Posts Tagged ‘autism sibling’
A Letter to Special Needs Paras
Dear Para, You are valued. We know you show up every day not because the pay is great but because you truly enjoy your job. Please know you are valued. We know the time and dedication you put into our child each and every day. Your efforts will never go unnoticed from us because you are valued. We see the love and respect you show to our child. You always see them as a person and not as another job responsibility. You are valued. You follow the IEP. You offer…
Read MoreThe Brick Wall of Autism Advocacy
What does it truly mean to fill your life with advocacy? As parents of autistic children, we spend hours upon hours advocating for our children. I often think of it as two sides of a brick wall. On one side, you have all the people you sit across from in different settings. On the other side, you are standing holding the hand of your child. In this brick wall, one brick is missing. Through the hole, you try to use your words to explain a mountain of concepts you wish…
Read MoreGrowth and Autism
Every once in a while, I look at my tiny human, a piece of my heart that walks this earth, and I think ‘you’re growing’. It usually hits me in the morning. That divine window of time before sleep has fully left her eyes, energy of the day yet to take hold. There’s something captivating about that sudden realization that change happens faster than you can blink. Obviously, she’s going to grow. It’s what kids do. But logic is irrelevant when you’ve waded through six years of global development delays…
Read MoreLife Changed With Autism, But He Stayed The Same
Five years. It seems unbelievable it’s been that long. After a four month wait we made our way down to Minneapolis. It was one of those weird days in August that was cool and dreary. We were early of course. I don’t like feeling rushed. The place we were going was close to the fair grounds. The “Great Minnesota Get Together” had just started and I didn’t want to be late. We had waited too long for this appointment. I remember driving by wishing it was Sunday. The day we planned to attend…
Read MoreDon’t Take Your Child’s Speech For Granted
My Eva. She’s a talker this one. Unlike her mama, in that regard. My social butterfly, who craves conversation, and connection, and whose charisma and charm emanates across settings. Her curiosity lends itself to question upon question spanning topics far and wide. Her love of learning is palpable and soars through that sweet high pitched quizzical tone she conveys to me in repeated fashion… But why, mommy? Oh, really? Why?? A few days ago, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of questions and commentary pouring from my girl.…
Read MoreAs School Starts Teach Your Kids to Be Kind
Before your kids go back to school… Talk to them about being kind. Being a friend. Be generous. Being a kind human. Because… Back when I was only 10 years ago old a new school opened up in my hometown, and I was transferred there for my last two years in elementary school. I had just gotten glasses, and did not know anyone at my new school. I was what many kids would call a geek. The kids at this school came from a nicer part of town where they…
Read MoreWe Will Not Silence Our Autistic Son
We will not silence him. It is so hard for some people to realize that Kyle is not defined by his diagnosis. That’s not all that he is. It’s only a small part of him. He really doesn’t make any more noise than other children. Just because his noises aren’t concrete words that doesn’t make him noisy. He has his own way of communicating with us. It doesn’t make it bad or wrong. He is working on making his sounds something someone can understand. Who says how he talks is…
Read MoreI Hope My Autistic Son Finds True Friendships
As he sat on the buddy bench for a rest, my heart broke a little. I imagined him sitting here by himself, yearning for a friend. Someone who understands and accepts him. Someone other than his Mom, Dad, brother and sisters. I find it hard to build and maintain friendships and relationships. I can’t imagine how hard it is for someone who has difficulty communicating. But, I know he will find his way and learn to build and forge friendships, the Stalen way. It takes someone special to see beyond…
Read MoreA Letter to Special Needs Parents
Dear Special Needs Parent, I See You I see all the nights you FINALLY get your child to sleep, to then wake an hour later for the rest of the day. I see all the miles on your car from driving to and from therapies every day. I see the bags under your eyes from the pure exhaustion you feel. I see the forced smiles when you see other children your child’s age progressing at a much faster rate, while your child struggles. I Hear You I hear the soft…
Read MoreThe Isolation of Autism
There were a lot of things I did not know when my daughter was diagnosed with Autism, but what was most surprising to me was the isolation. I guess the easiest way to explain it is to remember how much you hated isolation during the pandemic. That was our everyday life. Isolation did not happen immediately. It was overtime and yet it seemed to happen overnight. We went from playdates to therapy and that set us apart. We were no longer carefree. We were thrust into a world neither of…
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