations, similar fears. Sure, our kiddos might have different diagnosis or fall in different areas on the autism spectrum, but at the end of the day we can relate to one another more so than a lot of other parents can. With that being said, from one autism parent to another, I hope you can take this message to heart; never ever give up. You see, my husband…
Read MoreDear Co-Worker of a Typically Developing Child:
Dear Co-Worker of a Typically Developing Child: I am writing this because I hope this helps someone. I hope this teaches empathy to at least one person. I hope another mom, another special needs mom, can be spared sitting in a work meeting holding back tears, while visibly shaking, after a coworker belittles and breaks down whatever piece of soul is left that day. Because some days – it’s not much. Life with Autism is different for everyone. For me – every morning is hell. My son is angry and…
Read MoreYou Taught Me About Autism
I got the following email this morning. To all the parents who wonder if they are making a difference by advocating for their children…here ya go. Hello Dear Kate, I have been watching your videos for years now. Ever since I started this Facebook. I am an old lady. Almost 70 years old. My children are grown. My grandchildren are grown. I live in a small town in the middle of America that no one has ever heard of. I have never met an autistic person. Honestly, I didn’t even…
Read MoreMust Love Autism
“Do you have any siblings?” It’s a classic first date question, and rightfully so — it’s simple and seemingly painless to answer. It leads to an easy conversation. I can’t blame anyone for asking. “Yep, I have a younger brother, Alex,” I’ll reply. The follow-up question is almost always the same. “How old is he?” “He’s 23. We’re almost exactly 18 months apart. He has autism,” I always add quickly. As soon as I say it I wait for the reaction. A lot of the time people respond by listing…
Read MoreThe Questionnaires Still Sting
My son Jayden has settled into school and he is doing amazing. I am still pinching myself every day when I drop him off. We are now starting to incorporate the other therapies Jayden needs back into his new schedule. It is official. I have received my mountain of paperwork. All I have to say is, WOW! Jayden is eight and some of the questionnaires are still completely brutal to complete. I really thought at this point the questions would be less cumbersome or I would be used to the…
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