Posts Tagged ‘special needs family’
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 MoreThe Transition from Child to Caregiver
I spent the last few days in the hospital with my dad. He is 79. When we are young we think our parents are invincible. We never pause to think that they are getting older. Until they do. Growing up, my dad always seemed so tall. So big. So calm. His motto throughout life has always been, ‘be kind.’ I can remember him saying it to me from a very early age. I never truly understood it’s importance until I had kids of my own. He knew all along. As…
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 MoreThe Brightest Sky
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids. My second son, Jack, is diagnosed with autism. I used to think the hardest part of autism was the day we got the actual diagnosis—the day I walked into the cold rain of a November afternoon, and attempted to zip my squirming toddler’s jacket. I was wrong. I’m wrong a lot, if we’re being honest here. The hardest part is now. Sure, a lot of it was hard—the nights when he didn’t sleep, the long days chasing him around and making sure he…
Read MoreThis is Acceptance
Let me tell you about a boy I know…His name is Cooper. Today, we had a party in our front yard and we celebrated him. We had ice cream and sprinkles and chocolate syrup and cupcakes. We invited all the kids in the neighborhood and their parents. And we celebrated this boy. The one who was born seeing and hearing and feeling and thinking in his own unique way. Some people tried to tell me that his life was going to be sad and lonely. They told me all of…
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 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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