Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Parenting’
Let’s Get Real About Public Restrooms
It’s time to get real and talk about public restrooms and people with disabilities. I created the video below to bring awareness and to talk about the problems my son faces in public restrooms. It’s a huge yet largely invisible problem. The fact that older children and adults do not have diaper-changing spaces in public places is so wrong. What if the rest of us had to lie on a dirty, public floor in order to take care of one of our most basic human needs? It’s just wrong. In…
Read MoreThe Forgotten Side of Autism
The forgotten side of autism is something my son Cody lives every day. And as his mother, everyday I live the severe, nonverbal, sometimes even aggressive side. You hear so much about the children labeled autistic that go on to become speakers, lawyers or even doctors. And that’s amazing. However, that’s not our autism. I just want my son to be able to put his pants on the right way. I want my son to learn to bathe himself. I want my son to be able to tell me what…
Read MoreNew VIDEO: The Difference a Year Can Make
Oh the difference a year can make. If you would’ve told me last May that my son would be where he is now…I would’ve probably thought you were crazy. I would’ve for sure cried. One year ago, our autistic son had MAJOR problems with school, eating, sleeping, behaviors, safety, communicating, ear infections and constipation. Jamie and I felt like we were failing. Or at least it felt that way. We couldn’t get help. We couldn’t get doctors to listen to us. We couldn’t get a team put together. We were…
Read MoreI Would Not Change My Son for the World
“I would not change my son for the world. I would change the world for my son.” I came across this quote the other day and it reminded me: This is why I share my son’s story. There is so much about his autism experience that is out of my control. What I can do though is spread awareness and hope that it leads to a little understanding, patience and compassion. My son, Wilson, is four and a half years old and was diagnosed with autism at three and a…
Read MoreMeasuring Success a Little Differently Than Most
A few days ago, Cooper had an event at his therapy center. This was the first event he has ever had. While many of you parents may have had different outcomes, Cooper was never included in any programs when he was in public education. Looking back I am pretty sad about it. But that’s a story for another day. Anyhow, today, he attends a full-time autism program. We made the decision to pull him from public education during his kindergarten year when it started to feel like he was being…
Read MoreThe Privilege of Being Your Mom
When you see a special needs child the focus often is placed on the hard things. The things she won´t accomplish, the struggles and the challenges. I consider this to be very unfair. Each child is a miracle, a marvel of life who deserves our respect. We should always focus on the possibilities. What they CAN do. What they WILL accomplish. What they ARE good at. We should see the glass half full and look at every child as a diamond in the rough who needs our help to shine…
Read MoreNew Video: Wondering Why My Child
As parents, we can play a vicious game of ‘why my kid.’ I’ve been there. When my son was younger I would look around and wonder why. I did everything right when I was pregnant. Why is my beautiful boy not meeting milestones? Why is he not talking? Why him? Why our family? I’d hear stories of mothers who did drugs or drank during pregnancy and had perfectly healthy children. And I’d wonder why him. Why our family. I’m human. And so are you. I’ve had countless mothers tell me…
Read MoreLet’s Talk about Residential Treatment
It was unfathomable just a mere year or so ago that I would ever consider “sending my son away” for treatment. He’d be with people we didn’t know. We wouldn’t know what was happening on an daily basis. It seemed too hard, too cruel, too long. UNTHINKABLE. Yet here we are. We have tried EVERYTHING. Inpatient hospitalization, day treatment, shorter school days, EBD program with small class size and lots of support. Occupational therapy, crisis therapy in our home, intensive in home therapy, outpatient therapy. We have invited home skills…
Read MoreWhen I Think About Someday
This afternoon, on a beautiful Sunday, I found myself in my son Sawyer’s bedroom unpacking a box full of children’s books. Sawyer was sorta helping me. Chatting away nonstop while watching his Kindle, loading his Nerf Gun and reading a book. Every few minutes Cooper would appear. Sometimes he’d sit down next to me. Sometimes he’d grab my face and show me something on his Kindle or point to something outside. And then, like a flash he’d be gone. This is what Cooper does. He wanders. Always close. Never far.…
Read MoreAutism Outside the Safety Net of Home
Yesterday, Jamie pulled me aside and asked if I thought Cooper was acting more autistic than usual. I told him no. Now before you gasp at that statement, know that it comes from love. And an increase in autistic type behaviors means pain, anxiety and other areas of concern. If we see him all of a sudden head hitting, lining up objects, closing doors, etc., we know that something is wrong. And we dive in and try and figure it out. When a child is not verbal and not able…
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