Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs’
I Forgot About Autism
Hey autism. We forgot about you for a minute. Here we were just living life. Going about our days like “normal” people. Til’ this morning. I had a need for a good coffee and the girls wanted a milkshake so because things have been so “zen” around here, my silly guard was down and we went to the dome. As if we could just do the”get in the car” and “go sit in a restaurant” thing. I forgot. We got out of the car and immediately Rory bolted. I ran…
Read MoreAutism and Religion
I was raised Catholic. I married a Catholic man. We had our wedding in a Catholic church. We are raising our family by the Catholic faith. So when I watched a video where a Catholic priest in New Jersey who demanded a little boy with non-verbal autism leave the church during his sister’s baptism, I felt many things at once. It was a private ceremony. The boy was off to the side, stimming and running and self-regulating. I felt confused, and angry, and sad, and defeated. I felt tired. Hi.…
Read MoreMaking New Friends in the New Normal
Now that all the kids are going back to school, your child may notice that another child in their class, the hallway, at lunchtime or at recess is different than them. Your child may come home and ask you or tell you about the differences. Perhaps they will mention their physical characteristics, their special chair, orthopedics, or their different behaviors. Maybe the child refuses to wear a mask or even seems scared or excited by people in them. Maybe they will notice that another child flaps their arms or squeals…
Read MoreHow I Forgive
Did you see that story about that school in New Jersey who left a student with Down Syndrome out of the yearbook? Her name is Glenda. She is twenty-one years old, and the youngest of five kids. Her sister wrote a long, detailed post about it on Facebook. It was a good post. “Glenda is very active in the school and community, so from her perspective, it was really hard for her to understand why she wasn’t included.” My name is Carrie. I have a son with autism. His name…
Read MoreFor Those Who Came Before Us, Thank You
If you have the honor of meeting a parent of an adult child with a disability, I want you to say thank you. I want you to shake their hand. Because these people, these parents, paved the way for parents like you and me. And for our children. They probably won’t brag though. They also won’t argue with you online about trivial things either. Because they’ve seen it all…and they know what’s worth fighting over. These are the parents who upon finding out that their baby was differently abled, were…
Read MoreDear Mom, I Turned Out Okay
Dear Mom, I know raising my brother, who has a disability, takes a toll on you in more ways than one could imagine. Being your child without the disability, I know you struggled with if you were doing right by me. If your time devoted to my brother, affected me in a way that judged you as an inadequate mother. How do I know you struggled with these roller coaster of emotions? How do I know it was hard for you to manage being both my brother’s caretaker and a…
Read MoreThe School is on Lockdown
My son’s teacher sent me a beautiful picture of my son with his classmates outside and enjoying the day a few minutes before I headed to pick him up. They had an egg hunt today at school and colored Easter eggs. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a police officer telling me that my son could not leave the building. (Special Needs pick up is 30 minutes prior to school letting out) I was hysterical. He said I could sit in the lobby or wait in my car and explained…
Read MoreMother Posts Sign on House to Protect Autistic Son from Police
This story is almost three years old. I just learned of it today. I saw the photo above on Facebook. And I instantly felt ill. Sick to my stomach. Because I knew. This is the reality for so many parents in my world. This is my greatest fear. And I know say that a lot. I worry about who will care for Cooper after I am gone. Who will keep him safe. But in the now, in the day-to-day, I worry about protecting him from the world. He is nonverbal.…
Read More11 Things I Learned about Autism at Target
My son has been having some pretty big breakthroughs lately. He’s been trying new foods. An apple, a grilled cheese, a hamburger and even his first French fry. He’s been more vocal. Calmer. Happier. His anxiety seems to be going down. All huge wins in our autism world. So, yesterday I asked him if he wanted to go to Target, like I have before. For the last 6 or so years when I ask him if he wants to leave the house the answer is always no. Well, he immediately…
Read MoreSpecial Wants Holiday Gift Exchange
Our friends over at Bacon and Juice Boxes, are running the 3rd Annual Special Wants Holiday Gift Exchange and need our help. What is it? This holiday “wish list” was created as a way to help special needs families get some help around the holidays buying gifts for their special loved ones and siblings. We know that there are so many expenses when you are caring for a special needs child or adult. So, we hoped to ease the burden around the holidays and show these families a little holiday…
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