Posts Tagged ‘autism’
In the Chaos, Don’t Forget About Special Needs Children
Mommas, that fear you’re feeling right now. That fear of the unknown and not knowing what is going to happen to your school-aged child. Of not knowing what is best or the right answer. Of not knowing how programs and best-laid plans are going to play out. That awful sinking feeling of dread. That feeling is the feeling most special need parents feel every year at the IEP meeting and every start of every new school year. That feeling is constant for special need parents. In addition, that feeling of…
Read MoreOur Life Before Autism
Every night you fall asleep wrapped up in your favorite teddy bear. Tonight, was no different. You snuggled into the bear that is larger than you, wrapped yourself in blankets, and awaited your bedtime stories. We read 3 bedtime stories every night. You usually push for more, but tonight you were fast asleep before I even finished the second book. You do not fall asleep during the stories a lot, but when you do it is always my favorite. I stay a few extra minutes to soak in every ounce…
Read MoreLet There Be a Sister
One green, green day, the Lord looked upon the world. He admired his sons and his daughters. He smiled at all of the wonderful animals, and he gazed tenderly at each new baby. The round blue earth, with all of its people and puppies and flowers and trees, seemed complete. But the Lord was not so sure. He thought about it for a while, and then he said to himself, I am not done yet. I need someone who is a little different. Let there be a boy, he said,…
Read MoreWho Would I Be?
Who would I be without him? I ask myself this question every once in a while. I don’t ask it often, because that could turn into a slippery slope, if you will. Hi. My name is Carrie. My husband Joe and I have five kids. Our second son, Jack, has autism. He has had it since the very day he was born. He is sixteen now. Without autism, I would be carefree. Maybe even spontaneous. Naïve. Unkind. Judgmental. I might know what it’s like to sleep past 5:45 am. That’s…
Read MoreQuarantine Confession
Every day we wait outside for a package we never ordered. The days of quarantine are long, especially for a child with special needs. The lack of routine is brutal. I use it as a distraction. It is inevitable that the moment Zac and I step out of the family room we will hear the familiar screeching: Help! Stop it! I know at the bottom of the steps Jordan will be lunching for her brother’s neck so she can catch them for a passionate embrace. It would be enough to…
Read MoreOld Autism Mama
If you are reading this, there is a good chance someone you know has autism. Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son, Jack, has autism. He was diagnosed when he was eighteen months old. I was a young mother with a three-year old, and a one-year old, and a tender new baby on the way. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. The world stood still when the doctor said the words Autism Spectrum Disorder. That’s the only way I can describe…
Read MoreQuarantine, Autism and Never Giving Up
Oh, quarantine and autism. You have been a doozy. You would think we would have embraced this socially distant period like all the autism memes suggested at the beginning of this lockdown. “We’ve been social distancing since before it was a thing!” No. These past few months at home have allowed regression to creep back in, distressing my boy at a whole new level. I knew it would, right when we said goodbye to his routine back in March. It was inevitable. Unfortunately, that expectation did not make these months…
Read MoreA Boy of No
Once upon a time, there was a boy who always said no. When he was very small and didn’t have his words, he learned to sign it with his fingers. When that didn’t work and his mother or his father kept asking him to try a bite of a banana, he simply clamped his mouth shut, and shook his head. No. Later he learned to talk—first one word at a time, then two. After a long wait, he began to string them together like bright lights on a wire. But…
Read MoreWalk a Mile in Autism
A poem for my 16-year-old brother with autism: Neil Kurshan said, “Walk a mile in my shoes is good advice. Our children will learn to respect others if they are used to imagining themselves in another’s place”.But Mom, people cannot put themselves in my shoes, not unless they live it too.Friends and classmates use the words ‘weird’ and ‘autistic’ as if they’re the same.It hurts my heart and I want to get angry, but I continue to smile anyway.But I’m tired of smiling and I’m tired of changing the subject.So,…
Read MoreNever Miss a Moment
Recently I took my son to a local indoor water park for a few hours. He loved it. I had a few very interesting social observations. One of the most obvious was how we, the parents of special needs kids, never miss a moment in our kids lives. We are ever present, hyper vigilant, (over bearing at times) and just stuck to them like their own shadow. I get to experience and watch 98% of every single thing my son does. It dawned on me when I was watching two…
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