Read more about the article My Autistic Son Voted for the First Time: Here’s My Takeaway
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My Autistic Son Voted for the First Time: Here’s My Takeaway

Last week, my 22-year-old autistic son voted for the very first time. It was a momentous occasion for him. Seeing him exercise his right to vote was an emotional experience, and it got me thinking about what we can learn from his voting journey. Here are a few takeaways that I wanted to share. I also sat down with Gavin, and we talked about his experience on a recent podcast episode. You can also read my previous post about tips to help our kids vote by clicking here. The Importance of Accessibility One of the biggest barriers to voting for people with disabilities is accessibility. What many of us fail to realize is that accessibility to voting starts at home. It's so important that we, as parents, talk to our…

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November 6, 2022
Read more about the article 4 Tips To Help Your Autistic Child Vote
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4 Tips To Help Your Autistic Child Vote

I've recently helped my adult autistic son exercise his right to vote. I recorded a short podcast episode about this journey, and it's embedded below. I wanted to follow up with some practical tips that helped me to ensure my son was able to vote in this election cycle. Everyone's situation is different, but if your son or daughter is of age and they wish to partake in democracy, this might be helpful. It's important to remember that people with disabilities, including autism, have the right to vote. However, voting can be a complicated process, and some people with autism may need assistance to exercise their right to vote. Register to Vote The first step in the voting process is registering to vote. In most states, this can be done…

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October 30, 2022
Read more about the article The Power of Hindsight
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The Power of Hindsight

We've all been there. We look back on a situation, and we think to ourselves, "If only I had known then what I know now." It's called the power of hindsight, and it's a very real phenomenon. Sometimes we make decisions based on the information we have at the time, and later we realize that we could have made a better decision if we had known more. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately in relation to my kids. When they were younger, I made many decisions based on their autism/ADHD diagnosis. There was a great deal of trying to figure out how to hold my kids accountable. It's a difficult thing to navigate because I wasn't always sure what was within their control and what was…

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October 19, 2022
Read more about the article Parenting sometimes requires a freakish level of flexibility
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Parenting sometimes requires a freakish level of flexibility

I've been struggling as a parent for the last couple of weeks. I was pretty stoked about the new school year cause everyone seemed excited, or as excited as possible to go to school. I had already figured out a plan of attack in regard to balancing work and finishing projects around the house. Now I find myself in limbo because I'm waiting to find out what's going on. Emmett has been added to the mix, and now I have both boys in need of change that will require much more of me, and frankly, it's a little overwhelming. I feel like I was getting my footing, and now, I have no idea what's going on. The reality is that they will most likely be transferred to the online academy…

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September 7, 2022
Read more about the article Dipping into my reserve of patience
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Dipping into my reserve of patience

I mentioned yesterday that Emmett was not doing well in school. I was caught off guard because I thought he was doing great, and academically he is. Unfortunately, he's struggling emotionally and didn't want to tell me because he was afraid I'd be disappointed. Last night I emailed his school guidance counselor and explained what was going on. She emailed back this morning and said that they were going to process Elliott and Emmett's transfer request together. I also heard back from Dr. Pattie, the boy's therapist. She is forwarding the letter today. I hope we can get this all done before the end of the week. I don't want this floating out there for too long, and the boys need to get started on their new routine. This was…

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September 6, 2022
Read more about the article The reality of being a single parent to 3 neurodivergent teenage boys while battling my own demons
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The reality of being a single parent to 3 neurodivergent teenage boys while battling my own demons

It's been a roller-coaster week for me. The last month has been challenging for me on a number of levels and I'm trying to work my way through it. There's so much going on in my life at the moment and I'm trying to stay on top of everything. Work is keeping me busy, which is a great. Things are going well and business is growing. I just landed a major partnership that is honestly, kinda life altering for us. It's a long time coming and I'm very grateful for the opportunity. I'm so excited to get the ball rolling with that and I'll have more to share next week. All good stuff. I finally got in to see my primary care physician to discuss the results of my ADHD…

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August 11, 2022