Just because we can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there. I saw this recently and wanted to share this with you all. When raising kiddos with autism, it’s easy to sometimes get caught up in the daily struggle. We’re tired, overwhelmed, and about a million other things. When progress feels slow with our kids, we can blame ourselves for not doing enough or endlessly worry about their future. Trust me, I’ve been doing this for 23 years and I get it. Often times, however, growth and progress are taking place but maybe not in ways we anticipated. Just remember that simply because we aren’t seeing progress on the surface, doesn’t mean our kids aren’t experiencing growth. Just something to think about. ❤️
We don’t stop being parents when they become adults
This is Gavin. Gavin is my 24 year old autistic son who has recently begun building his own adult life. This past week Gavin called me from the break room at work and was incredibly upset. He was not making a great deal of sense and only after calming him down could I really understand what was going on. After a few minutes, I was able to figure out that his phone wasn’t working correctly and he was freaking out because he liked watching YouTube on his lunch break. He was frustrated because this disrupted his routine and he doesn’t like that. He was currently calling me from his watch because his phone battery had died and he didn’t know what to do. He had a few minutes before he…
Navigating haircuts with my autistic kids
The question has been asked. How do I navigate haircuts with my 3 autistic kids. I thought since Elliott literally just walked out from getting one, we’d talk about it. In general, haircuts are easy now but it wasn’t always that way. When the boys were little, it was a sensory nightmare. I’d put off haircuts for as long as I could because I knew how difficult it would be for the kids and everyone else involved. There were times that I would have their hair cut really short just so it would take a little longer before we needed to return. The boys struggled with sitting still. The noise from the electric clippers freaked them out and the little hairs that were left behind made them itch and drove…
We Need to Talk Parent to Parent – Judgment
Let’s chat parent to parent. I know how bad it feels when you’re judged by others. I live it every single day. Let’s talk about it for a minute and I can share how I’ve learned to deal with it.
What #Selfcare Looks Like in My Life
As a father to three incredible children on the autism spectrum, my journey has been filled with unique challenges and profound learning experiences. One of the most valuable lessons I've learned is the critical importance of self-care. It's not just a luxury; it's an absolute necessity for both myself and, by extension, my family. Embracing Self-Care as a Priority Self-care for me goes beyond the occasional break; it's about consistently recognizing and addressing my own physical, emotional, and mental health needs. The demanding nature of parenting, coupled with the specific needs of raising children with autism, means that without a solid self-care routine, burnout is not just a possibility; it's likely. I’ve tangled with burnout too many times over the last 23 year. My Approach to Self-Care For the longest…
We are dealing with some new challenges
It’s been a little bit since I opened up about some of the challenges we’re dealing with as an autism family. While life is definitely good, there are some new challenges that have come up recently and I want to talk about them.
A Parents Guide to Autism and Sensory Eating (S6E53)
Sensory eating is something so many autism families struggle with daily, mine included. My guest this week is Brittyn Coleman, aka The Autism Dietitian. Brittyn is one of only a handful of dietitians across the country specializing in autistic kids. She’s here to help us better understand what sensory eating is and how it differs from picky eating. We also talk about how we can help ensure proper nutrition in our kids, and expand their menus in creative ways.
A Fun Q&A with My Autistic Son (S6E48)
Answering Random Listener Questions with My Autistic SOn