Autism Archives - Page 26 of 714

A shitload of updates

The boys are going to their mothers this weekend and that leaves me with a couple days to myself. Most of these days are going to be filled with rain but that doesn't mean I can't make good use of the time I'll have to myself. There are some things I want to get done this weekend. I'm working on the house and getting things better organized. Almost every room is going to be getting repainted and so there are obvious signs that we're working towards that. As I have time, I'm caulking and making drywall repairs. There are lots of projects underway but in various stages of progression. It's a bit stressful for me to see things like this but it's a means to an end. I'll maybe get…

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October 18, 2021

My thoughts

Emerging from darker times

I wanted to pop in and let you know I'm still breathing. It's been a minute but it's not because something is wrong. Quite the opposite actually. The boys are doing great and Gavin is continuing down the path to independence. I'm so proud of everyone because we've emerged from such a dark time in our lives, and we're living our best lives. As for me, I'm doing great as well. I've come such a long way and while I'm tired, I absolutely love my life. I have some amazing opportunities with work, and I'm even planning a trip for next year. I've reinvested in balancing my public and private life, which is why I don't share everything that's going on. I'm in a very healthy, rewarding relationship, and I…

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October 12, 2021

Read more about the article Why I still wear a mask, even though I’m fully #vaccinated

ENHAN

My thoughts

Why I still wear a mask, even though I’m fully #vaccinated

I wanted to take a second and put this out there because I truly believe that it's really important. Everyone in my immediate family (myself and the boys) are fully vaccinated for COVID. We're in pretty good shape in my house and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. That being said, not everyone is so lucky. Anyone under the age of twelve, cannot currently receive the COVID vaccine. It's coming soon but all these kids are still at risk until then. I even wear a mask at the gym, which is not fun at all, especially with a filtered mask. I made the decision to do that and I will continue to do so because there are people in my life who cannot yet receive the vaccine. The best way…

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October 7, 2021

Read more about the article Moving forward

ENHAN

My thoughts

Moving forward

It's been a pretty good day. We got off to a rough start with the boys and school but everything worked out. I was finally able to get a tree service out to gut the back of my property. I've been trying for months to get someone out and it's nearly impossible right now because of labor shortages. They came out first thing in the morning and did a great job. I'd like to have them come back and deal with a few other things but it will probably have to wait until the spring. I asked them today and they said they appointments are being scheduled almost four months in advance. It's kinda crazy but COVID has impacted so many things. At the end of the day, I got…

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October 6, 2021

My thoughts

Does your definition of success set your child up for failure?

It's pretty crazy how much has changed over the last few years. I was recently reminded of something and I wanted to share this with you all. Gavin has become so much more independent and is working on moving out. I'm trying to help him practice being on his own as often as possible. I work remotely so I can relocate easily and be just as efficient. I've been working away from the house on some mornings because it gives Gavin a chance to operate on his own. I'm usually within 5 minutes from the house, just in case. He's doing so well and with some help, he will do pretty well when he moves out. There are some things I need to work with him on but I'm completely…

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October 4, 2021

Read more about the article If your child struggles with emotional self-regulation (aka meltdowns, anger, aggression, anxiety, etc), Mightier can help

Mightier / My thoughts / Parenting Resources

If your child struggles with emotional self-regulation (aka meltdowns, anger, aggression, anxiety, etc), Mightier can help

Do you have a child that is struggling with emotional regulation? Would you like to help your child learn how to control their emotions in a constructive way, and not resorting to negative behaviors such as tantrums or aggression? Mightier is a game that was developed by Harvard Medical and Boston Children's Hospital to help children learn how to regulate their emotions. It has been found that in just 45 minutes per week, 87% of parents report positive behavioral changes after three months with the program! Kids who have trouble regulating their emotions might resort to more negative behaviors such as tantrums, aggression, and other emotional outbursts. Kids who use Mightier also experience a significant reduction in meltdowns. Developed by Harvard Medical and Boston Children's Hospital, Mightier uses biofeedback-based video…

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October 3, 2021

My thoughts

Poor kid is having an anxiety attack

Emmett woke up this morning and doesn't feel well. He's not sick, at least not physically sick. Emmett is a child who deals with anxiety and it can be debilitating at times. When he gets anxious, it tends to manifest physically, usually as a stomach ache. He's not physically ill but is experiencing physical symptoms. Make sense? Anyway, he's really stressed out over COVID and going to school in a pandemic. He's seeing his friends and teachers become infected. Thankfully, to my knowledge, everyone has recovered. Also, Emmett is fully vaccinated. The risk to him is minimal but not zero. He understands that but it's the not zero part that makes him anxious. He's feeling afraid for himself, his family, and everyone else. It's very clear to him that there…

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September 28, 2021

My thoughts

Then and Now: When you first hear that your child is #autistic

It's been an amazing weekend. So much has taken place and some of them were milestones. First of all, Elliott went on went out on his first date. They met up at Comic-Con this weekend and spent the afternoon checking out all of the things to see. He gave me permission to share that but I'm gonna leave it at that. I'm so excited for him and I'm glad he had fun. It's a little bittersweet because I can see how fast he's growing up and that makes me a little sad. On the other hand, he went on his first date and I'm so proud of the young man he's becoming. This is an exciting time in his life and I couldn't be happier for him. On a purely…

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September 27, 2021