Posts Tagged ‘ASD’
What Autism Brings Us
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son has autism. His name is Jack. He is sixteen years old. For me, autism brings a trifecta of hope, grief, and peace. Hope is the bundle of rocks I carry everywhere I go. Grief is the small box of feathers I let myself open every once in a while. And peace? Well, that is the long, jagged mountain I climb, clutching my bundle of hope and a box full of feathers. Jack and my firstborn, Joseph, are…
Read MoreThank you for Always Having Your Brother’s Back
Dear Jonah, You’re 11 today! How time has flown! There were a million things I wanted to write to you on your birthday card this morning but didn’t want to get too mushy. Birthdays are supposed to be fun and lighthearted. What I wanted to tell you is how proud I am of you. I know it can be difficult at times having a brother with special needs, especially when it’s your twin. There have been times you have told me you feel like the older brother and I get…
Read MoreBuilding an Autism Bridge Between Generations
There’s a meme that’s been circulating Facebook this week. It reads: ‘In my day, they didn’t have all this Autism and ADHD and stuff.’ ‘I think what you mean is that people used to go undiagnosed and get absolutely no help and were forced to suffer through their lives because they had zero support or understanding.’ Every time this pops up in my newsfeed, it reminds me of the worry I felt the day I explained to my then 84 and 85 year old Grandparents that my young daughter, Evie,…
Read MoreLight at the End of the Tunnel
The comment read, ‘for some families, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.’ I thought about it all night. And when my toddler woke up at midnight for a hug, and then again while I drank my coffee and watched the news. I thought back to our hardest days when there was no apparent light at the end of the tunnel. Our autistic son didn’t sleep longer than 45 minutes at a time and we started every day at 3 am. We lived in this place of…
Read MoreThe World is so Different
Last night, over dinner, my 7-year-old asked why the people did bad things at the capitol. I was a bit taken aback by his question. I didn’t know he knew anything about it. I first asked him where he heard about it. Then I asked him what he knew. He told me the kids were talking about it at the hockey rink. He also told me who each of the kid’s parents supposedly voted for. He asked why they did it and why they all had flags and why people…
Read MoreIt Wasn’t You
My son, This morning you happily went to school. That sentence right there. I felt the tears pooling in my eyes as I typed it just seconds ago. Happily. Went. School. You put your own shoes on, brought me your coat, gathered up your treasures, picked up your backpack, and waited calmly by the door. It was 8:16 am. You know the bus comes at 8:23. You don’t seem to mind waiting. Your little brother waits with you, although I don’t think he necessarily brings you peace. But you appease…
Read MoreTheir Special Bond
This morning we were running around getting three kids ready to leave the house. Packing lunches, finding school iPads, headphones and chargers, gathering snow gear…it was a lot. We are definitely out of practice. Jamie noticed that Coops put his shoes on the wrong feet. It happens quite frequently but we are also so proud of him for putting his shoes on that we don’t mind fixing them. Sawyer, who was soaking up his last few minutes of holiday break, and zoning out watching his iPad, must have heard us.…
Read MoreThree Kinds of Special Needs Parents and the Groups we March in
In this special needs community we have lovingly cultivated, there are three kinds of people, in three very different groups. I type this only to paradigm shift anyone on the ledge of two sides. Special Needs Parents find themselves here, there, or coasting. The Gratefully Coasting Group The Gratefully Coasting Group is this: things are good, you continue with the systems and supports that are working and you look up every now and again to thank your lucky stars. The Candle Vigil Group The Candle Vigil Group is this: you…
Read MoreSpecial Needs Mamas, Don’t Stay in the Hard
This morning I was headed to pick up my son from his hybrid, half days of kindergarten. I thought about how tired I was, how much I was tired of shortened school days, and then my favorite song came on and snapped me out of my complaints. Our day had started hours before the sun was ready to come up, when the house was quiet, and we could watch cartoons and eat cereal with leisure. This was our life for so many years, two am wake ups for weeks, or…
Read MoreRaising a Child With Autism; You Are Not Alone
During the years surrounding my son’s autism diagnosis, I could barely say the word “autism” out loud. I thought I would just break down every single time and, frankly, I didn’t have time for that. To be clear, this had nothing to do with shame. Not one day has gone by that I am not immensely proud of this boy. It was about fear, worry, the unknown, and all the other bumps along the road to acceptance. All a parent could ever want is for their child to be…
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