Posts Tagged ‘Autism Awareness’
A T-Shirt Made Just For Me
A month or so ago a company named Sevenly reached out to me. Sevenly was founded in 2011 with the mission of leading a generation toward generosity. Based on a simple, core belief that ‘People Matter,’ the Sevenly team activated the now global ‘cause art’ movement and started creating 7-day cause campaigns, inviting customers to purchase “advocacy art, apparel and accessories” that donate to non-profits. Each campaign and every product would also create conversations. For April they wanted to do a campaign around autism awareness and acceptance. They found my…
Read MoreThe Quest for Balance in the Midst of Chronic Chaos
Isolation. Special needs parenting is isolating for me. I know it’s my deal. I choose to give my daughter all I have. But I am also just doing what I know to do. I am admittedly exhausted. Burnt out even. People always ask, ‘How is Lexie doing?’ Sometimes, I really just wish they would ask how I am doing. With all of her multiple diagnoses and challenges in many ways she is doing better then her Mama. What do I do everyday? I cook because providing nutritious, delicious food is…
Read MoreMy Most Important Lesson: Be Kind to Yourself
Everyday I struggle. I am used to accomplishing things, crossing things off my list, working everyday, juggling the 3 boys and their activities, homework, dinner and all the things. I am still learning to accept our new normal- my new normal. The days are very long and there is lots of time with William. The journey itself has been long. After a year and a half of testing, therapies, day treatment and hospitalization my sweet 11 year old now has an ASD diagnosis from Fraser, along with Anxiety and ADHD…
Read MoreOur 2017 Year in Review
I often find myself talking about all the things my autistic son can’t do. I don’t mean too. I’m not negative. I’m just human. And when you get together with a friend who also has an autistic child you start listing out where they are at. Yes, they are nonverbal. No, this and yes, this. And before you know it the things they can’t do outweigh the things they can do. I worry about where he is at. I get overwhelmed by how far he has to go. Sometimes I…
Read MoreWhy Do I Advocate for Disability Rights?
I have been asked more times than I can count why I advocate for people with disabilities. I’ve heard statements like ‘Why don’t you just buy the stroller yourself?‘ Or, ‘Why do you always seem to be fighting some battle around autism?‘ My answer is simple. It’s the right thing to do. I have the means, a voice, the ability and the passion. And I do it for the people that cannot. I advocate for the people that don’t have a voice and for people that can’t advocate for themselves.…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: My Daughter’s Village
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Cynthia Beneteau and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This November I would like to nominate and honor my daughter’s little village. Hi Kate, my name is Cynthia and I have an almost three year old daughter on the spectrum. My husband and I live in Michigan and have been married for nearly 20 years. We have two adult neuro-typcial sons who are 19 and almost 21. Ellyana, our princess, was a complete and total unplanned miracle baby. I conceived her…
Read MoreMy Son, I’ve Failed You
My dearest son, Today, I failed you. I failed as your voice, your advocate, and your mother. Since you know me kid, if you could speak, you would probably say, ‘Oh, mama…You are too hard on yourself‘. And, maybe I am. I just love you so much and I cannot stand the thought of the world not giving you a chance. Or learning about your disability. I cannot stand the fact that they refuse to acknowledge the real you. You have autism kid. It’s okay to say that. It’s even…
Read MoreAutism and Goals
I typically look at goals and progress in relation to my son’s autism in one of two ways. There is how far we’ve come and how far we have to go. Cooper is almost seven and I believe he is thriving. When he was first diagnosed we had no idea what the future held. Autism was and still can be a mystery. Add in words like nonverbal and medically complex and it’s even more confusing. We don’t have a crystal ball to tell us what his future holds but I…
Read MoreDear Friends and Family Outside of Our Autism World
Dear friends and family outside of autism world, I want to thank you for loving my son. And no, this isn’t another letter about my little superhero Cooper. It’s a letter about my other son. My son Sawyer. He is my wild, adventurous, exhausting, never-stop-talking, little angel. The one who doesn’t understand autism and all of its constraints. The one who doesn’t understand why it feels like our world revolves around his brother. I Want To Thank You I simply want to thank you for loving him and for stepping…
Read MoreWe Made It Over The Potty Training Mountain
There are moments I know I am going to remember forever. And one of them is reading this text message from Cooper’s school. He did it. He pooped at school. I want to be honest when I say I never fully believed that my autistic son would be potty trained. That’s how high the mountain was for him. At age six it felt like he was nowhere close. He loved his diapers. He refused to sit on the toilet for longer than 15 seconds and he’d scream and kick and…
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