Posts Tagged ‘autistic adult’
The World Deserves to Know Him
We have always been very diligent in letting our son interact with the world. At 19, he is 6’3” and 230lbs. If he were the same boy as he was at 6 or 12, he could not be living with us. We could not handle him at this size. It’s been scary, difficult, unpredictable and emotionally hard. Time consuming and physically demanding at times. But with a neurotypical daughter who is an avid athlete, we knew he had to be acclimated to her world and the world. As much as…
Read MoreNo One Talks About Group Homes
I have this recurring dream. I don’t have it very often, but I have it enough to recognize it through the years. In it, I’m alone in a vast ocean. The sea has picked up and I’m treading water with my head barely above the waterline. The waves occasionally crash over me and I come up gasping for air. There is no thought involved in this, I just tread water automatically with a tinge of desperation, struggling to keep my head or sometimes even just my mouth above water so…
Read MoreA Normal Breath
I was finally sitting on the couch with a cup of tea when my oldest daughter came downstairs. “Um, Mom, I just walked in on Ellie in the bathroom and she was holding poop in her hand.” Shit. Literally. So this is it, this is going to be the “next thing”. Our new challenge. A new behavior. A new reason to hold my breath. It is the day after Christmas and I feel as though I haven’t exhaled in the last 72 hours. I thought I could finally breathe normally.…
Read MoreLooking to 2019
2018 has been one for the books. So many positives have transpired. I woke up to a beautiful smile this morning. Tap, tap! In the world of special needs, just like in typical parenting, when our children are thriving or, “gasp,” getting ahead, there are often those who are not cheering us on. Have you ever felt guilty because your child is moving forward and maybe a friend’s child is not? I get it, I really do…most likely I have been that mom too. One of my goals for 2018…
Read MoreIt’s Not Always Easy
Hear me out on this one.. I share our story because so often I receive messages from fellow special needs parents that their hearts are broken. All the time it’s questions, remarks on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ do we make parenting a child with significant needs look easy. I always step back and take a breath. It’s not easy. We literally spend all of our time working to give our son Jake the best quality of life for HIM. And to be honest, that does not always equal OUR best…
Read MoreI’m Thankful For You: The Co-Founder of Agapi
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Morgan Ayala and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.) This December I would like to honor and thank Nina, the co-founder of Agapi Behavioral Consultants. Agapi was established in 2015 and their primary clinic is located in Greenville, South Carolina. Their mission is to provide a fun and educational centered environment for children with developmental delays. While also providing an environment which motivates and rewards their team of therapists. I have two boys, both with ASD. Dominic is five and…
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