5 Key Things Autism Siblings Wish Parents Did Differently. Note: Autism siblings in this article refer to: – neurotypical siblings, autistic siblings, neurodivergent siblings AND those that are undiagnosed but “treated” as neurotypical In 2016 I hit my rock bottom. Even though I lived in my dream city, London, I was completely burned out. My own mother didn’t recognize me, I was battling with sudden panic attacks, anxiety and depression. Little I knew it was a blessing in disguise. This was a pivotal moment for me to start diving deep…
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What is it like raising a child with autism? It’s everything at once. It’s glimmers of hope. It’s heartbreaking. It’s celebrating the big and little wins. It’s grieving what you thought would be but isn’t. It’s loving your child as they are with your entire being. It’s sometimes yearning for ‘normalcy’. It’s elation. It’s despair. It’s utter exhaustion beyond imagination. It’s gratitude. It’s loneliness. It’s inspiring. It’s crying yourself to sleep for fear about the future when we’re gone. It’s love. It’s sometimes no progress and lots of regression. It’s coming…
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I stood alone on a dark bridge on a warm summer night. I listened to the creek below as it attempted to drown out the sound of my children and their cousin, playing several yards away. We were at an unfamiliar park for a small family gathering. I left my two kids with my husband and some family to walk across the park and get some alone time, a rarity for any mother. As I wandered, I came across the bridge surrounded by tall trees, which blocked out any street…
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About a year ago, my daughter was invited to her first school birthday party since the pandemic. It was a relief but my heart also skipped a beat. I had feared not being invited for so long and kept hoping if it did happen she wouldn’t notice. I was nervous but she wanted to go. She was in second grade and still in a general education class at the time. This was going to be a party filled with typical kids and their parents. I was on edge the entire…
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To those little ones–those brave little Children–whose shadows stretch longer and higher than the wisest & oldest grown-ups— To those little ones that take my daughter’s hand–wait patiently and without knowing— never give up— on her. Your hearts are bigger and brighter than the biggest apple on the tree. To those little ones who turn my daughter’s head In the right direction– Who lift her chin to make sure that she too gets to see the greatness of your Tower– and how good you did! and to those who see…
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I can’t even begin to count the number of times someone has said to me “I’m just mom, I don’t know my rights at the IEP meetings.” It’s time for that to change! I want you to own your seat at the IEP table as a parent. YOU are the only team member who is never going to change, you are the expert on your child, you are just as important as everyone else in that meeting. Let’s own your role as being a P.A.R.E.N.T: P- Head into every meeting…
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Five days a week we rush out the door. There’s a lot of yelling, some giggles, and usually a sigh of relief when we see the bus coming down the street. Five days a week we put our non verbal son on the bus and we trust with everything that we have that he will be well taken care of, loved, and included. In May during field day Whit’s para of almost two years told us she was leaving. They may have had to sneak me out the back wearing…
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My son Stalen is seven, autistic and non-speaking. He was diagnosed when he was 21 months old. He has a feeding tube and an ileostomy. I’m sharing my hard here as a parent to a child with complex needs but I know that it is hardest of all on him. He lives it every single day. HARD. It’s one word that brings about so many judgments. It highlights the challenges, struggles and encompasses all the feelings. From the moment I stepped foot in the autism world with my son I…
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I talk about many aspects of my son’s and our lives, but I don’t talk about the rest of his family as much as I should. On average there are 10 different people, including ourselves, coming and going in my home in a week. They’ve become family because they are interwoven into my child’s life and my own. They walk into my home as they would their own. Sometimes they know where things are better than I do. Ok, usually. Like that mini screwdriver. They know to go into the…
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I am a mom. I am a special needs mom. I am a wife. A sister. A daughter. An employee. A friend. An advocate. But who am I? Really? Strip away the titles and what is left? What do I enjoy doing when I have alone time? What makes me feel good about myself? What do I feel best wearing? What snacks or food do I prefer? The realization that I don’t know any of this anymore hit me extremely hard recently. I feel lost. Being a parent your life…
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