#Autism is NOT one size fits all

Being an Autism parent isn't easy. In fact, it's considered to be among the most difficult things a human being can do. Every person with Autism is unique in their own right. They each have their own unique personality, likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. In other words, no two people with Autism are the same. As a result of this, every Autism family is different as well. There are similarities of course, but Autism isn't a cookie cutter diagnosis, and neither is Autism parenting. I have three kids with Autism and while they share the same diagnosis, they are very different from one another. Some families, like mine, face very difficult situations, that make life a struggle at times. Other families can be far less impacted and if you didn't…

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Just another example of my kids not coping with change

The boys were surprised and quite upset to see me in the parent pickup line after school today. Apparently, they had it in their head that my Mom was going to be picking them up. She wasn't, at least as far as I knew and I would be the first to know. Emmett was so upset because his afternoon deviated from what he thought it was going to be and he just couldn't move past it. Of all the kids, Emmett is the one who truly struggles with change and deviations from his planned routine. This is just one of many examples where he doesn't cope well at all. You would have thought it was the end of the world or something along those lines because he had such a…

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Managing my #Depression: An Important Update

Depression has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. There have been times when I manage to maintain the upper hand and there are others when Depression makes me its bitch. This is why I refer to my struggles with Depression as a war and not a battle. (You can read more about my war on Depression by clicking here) Recently, I made some changes to the may I manage my Depression. More specifically, under medical supervision, I removed a medication I'd been on for about six years.(see my withdrawal from Paxil). I've spoken a great deal about the withdrawal process and for good reason. It's been absolutely horrible. I'm over five months in and I'm still feeling sick everyday from the withdrawal symptoms.…

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An “OMG…. Are you serious?” #Autism Parenting Moment

I've been very open and honest about how Gavin drives me crazy with his constant talking or repetitive questions. I share that not to make Gavin look bad but to provide insight into just some of the challenges I face as a special needs parent. Maybe some of you can relate and find comfort in not being alone. Anyway, it occurred to me this morning, while taking Gavin for his weekly bloodwork, that I should share another thing he does. It's funny but at the same time, it can also be extremely frustrating as well. I've been working with Gavin every day in regards to remembering that he doesn't need to tell me everything he's thinking. There are many times that Gavin will walk into the room, with a big…

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Yes, it sucked but I feel like I came out on top

The exhaust has been fixed and the car drives silently once again, except for the squealing on the front end.. What I should say is the car no longer rumbles. ☺ They did a great job fixing the exhaust and even welded a new hook in place so if it breaks again it doesn't drag on the ground. That would have been really nice to have yesterday but it all worked out. The entire repair was only $50 and I was able to pull that off. Look, it sucks that the the repairs were needed in the first place. It sucks even more that someone broke into the car last night but rather than dwelling on the obvious negatives, I'm going to focus on something else instead. At the end…

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We had a break-in last night

I was getting ready to load the car up and take the exhaust to get repaired this morning when I notice that someone had broken into our car...again. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time it's happened and I doubt it will be the last. You'd think the obvious security cameras would make people think twice but apparently not. I'm pulling video this morning but it might not have picked anything up. Thankfully, there wasn't any significant damage but they absolutely trashed the car. I'm not sure how they got in because I had locked the doors yesterday afternoon and hadn't been back in the car until this morning. Not only did they trash the car but they left things in the car that weren't in there to start with. Whoever…

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I’m trying to remain positive

Today's been a challenge for me on a few levels. We finally were ready to remove Maggie's kennel from the house and that sucked. Noone wanted to remove it before today and we respected that because we thought it might help them work through things. It seems to have helped and that's a positive thing. Lizze, Gavin and myself went for a walk this afternoon and it was gorgeous out. We got to see all the newly hatched baby geese, the first painted turtle of the year and a bunch of freshly bloomed flowers. It was invigorating to witness Mother Nature at her best and it put all of us in a great mood. Shortly there after, I was scheduled to meet with the principal to work on some fundraising…

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My 5 biggest #Autism Parenting worries and how I’m addressing them

If being an Autism parent was a video game, the difficulty setting would the three or four notches above the highest setting. That's not meant to be a joke. Autism Parenting requires more from a human being than most human beings are capable of. My wife and I are no exceptions to this. Over the last seventeen years, we've had to constantly triage our life, shifting our priorities on a daily basis, in order to meet the needs of our kids. It's an exhausting way of life because there's always so much to worry about. I wanted to address some things that my wife and I worry about as Autism parents, as well as, how we're addressing them in a positive and productive manner. I'm focusing on things that I…

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