Posts Tagged ‘autism and nonverbal’
O-O-AH-T
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…
Read MoreLittle Brothers
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…
Read MoreWaiting for the Train
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…
Read MoreHe’s Growing Up
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.…
Read MoreShe Won’t Break
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…
Read MoreWhen They Mention Autism
You know when you’re in a public place at a party, a BBQ or an assembly, and you’re sitting with other parents… You don’t know them well, but their kids are in your kid’s class, so you all group and make small talk. It’s all light and breezy and then you hear someone mention autism. And you just wait. Sometimes curiosity will tilt my head.Sometimes my stomach will turn.My heart will race. What they say could either make me happy and emotional, or it could go the other way which…
Read MoreWhat a Difference a Covid Year Makes
An old friend called me this weekend to check on our family. The discussion turned to the past. When Emily was a toddler, she was easily overstimulated by sounds or crowds. We were having dinner at their home and at some point Emily “lost it”. She was crying and inconsolable. The only thing that worked was to drive her around and play a Wiggles CD in my car until she calmed down. I missed most of that evening. A few weeks later Emily got upset when I was covering a…
Read MoreEnjoying the Rain
Life has been extremely hectic and tough around here lately. My daughter, Opal, was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum six months ago, so we have been in and out of doctors’ offices, therapies, doing multiple evaluations for said therapies, and then our youngest, Lucy, has started needing physical therapy. That’s four different therapies, 5 times a week, totaling to about 32 1/2 hours. Just when I thought we were getting the hang of all of the things, life throws more lemons, and this time, they were EXTREMELY sour. I lost…
Read MoreJoin Miracle League!
Cooper had a strong finish to the first half of his miracle league baseball season! He got on base 100% of the time. Gave hundreds of high fives. Threw the ball to his coach. Ran the bases. And enjoyed himself! And I got to watch as he played. Which sounds so simple. But for parents with kids like Cooper, kids who need more, we often feel more like teachers, nurses, and therapists than moms and dads. So tonight, for the first time, I got to wear my mom hat instead…
Read MorePlease Acknowledge People With Disabilities
People get really nervous around individuals who are non speaking. Or folks who use a wheelchair. Or who look different. I didn’t know that before I had my son Cooper. Before he led me wide eyed into the world of disability. Without knowing he showed me how a person can be invisible. A person standing front and center. Some of it’s subtle. The overlooking of a person. Some is not. And it’s hard to see. It’s hard to not get mad and sad and frustrated. Because I cannot think of…
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