Posts Tagged ‘autism parenting’
Dear Moms Who are Trying to Keep it Together
One of the hardest things about being a mom is holding it together when all you want to do is breakdown and cry. I see you out in public fighting back the tears. Tears that have been building up all day because you’re just exhausted. You have been up for hours with no sleep because your child is going through a sleep regression. I see the frustration in your face that you’re tired of being judged. Judged that you’re doing everything wrong. I can see it in your eyes, that…
Read MoreBetter Full Than Empty
We are slowly, gingerly, timidly, starting to venture out as a family of six. We are cautious though. See, our oldest needs two of us to help him be successful. He likes to run and sit and touch and can often be quite sneaky and fast. Our two year old needs one of us because he’s two and so does our baby. Typically me because I have dinner. And Sawyer can help but he often gets distracted by sticks and candy and forgets to hold hands. Because he’s only 8…
Read MoreJust See Him
People ask me all the time how they can help. Kind people. Loving people. Strangers. Friends. Family. People on this page. I speak about that out of control feeling that happens when my son starts struggling. When his big feelings about waiting or sitting overwhelm him. Or when the noise is too much and the lights are too bright or he smells something in the air that you and I can’t make out. Maybe we are in line at the grocery store. Or at a park. Or in the paper…
Read MoreI Loved You Before I Even Knew You
On December 9th at approximately 3:42 pm on a Wednesday, you came onto this earth. And since then, my life has ever changed. You might wonder why I’m only writing to you and not Collin. Well, in my heart, I know the past year has been a struggle for you and our family. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in life’s daily to do’s and your brother’s needs that I know you feel forgotten. But this is a letter to you to let you know I do not…
Read MoreFive Things to Offer a Special Needs Mom Who’s Struggling
You see the posts, you hear the stories, but you don’t always know how to help….. You don’t have a child with special needs, but your friend or a family member does. You want to do something, but are unsure of where to start. Here are five ideas that have been life-changing for me. 1. Remind her that she’s doing a great job. When she’s in the toughest times she’s doubting her self, she’s wondering if it’s her fault, if she will ever make it through. Reach out, remind her…
Read MoreHappy Father’s Day Jamie
Happy Father’s Day to this guy. I’m sure he will second my statement of…’four kids? How did this happen?’ And yet here we are. Four weeks into an adventure like no other. I will say that while we both know that we are blessed beyond our wildest dreams, it also hasn’t been the easiest. And if we’ve learned anything it’s that chaos can happen in a split second. We can be cruising along, doing fine, and then all of sudden everyone is screaming and threats are being made and the…
Read MoreHome From Grandma’s
Cooper adores going to his grandparent’s house. He can hardly wait to get there and typically gives me a quick wave when it’s time for me to go. He likes to stay two nights and no more. That’s his max time he will happily be away from home. At grandma’s he gets spoiled rotten and treated like a little prince. There is ice cream and swimming and snuggles and endless episodes of Family Feud. Today he came home. He always struggles transitioning too and from. He wants to be home.…
Read MoreBeing a Mother is My Hobby
I googled hobbies at 3 AM this morning while nursing my newborn. She refused to sleep and I had time. Then I googled hobbies for moms. Then hobbies near me. Why you ask? I guess I don’t have any. My husband and I had a rather heated conversation the other day about how life is eating us up right now and he let me know I don’t ever leave the house. And I don’t have hobbies. It felt like a jab. It wasn’t supposed to be. He was telling me…
Read MoreDon’t Think of Me and My Autistic Son with Sadness
I may never be in the stands cheering as my son skates down the ice with the puck. But, I feel the same pride, every time I watch him make progress and acquire skills. My son Stalen is autistic. He was diagnosed when he was 21 months old. He is 6 and non-speaking. Every time he says a new word or tries a new food, it is like the last minute of the third period, the game is tied and he’s on a break away, headed down the ice at…
Read MoreI am Human
“Can you tell me why you’re crying?” Andy asked softly, his face wrought with concern. “I’m just upset about Leo’s session this morning,” I began. This particular remote learning session, intensely challenging for my boy, and in turn, for me, as I attempted to navigate the resulting behaviors. “I’ve been thinking about it all day,” I explained..“Wondering what I could have done to prevent his upset, or at least minimize it before it escalated…” Andy listened calmly. Pausing for a moment before responding.. “It’s okay to be upset about this…
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