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.…
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I want to take a few minutes to talk about autism. This is my teenage son. He has what is called High Functioning Autism. I’ve always thought this was a poor name for a very complicated life existence. At a month shy of 14 he officially became a vendor at a local antique store. Because of the way his brain works, because of his Autism and ADHD, he has the ability to watch The Antique Road Show, American Pickers and Pawn Stars and store items away in his mind. When…
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Autism is unconditional love. Autism is hard. Autism is constant struggles. Autism is often full of denials. I received a message from a new mama struggling to accept her son’s diagnosis and trying to find the words to tell her family. I couldn’t give her a magical answer. All I could say was the words will come when you’re ready. Do not rush the emotions. Take time for yourself to absorb the diagnosis. It is life altering. It is shattering. I can honestly say I didn’t accept the Autism diagnosis…
Read MoreNow 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…
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We chase sleep this kid and I. One of us loves it. The other one not so much. Although he never misses an afternoon nap with his seven blankets and train magazines. I call him a 90-year-old man every afternoon. But the nighttime sleep, he doesn’t love it so much. He goes to bed great…always has. But his preferred time to wake up is 3 am. He comes in my room, touches my shoulder to let me know he’s awake and then he wanders downstairs. I can hear him, my…
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We just went for a family walk plus two. Cooper knew there was a train magazine waiting for him at the mailbox so even though it was not ideal walking, (90 degrees!) we got a good walk into the park before getting the mail. Before we stepped off the porch, Cooper grabbed my arm to get my attention, covered his ears with both hands, and pointed to the sky. Fireworks. He was scared. I think about his world sometimes. Fire and noise in the sky. Scared to step off the…
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Tomorrow is the 4th of July. A fun, typically outdoor, social, loud, hot holiday. It’s also a holiday that can be very challenging for families like mine. And put a lot of stress on us. See, our older son struggles with a lot of the parts that make up the fourth. He is scared of fireworks, although he loves to watch them on his iPad. The second he hears one, no matter how far away, he takes off running and hides in our pantry. Parties overwhelm him. Most noises are too…
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It’s interesting to know how much my attitude plays into this whole mothering thing. When my oldest was diagnosed with autism six years ago, my focus was him and him only. He was the one who was struggling. I needed to help him. I learned after hitting my breaking point, that my mental health mattered too. I was exhausted. I was worn down. I felt the weight of hope firmly on my back. And my attitude was being affected. I was looking at things through a sad lens. A heartbroken one.…
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Often in this journey, I come across super cool stuff that can help kids and adults on the spectrum learn vital skills and the best part is sharing it with all of you. Empowered Brain by Brain Power is one of them. So often, children with autism, like my son Cooper, can have a hard time making eye contact when interacting and that can mean they miss out on a lot of information. Ned Sahin, founder and CEO, of Brain Power recognized that and created the tool ‘Empowered Brain,’ that…
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Mama, you are not alone. I have lost sleep too, and I don’t have all the answers. I also don’t have a crystal ball with what this back to school season will look like. My special needs kiddo also can’t wear a mask, and he can’t communicate when he’s feeling sick. He still puts things in his mouth, and he still spends more time than most on the floor. My son misses routine, and teachers, and friends. He also needs to see your mouth and your eyes when learning how…
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