Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Child’
How to Treat a Child With Autism: Look to the Siblings
Happy Autism Awareness Month! I know the calendar has become saturated with bizarre days of observation, from National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day, to International No Diet Day, to National Margarita Day (not mad about that one). But I happen to think a month to promote acceptance of people with autism and inspire a kinder world is worthwhile occasion. You probably know someone who’s autistic. Lucky you! I’ll always celebrate Autism Awareness Month because my littlest man, Rhys (pronounced “Reece,” like Reece Witherspoon), is autistic and very much deserves a month dedicated to…
Read MoreOur Kids are More Than Their Hard Moments
I had the absolute honor of sitting down and chatting with an amazing adult advocate last week to talk about her diagnosis, her challenges growing up, and her successes in adulthood. Midway through the interview she said something that resonated deeply with me. ‘Children and adults with disabilities are judged by their hardest days. Their hardest moments. That’s what the world talks about and remembers us by.’ How true is that? My son is 10 years old. When he was diagnosed with autism at age 3, and later as his…
Read MoreOur Family Has Come so Far
One of the things I am practicing lately is reflection. Specifically, reflecting on how much has changed over the years. And how far our family has come. See that boy on the right with the amazing smile and giant yellow egg? His name is Sawyer and he was 4 years old. He is 8 years old now. And this is one of my most favorite pictures of him. It was Easter morning. I remember that Easter vividly. I remember handpicking every item for my boy’s baskets. I remember hiding every…
Read MoreI Don’t Let the Hard Moments Steal My Joy Anymore
Back when I was new to mothering, and new to autism, and also new to challenges outside of my control, I would spend a lot of time wondering and worrying. Wondering why it was so hard and worrying that it would be hard forever. Maybe that’s wrong, I guess I don’t know. That was my path. The why’s would consume me if I let them. Just like the hard moments that accompanied a little boy who struggled in this world. I would dwell on them, long after they were over.…
Read MoreThe Other Side of the Table
Five years ago I became a teacher; five years ago I also became the mother to a son in heaven. August 12th, 2016 I came home from my first new teacher work day. It was exhilarating, and exciting, and for the first time in a long time, I knew I was exactly where I should be. I had no idea that a few short hours later I’d find myself in the hospital in preterm labor with our first child. That same day, we lost our son, Jaxon, at only 21…
Read MoreOn Our 10th World Autism Day, We Celebrate
Today is World Autism Day. This is our 10th one. As my son has gotten older, the meaning of the day has morphed for me. It used to be about education. Today, it’s about celebrating. Celebrating differences, celebrating progress, and celebrating a boy who has climbed far more mountains than I have. And ice cream and dancing. I have three boys. Three crazy, wild, busy, smart boys. Each of them is exactly who they are supposed to be. My oldest is autistic. There are a lot more words used to…
Read MoreMore Than Words Can Say
If you had asked me what communication meant five years ago, I would have answered without hesitation, “It’s conversation, talking and listening.” Then my daughter came along and showed me how limited that perception is. Evie is five and a half years old, and was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder three years ago. She doesn’t talk, not the way most people do. She does something called scripting, which for her means using words and phrases memorized from select shows, movies and songs to express herself. She throws them out like…
Read MoreOur Hopes and Dreams for Acceptance
This morning I sat my three boys down…well, a few of us sat down and a few of us played Paw Patrol and negotiated a train ride this weekend….and chatted with them about the month of April. I asked them what happens in April. I heard Easter, mom’s birthday, and something about two train movies arriving from eBay. I may have even heard a ‘butt cheek’ in there but I chose to block that out. All true. And then I shared with them how the month of April is the…
Read MoreClimbing Mountains
A few years ago, I posted on this page, trying to be funny of course, about the challenges of putting leggings on a wiggly semi wet child who had just gotten out of the pool. Because let me tell you, it was not an easy task. It was like running a marathon. The comments were sweet and funny, mostly telling me how cute my kid was…but of course, one stood out. The lady said something like…‘I would never dress my kid in leggings. He looks ridiculous (only she said another…
Read MoreThe Questions They Ask Me
The Questions They Ask Me…See these two boys? They are almost exactly 2 years apart. Cooper is 10 and Sawyer is 8. They are like night and day when it comes to most things. My 8 year old asks me the most amazing questions. We have to be alone though. Sometimes he will ask me if his dad is around, but he will say, ‘Mom, can I tell you a whisper?’ But usually he prefers to ask when we are alone in the car or snuggling in bed. How is…
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