When you have a child diagnosed with autism, it’s not about you as the parent. At least that’s what we are told. Your sole focus becomes helping your child. Getting them the help they need. Services. Supports. Therapies. Education. And so on. That’s the role of a parent. And that’s how it should be. But one part that is overlooked, I think, is the evolution of the parent. Their journey. And the patience that should be given to them when everything changes suddenly. It’s not easy ya know. Stepping off…
I often wonder if people know the impact they have on someone’s life. If when they got up that morning did they know they were going to make a difference today. I’m guessing not. Most people just do what they do and don’t give it a second thought. Last night we had our neighborhood Night to Unite. It’s a once a year event that encourages you to meet your neighbors and local law enforcement and first responders. In the past it’s been challenging for us to go. Especially as a…
This amazing kid just absolutely rocked the grocery store! He walked. Pushed the cart. Followed the list. Put items in the cart. Handled temptation. I am seriously giddy! We have been practicing grocery store trips for about a year now. At first our only goal was walking through the store…not even buying anything. And slowly we built on his skills. Today we did a whole shopping trip! Video coming! Parents, I hope Cooper gives you hope and shows you what hard work can do. A year ago I didn’t think…
Here is the thing I’ve learned about little brothers. They are always watching. Always absorbing like little sponges. They see and hear everything. They want to grow up fast and be just like their older brother. I know this because my two year knows a swear word. A bad one. Not a cute little one but a real one. And he uses a it in perfect context. Daily. He must have learned it from YouTube or older kids at the park or…um…his dad. I don’t know. As his parents we…
Last night my husband Jamie took our two older boys for a camping overnight on our boat. They are 10 and 8. One loves to fish and be outdoors and one loves watching his favorite shows on his iPad and snuggling up in a really comfortable bed with loads of blankets and temperature control. And my husband, he used to go on camping trips to really remote places in the winter in Minnesota when it was 20 degrees below zero. I called him crazy many a times. See, he adores…
Here’s the thing about little brothers… They are stinky and loud and messy and can be SO annoying… And they also have this way of inserting themselves into everything. They don’t care about boundaries or social norms. They don’t care if you talk or use a speech device. They don’t care what you are into or what’s cool. They just care that they can climb on you and steal your iPad and watch trains with you. They love to be chased and to ask for an extra treat so they…
I write and talk a lot about anxiety on this page. Anxiety in children. The only anxiety I know personally. The only anxiety I live. I refer to it as a train sometimes. A big black ominous one. And my son is standing on the tracks. I am next to him, holding his hand. I don’t know if he sees it or even feels it coming. But I can. I can see it coming, picking up speed. But I am helpless. There is no stopping it just like there is…
Kids grow up. You know that. I know that. We all know that. But when it’s your own kid, well, it seems to sneak up on you. One day you are carrying them up the stairs and the next they are wearing your shoes. Or you find yourself in the young adult section of the store shopping for their clothes and are baffled how one of your own babies could wear something so big. I once read that watching your kids grow up is like experiencing the longest breakup ever.…
I come across pictures all the time. Old ones. Taken back before life got really interesting with four kids. I usually find them all crumpled up under a couch or stashed in between the pages of an old book. Sometimes a corner is ripped off. A sign that my oldest, who is autistic and adores photos of his family, has treasured it and hidden it away for another day. When I found this one I stopped picking up legos and beyblades and internally cursing my kids for being so dang…
It has been one year since my youngest daughter, Joelle’s autism diagnosis. One year of so many firsts and so much learning for our whole family! The first lesson I learned was that finding therapies, securing them through insurance, and maintaining these therapies is like a second full time job! There are just not always enough hours in the day! We chose to start ABA therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and feeding therapy. Basically anything I could find services for, which, due to Covid, was hard. I also joined many…
