Posts Tagged ‘boy’

Pictures, pictures, and more pictures. I’ve been taking them since my parents gifted me my first camera on my ninth birthday. This was before smartphones and the frenzy of capturing every moment took hold. I love it. Sometimes, after the exhausting bedtime routine, I lie in bed and gaze at pictures of my kids. Yes, the same kids I am constantly with. The ones I just prayed would fall asleep, granting me some alone time. Suddenly, in the quiet and darkness of my room, I miss them. When I look…

As parents raising children on the autism spectrum, we’re no strangers to the stereotypes and misconceptions that surround autism. Unfortunately, these stereotypes often support the stigmas and misunderstandings, and even get in the way of our children’s access to the support and opportunities they need and deserve. Today I want to share some of the most common misconceptions about autism and discuss how we can challenge these stereotypes to encourage greater acceptance and understanding. One of the most common misconceptions is the belief that all individuals with autism are the…

When my son was diagnosed ten years ago, I knew nothing of the diagnosis. Not a thing. I researched of course. I found Rain Man. And dark grainy videos on YouTube of individuals on the spectrum struggling. I wondered where my son would land. The savant side? The hard to watch side from those videos? Or somewhere in between? As time went on Hollywood brought us the The Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor. Eventually other shows too. Our autism looked nothing like those shows. I worried and I…

I need your help moms and dads… I need you to teach your kids about kids like mine. The ones in the other classrooms at school. The faces you may not recognize in the yearbook. My son is 13 years old. He’s a 7th grader this year. He also is autistic and technically nonspeaking on paper. But I can proudly say he has loads of words and sounds and signs and he can spell and read and even use movie scenes to tell us things. It’s unbelievable really. They told…

My son, I want to make a few promises to you. Because we have a lot of stigmas to shatter around autism. And you are just the kid to do it. With a little help from your old mom. I will carry you on my back when you can’t walk yourself. I will hold your hands to my face when you feel the need to hit your own head. I will sit on the ground with you when you need a break. I will hold your body tight when you…

But mama, “What is autism?” My sweet daughter innocently asked me. I let out a long sigh I had been holding in while she asked. And I let out what sounded like a laugh, only because it was a hard question that I truly didn’t have an answer for. “What is autism?” That’s a question I’ve asked myself so many sleepless nights. How do you explain autism to another person, especially a child. While I am still searching for the answer to “what autism is”, I do have a really…

I looked around while standing in the security line at the O’Hare International airport. Time to go home. I was only here for 24 hours. Not even really. I attended an amazing event for an amazing cause and slept through the night. I call that a successful trip. My hands were full, as they usually are. I was juggling my 2 bags, ID, cell phone and cup of coffee. I always get nervous in the security line. Like I’m breaking some law I didn’t know about. I picture myself getting…

I received a lot of questions when I shared that I was getting my nonverbal 13-year-old son a cell phone. To be honest, I questioned myself. But I had a dream laced with hope and determination. Verbally speaking is not possible for my son right now. He shows no desire. We’ve modeled pretty much every other type of communication you can imagine too. Sign language. Gestures. A speech device. Spelling. And so on. Sometimes his autism feels like a closed door. Or something just out of reach. I can see…

“I wanted to help individuals who felt alone.” When I first learned about my autism diagnosis at 11 1/2, I often wished for a role model on the autism spectrum, someone who had navigated a similar path and could offer guidance and understanding. At that time, my awareness of the broader autism community was limited. I wasn’t yet familiar with the influential voices in the field. Now, as an adult who has navigated many challenges and has established a career as a professional speaker and author, I am privileged to…

Today is my son Sawyer’s eleventh birthday. Which is a really big deal. Because according to him he’s basically 16. I am a storyteller. At least I consider myself one. I think our stories are what complete us. And telling stories about Sawyer are my favorite. And I write them down so one day, when I am old and grey, we will have them to look at. This is my favorite Sawyer story… We had arrived at Cooper’s school to pick him up for the day. It was Jamie, Sawyer,…