Merry Meltdowns

The day after a major holiday is usually one of the most difficult days as a special needs parent. Of all the major holidays that can present with day after fallout, Christmas is by far the worst.  The boys have been freaking the fuck out, all day. Fighting and bickering is a constant issue today and frankly, it's pushing me to the brink of insanity.  I get upset and frustrated, like any parent would. The difference being that I have to keep in mind that at least some of this is out of their control. How much remains unclear but a large portion of this is related to overstimulation.  On the other side if the coin, I don't want to excuse their behavior simply because they are spectrum kids. They…

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Christmas with the Gorski’s: A Special Needs approach to celebrating Christmas 

Just some brief background before delving into this as it's important for context.  My wife suffered from caregiver burnout and that lead to an almost two-year separation while she was focusing on getting the help she needed to recover. We never divorced but she lived with her parents and I raised the kids on my own.  This past June, we put our lives and our family back together. Having spent two Christmases with our family being fragmented, this Christmas is/was very special to us.   Christmas is different for every family. Some families can go all out and others not so much.  Everyone is different and that can prove to be especially true when it comes to a family like mine. Having three kids with special needs changes just about…

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Please go the f**k to sleep

It's very quickly approaching 1:30 am and Elliott still isn't asleep. We've tried everything to help him but he's just too anxious. Melatonin hasn't helped and neither has endless back scratching. We had him take a relaxing bath and even tried essential oils in the diffuser. Lizze and I are so fucking tired. We obviously can't go to sleep until all the boys are asleep. It's our job to ensure that not a creature is stirring, not even an Elliott.  Perhaps some of you are going through the same thing...  This is for you... ☺ https://youtu.be/6-HjtRGIcog

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Christmas Eve has been absolutely exhausting 

I've got a larger Christmas entry coming soon, so I'll save most of the Christmas related stuff for that. 😀  For now I wanted to talk about how everyone seems to be doing as the holiday excited sort of envelops us in all its overstimulating glory. The short version of the story is that its been a very, very, very long day.  I picked the boys up from my parent's house around noon today. It was quite apparent that they were extremely anxious about Christmas. Frankly, any kid would have a higher level excitement as Christmas day approaches. With my kids however, regulation is something that doesn't come easy for them. They wear their excitement and anxiety on their sleeve for the whole world to experience with them.  😁  Gavin…

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The must see videos from this year’s Christmas program

I know it's a little late but here are the skits both Elliott and Emmett did with their respective classmates for the Christmas program this year.  This happened yesterday and I'm hoping you all enjoy it as much as I did.    The first video is Elliott and his class. Elliott is being really silly cause he was just in that kind of mood. The second video is Emmett and his classroom. Emmett is on the far right, making the elf puppet do some amazing things.. ☺  https://youtu.be/Ux1qV8X7Duo https://youtu.be/sXFpyMB5STo

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Things have changed and I need your opinion

I've been a bit disconnected lately and I apologize for that. To say that I'm spread thin would be a relative understatement. I'm really trying to stay on top of everything but not always doing the best job. Not only does that present itself here but also in my daily life.   I want to make a quick announcement before I head off to bed.  Some of you have reached out because comments you've left here have been disappearing. I cannot for the life of me, figure out what's going on.  Here's the facts: Comments made are disappearing after being submitted They are not caught in spam filter They are not being deleted or moderated in any way Comments show in the recent comments widget I receive email notifications of…

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Ferrets – Ferrets – Ferrets

I keep getting requests to see some recent pictures of the ferrets.  We have three ferrets and they have become a very positive influence on our kids. I know that sounds weird but let me explain.  I guess the easiest way to sum things up is that the ferrets are like service animals and they provide comfort to the boys. They are truly amazing creatures and we love them dearly... ☺ 

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