Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs’
The World is so Different
Last night, over dinner, my 7-year-old asked why the people did bad things at the capitol. I was a bit taken aback by his question. I didn’t know he knew anything about it. I first asked him where he heard about it. Then I asked him what he knew. He told me the kids were talking about it at the hockey rink. He also told me who each of the kid’s parents supposedly voted for. He asked why they did it and why they all had flags and why people…
Read MoreRaising a Child With Autism; You Are Not Alone
During the years surrounding my son’s autism diagnosis, I could barely say the word “autism” out loud. I thought I would just break down every single time and, frankly, I didn’t have time for that. To be clear, this had nothing to do with shame. Not one day has gone by that I am not immensely proud of this boy. It was about fear, worry, the unknown, and all the other bumps along the road to acceptance. All a parent could ever want is for their child to be…
Read MoreSupport Small Business
Are you all continuing to support small business? In Minnesota, our restaurants are all still closed for in-person dining. So take out it is! Which, in our world, isn’t all that different. Eating dinner at a restaurant is still on our bucket list! Anyhow, North Pole Restaurant in Newport, MN has the best breakfast ever! All three of our boys will dive into this pancake and even ask for seconds. Keep supporting your local restaurants as much as you can! They need us! Good morning from these three! Finding Cooper’s…
Read MoreThe Whispers of the Past
Throughout our journey to finding your voice I have come to learn the beauty in the simplicity of a whisper. There were days where I dreamt of your voice. I’d wake in tears trying to remember every moment, the tone, your facial expressions, but as quickly as the dream came, the memory of it left forever. My days would be filled with working with you on gaining communication skills, whether they would be by verbal speech or by hand gestures. I wanted, no I needed you to be able to…
Read MorePerspective from an Autism Uncle
I remember my Godson Zachary’s first birthday after his severe, nonverbal autism and apraxia diagnosis. I remember it clearly. I bought him this Ninja Turtles hat, knowing he hated hats but I thought how that was the one he was going to love. Spoiler alert, he didn’t. I think everyone in Zachary’s village has had this kind of moment over the years…which is fine and mostly harmless…but this doesn’t do him any favors. I think about that moment often. I don’t remember ever discussing the hat any further but I…
Read MoreLearning, Growing and Embracing
Last weekend I was driving myself and my three sons home from my mom’s house in Wisconsin. We had just celebrated Christmas and my SUV was packed to the brim with toys, leftovers, and love. The sky was dark as I navigated the backroads I’ve driven home for 30-some years. I remember being a little girl and dozing as my parent’s car bounced over the same bumpy roads. Only this time I was the parent, and I had two sleeping boys in the seat behind me, and one more awake…
Read MoreEach Person With ASD Is A Raw Gemstone
I wrote an essay recently about how my 16-year old son Jack got a job, and then a promotion, at local restaurant. This might not seem like a big deal, but Jack has autism. He struggles with regulation, executive functioning, severe anxiety, and communication. In other words, he jumps around a lot, he has little to no working memory, he’s afraid of loud noises, and he can be a little, uh, abrupt. A few days ago, I got an email from a lovely young woman, describing her own journey to…
Read MoreLet me Tell You About the Siblings
I want you to know something. I want you to know that I hear you when you say his screams are too loud. That I see you when the disappointment of delayed plans hits or when a need overshadows a want. That I understand when things don’t go the way you had hoped. I want you to know that I’m painfully aware at how much our world has tipped upside down. From the emergency c-section, to the American way of postpartum care that failed. The 14 months of 24/7 care…
Read MoreMamas who are in the Grief Stage; it is okay
Why would you feel grief over autism? Your child is alive. They are healthy, even happy most of the time. It could be so much worse they say. I have said those words to myself as well as had others say them to me. It does little to bring you comfort in the darkest corner of your mind. All it really does is make you feel guilty and believe me we feel an insurmountable amount of guilt already. The guilt can be even worse than the grief. I could tell you…
Read MoreAge is Literally Just a Number
Today I find myself decluttering. It usually makes me feel quite a bit better…when I’m in one of those random funks. But if nothing else, today’s chore left me feeling more gloomy than anything. I first tackled the hall closets, our makeshift office in the spare bedroom, and then turned my attention to Beckett’s room. Truth be told, there isn’t much going on in our son’s room..to declutter, or otherwise. Of course, he has a sturdy, nice bed, complete with ladder and slide. There are various decorative pieces on his…
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