Read more about the article Something I do to help my #Autistic son better navigate life and the people in it
Autism Parenting Insight / Gavin / My thoughts

Something I do to help my #Autistic son better navigate life and the people in it

Gavin's been in a really good mood today. He's usually a good mood kind of person but today was a bit different. I've been working with Gavin for years on being able to goof around. He's so serious all the time, and if you try to joke around or tease him a little, he tends to freak out. We've been practicing making stupid jokes and some harmless, good-natured teasing. The idea behind this is that Gavin can loosen up a bit and better understand the difference between goofing around and being made fun of. Gavin tends to take everything personally, and that's not always the appropriate response. It's similar to knowing the difference between someone laughing with you and someone laughing at you. Anyway, this morning, I made a joke…

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April 23, 2019
Read more about the article Time off for good behavior
Autism Parenting Insight / My thoughts

Time off for good behavior

If the boys are feeling better tomorrow, Lizze and I will get a desperately needed break. It's been nonstop since last Friday, neither one of us have been sleeping well, and we need to unplug ASAP. Assuming we get time off for good behavior, we probably won't do anything particularly exciting. Funds are tight, and Lizze hasn't been feeling well, so the likelihood that we'll actually get out of the house is not high. Maybe I'll grab some takeout or something simple like that. Lizze and I have never really been able to do many of the things that couples do for fun. Either we don't have the money, time or even the energy. It kind of sucks and I'm really trying to improve our situation, so we are afforded…

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April 19, 2019
Read more about the article Even the smallest changes can be disruptive to my #Autistic kids
Autism Parenting Insight / My thoughts

Even the smallest changes can be disruptive to my #Autistic kids

Mr. Elliott is home from school due to illness. He was actually sent home from school yesterday with a low-grade fever and cough. Since you have to be 24 hours without a fever before returning to school, he's currently resting in his room. Emmett was not happy about having to go to school alone, and Lizze did a fantastic job of helping him work through that. He's still not happy, but he made it to school and will hopefully have a good day. As with many kids on the Autism Spectrum, he doesn't like changes to his well-established routine. It doesn't really matter how big or small the change may be, he doesn't like it. Honestly, as a parent, it can be exhausting trying to keep up with everyone's routine…

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April 16, 2019
Read more about the article Phone calls from the school during the school day are never good
Autism Parenting Insight / Elliott / Emmett John / My thoughts

Phone calls from the school during the school day are never good

Just when I thought things were finally settling down and we could catch our breath from all the Gavin drama this morning, Lizze gets a phone call. Elliott is in the school office with a fever and needs to come home. I had to drop what I was doing to retrieve him from the office and bring him home. Of course, I would drop everything to retrieve one of my kids, what parent wouldn't? Elliott isn't feeling well, but I'm glad that we were able to make him more comfortable. I'm currently waiting for Emmett to come out of the school and he's going to be a bit flustered because he doesn't like surprises. This will probably throw him off and make waves in his world for a little while.…

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April 15, 2019
Read more about the article When your kid with #Autism is distressed
Autism Parenting Insight / Emmett John / My thoughts

When your kid with #Autism is distressed

I had a hard time falling asleep last night. It had been an exhausting and emotional day. When you're an Autism or Special Needs parent, and your kids are experiencing distress, it has a significant impact on everyone in the house. Lizze and I were both stressed out and drained last night. Neither one of us fell asleep quickly. I remember seeing 2 AM on my nightstand's Google Hub. I was up at 7 AM and feeling pretty good. I hit the track and got my 3 miles in before 9 AM. That's a great start to the day. 😀 Emmett didn't sleep well and was up long before we were. I got home from walking, and he's already struggling a little bit. I'm hoping that he will feel better…

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April 7, 2019
Read more about the article Another Day Another Routine Disruption
Autism Parenting Insight / Family Pets / Gavin / My thoughts / Ruby

Another Day Another Routine Disruption

The boys got off to school after a rough start to the day. They were at each other's throats before they were even dressed for the day. That said, they made it to school, albeit a bit later than normal but in a good mood. I got my morning walk done and was just settling in to get some writing when Lizze noticed a problem with Ruby. Ruby was fixed about a week ago and has been sedated and living in her kennel, with her cone of shame because she's just too crazy. Unless she's physically in our lap, she's too hyper and she's not allowed to be until next week. It appears that she's popped at least several stiches and there's been some recent bleeding. It also looks like…

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April 3, 2019
Read more about the article #Respite shouldn’t be a luxury
Autism Parenting Insight / My thoughts

#Respite shouldn’t be a luxury

Many Autism parents don't get breaks very often. Our lives are incredibly stressful because it's 24/7 and sleep is often in short supply. Respite shouldn't be a luxury, it's a necessity but unfortunately, respite is often out of reach or unavailable. My wife and I can go a good while between breaks but we are very lucky to get them. We have very supportive family and that's truly something to be grateful for. We had one such break last night, while all three of the kids were with their grandparents. My wife and I had about 24 hours to ourselves but were too tired to actually take advantage of the time. When the kids are gone, we probably should be playing catch up with things around the house. We probably…

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March 30, 2019