Life after loss with autism, preemies and a rainbow baby
This afternoon I carried Sawyer to the car without shoes, Parker and McKenna ran behind. I told them they didn’t need to grab their coats, just hurry, hurry, hurry. Ashlyn ran out with headphones dangling from one pocket, trying to stuff a cell phone into the other. A phone call two minutes prior had shot us into […]
Before my life as a stay-at-home mom/writer/taxi driver, I was the director of an autism center. I had the privilege of watching countless children and teens on the spectrum come in and out of our doors every day. One of my favorite teens was a boy with Asperger’s. He was broad and tall for his […]
Twelve years sit between Ashlyn and her next siblings. I parented through more than half her childhood and nearly survived the middle school years before adding more kids to the mix. Raising a child with autism before parenting her siblings who do not have autism taught me a few things I hadn’t expected. 1. Including others […]
Since the beginning of my life as an autism mom I have been surrounded by versions of what people think our autism is. Well-meaning onlookers have mentioned that my daughter doesn’t count 5,000 items in 30 seconds like Rain Man or memorize the name of every US president like that one other person with autism they know. […]
Let me explain what it is like to go from having a child with autism to having an adult. If you already know what autism and adulthood like feel free to skip ahead to the picture at the end of this post. If you already know because you happen to be one of the few […]
With April comes Autism Awareness month. In the past I was the first mom to wave my puzzle piece ribbon while shining my blue light but I’m just not there anymore. Everyone knows someone with autism. I don’t need to remind you that the numbers have now risen to 1 in every 68 children. I’m […]
There’s this strange argument I used to have with myself and I’ve always wondered if other parents did the same. As the mom of a special needs child, I looked for every opportunity for her to be with her “peers.” I wanted her to be treated like them. I wanted her to be included in […]
Today is the official day of the End the R word campaign. There is a story I could share about how this word was directed towards someone I love dearly. But I won’t. I heard what was muttered and the person it was directed towards did not. Putting it in print will not help either […]
I took a risk and handed my phone to the teenager two rows in front of us. I wanted a better picture of the sign with her name on it. “You know one of those kids?” the man standing next to me ask. “I do. The one second from the coach? That’s my daughter.” I […]
On the way to pick up Parker I lodged our SUV firmly in a diagonal position in the driveway. I had already run back in the house ten times to find the perfect snack/drink combo to keep Sawyer quiet for the ride so I was left with about 15 minutes to complete the 20 minute […]
