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Emmett John / My thoughts / Proud Daddy Moments

My #autistic son is such an inspiration to me

I know not everyone will get this and that's okay. I also know that many of you will celebrate with me because you understand the significance of what I'm about to say. For those who are unable to relate, I hope this provides a bit of insight into the challenges kids on the autism spectrum can deal with on the daily. Mr. Emmett is a character. There's no two ways about it. He's so full of personality and life that frankly, it can be a bit overwhelming for me at times. He has an infectious smile and a belly laugh that will melt your heart. At just 12 years old, he's one of the smartest people I've ever met in my life. We're talking scary smart. Like, as his Dad,…

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November 9, 2020

My thoughts

I can’t think of a fucking title for this

I've accomplished a whole lot of nothing today. I know that I probably should care or at least feel a little guilty but I don't. I mean, I spent some time with my kids and did actually mulch the leaves again. I suppose that's my claim to fame for the moment and I'm cool with that. This week should be quite interesting because I'm scheduled to record my final interview for season 3 of the pod and I'll wrap things up with 40 episodes. That's actually quite an accomplishment and the pod continues to grow every week. Anyway, I have a few episodes left in post but nothing new scheduled after this week. I'm kinda excited about that. The timing is perfect because Emmett's new school schedule starts this week…

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November 8, 2020

My thoughts

Life is so fucking exhausting anymore

It's been a few days folks and I apologize for that. Ohio is worse than it's ever been in regards to COVID and we're clocking over 4,000 cases a day now. It's really stressful trying to manage this alone but it has to get done. I'm fucking exhausted but holding on for now. I'm working on making sure we have enough basic supplies to last us a little while. No, I'm not talking about hoarding. I'm simply making sure we have what we need to make it through a very challenging winter. I've been working as much as I can but to be completely honest, it's difficult to focus right now. For the most part, I make my own hours but some jobs have deadlines. The rest of the time…

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November 6, 2020

Photo by Daisy Anderson on Pexels.com

How Your Space Can Affect Your Children with Autism

Children with autism view the world differently than kids who are not affected by this disorder. Because of this, you need to make sure that your home is conducive to their needs. Before we discuss the ways that you can change your living space, let’s first talk about the qualities of autistic kids. Struggle with speech and language comprehensionDifficulties with basic social interaction such as making eye contact Obsessive in their behaviors, activities, and interestsUnderreact or overreact to sensory stimuliDifficulties regulating and expression emotions https://homeofcozy.com/reviews/lovesac/ Remember that autism is not a single disorder but a spectrum. One family’s home might look totally different from yours depending on the symptoms they have with regards to social interaction, empathy, communication, and behavior. Figure out the needs of your child first and then implement…

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November 4, 2020

My thoughts

This is going to be a stressful week

We've got another week of quarantine ahead of us and I'm super excited about that. I'm definitely not excited. We actually have until a vaccine and established herd immunity left of quarantine. The reason I say one week is because I'm taking it one week at a time. Baby steps or I'll end up losing my mind. I've got a couple of interviews this week and that will round out the 40 episodes I planned for season 3. I will have five episodes in post and will release those over the next five weeks before closing off the season 3. This is a really bad camera angle. It makes Emmett's head look enormous. He was extra snugly today for some reason but I'm not complaining. ☺ The boys have a…

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November 2, 2020

My thoughts

It’s not been a terrible day

It's not a secret that I struggle with sleep. Most autism and special needs parents struggle with sleep. I'm simply following that same unwritten rule that we must constantly function while chronically sleep deprived. Anyway, I had the best night of sleep last night. My sleep score was in the 80's and I woke up feeling pretty goddam amazing. Emmett slept in his room all night long and I'm sure that helped. I'm also sleeping on a new Purple mattress and OMG, it's amazing. My back is a little sore because I have to get used to a completely different type of mattress but it's amazing. I've been waking up in the same position I feel asleep in and that's unusual for me. I'll have more on that later. Anyway,…

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November 1, 2020

My thoughts

My kids are disappointed but it’s out of my control

The boys don't have school today because their is a Halloween event instead. I don't necessarily agree with hosting an event in person whilst Ohio is logging nearly 4,000 new COVID cases a day. I do, however, appreciate what they are trying to do for the kids. They're exercising caution and following guidelines but I still wouldn't take the chance. It doesn't really matter for us because the car is still in the bodyshop. I'm not sure how much longer she's gonna be there but it's already been a few weeks. It will probably be another week or so. The kids are disappointed but it's out of my control. While I would have likely chosen not to participate, I didn't have to make that decision. Also, while Lizze and her…

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October 31, 2020

My thoughts

What does sleep look like for #autism parents?

Parents often struggle with sleep, especially when their kids are younger. Parents of special needs kids struggle with sleep all the time. I'm one of those parents. If I had it my way, I'd be in bed at 10pm every night and sleep straight through until 7am. Unfortunately, my kids don't cooperate with that. They each struggle with sleep disturbances, that we haven't been able to work through. For the most part, Gavin's doing really well with sleep. The issue is with Elliott and Emmett. Elliott claims to be a night owl and needs to be awake at night. His doctor and I call bullshit on that. The issue is sleep hygiene and poor sleep habits. In other words, he needs a better bedtime routine and a reset to his…

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October 28, 2020