Posts Tagged ‘autism’
The Battle of the Winter Festival
You don’t get to choose when it comes to Autism. A meltdown can happen at any time…be it in the privacy of our home or in the middle of a hallway at an elementary school crowded with people attending the annual winter festival. We can do everything within our power to prepare for each different situation, but variables beyond our control always seem to find a way to slide into our path, and cause us to stumble. As a parent of a child with Autism when I hear events…
Read MoreSomeone Will Always Have it Harder
Many times in my life I have felt guilty for complaining. You know, because someone else has it harder. This happened a lot when I was in a bad place going through something hard in my life. Like divorce, being a single mom, the struggle with school (when having a child with gifts or special needs) becoming a step parent and blending families, and so many other situations that broke me or made me crumble for an hour, for a day or maybe more. But it wasn’t until I had…
Read MoreMom Asks ‘AITA’ For Not Making Daughter Invite Autistic Child To Her Party
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son is diagnosed with autism. He is fifteen years old, and his name is Jack. I write a lot about autism—how is affects me, and my family, and my son. Yet I rarely write about current events or news stories, unless it’s about a complicated kid making a buzzer-beater to win a basketball game at the last minute—that’s the kind of inspiring thing I can get behind, you know? Jack will never shoot a buzzer-beater during a game.…
Read MoreThe Aftermath of Sensory Overload
Sometimes I forget our lives don’t look like others. It’s probably a survival mechanism, and thinking about it, I’m grateful I have these moments where our lives feel normal to me. But to others? It’s far from typical, or expected, or usual. My son has had a lot of excitement over the past couple weeks. His fourth birthday party went so well, but it came at the cost of the aftermath. He actually handles changes in routine pretty well in moments – we’ve figured out how to help him navigate…
Read MoreThe Silent Moments And The Loudest Thoughts
In horror movies, the silence often lets us know something bad is about to happen. We tense our bodies, pull the covers up in preparation, and anticipate the worst. We do the same in special needs parenting, or in my case, being the mother of a nonverbal autistic son. Sometimes I feel like there is so much silence that it could consume me whole. It’s not just the moments when I look into my beautiful son’s eyes and try with every cell in my body to will him to say…
Read MoreToday, I Failed
Today, I failed you. I yelled. You cried. I cried. As we were doing our normal morning routine, fighting about putting your jeans on, I was already anxious. Worried about how school drop offs would be, worried if you were going to get upset as I walked down the hall to leave the school… all the normal morning anxiety. After the jeans debacle, you were finally dressed. Not without a little negotiation, of course. “First jeans, then bunny socks!” Harper has some socks with a bunny on the side… he is…
Read MoreJoin Coop’s Troops!
A year ago in January I was going through, once again, some pretty brutal bullying online. I had written a post about jealousy in the special needs world. I had said that sometimes I get jealous of 8 year old boys with blonde hair and hazel eyes who can speak and ask questions and talk my year off about Star Wars. I said that I can be fine, feet planted fully in acceptance, invincible really, living in my special needs bubble…and then…out of nowhere, I’ll see the other side. Eight…
Read MoreHope is a Funny Thing
Hope is a funny thing. It ebbs and flows. It even changes over the years. When I found out I was pregnant for the second time I hoped I wouldn’t miscarry. I hoped for a happy, healthy, ‘like every other kid I knew’, baby. I secretly hoped for a girl too. When I found out I was having a boy at 20 weeks, and that we would name him Cooper, I hoped for baseball games, camping, swimming, biking and fishing. I hoped for endless conversations and a beautiful family. I…
Read MoreA Letter To The Mom With A Newly Diagnosed Child
Dear Mama, I know you’re probably feeling every single emotion flooding through your body right now… And I wish that I was there to wrap my arms around you and give you the big loving hug you so desperately need. I may not physically be there with you, but please know that I am here…along with an army of fierce mamas who have been exactly where you are. I’ve been on this journey for almost 9 years now and there are a few things I’ve learned along the way. Many…
Read MoreWhen Family Isn’t Best
It’s been a year. A whole year. My son, Tucker, and I just got back home from his open heart surgery. My daughter, Hazel, was in the throes of her worst regression to date. And my husband Sam, and I just decided to move to Texas for a new job; more or less on a whim. That was the day I found out that Hazel had been hurt. Sam left early from the hospital, we just couldn’t afford for him to stay in Rochester with us, and Hazel needed her…
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