Read more about the article My #autistic son is such an inspiration to me
Emmett John / My thoughts / Proud Daddy Moments

My #autistic son is such an inspiration to me

I know not everyone will get this and that's okay. I also know that many of you will celebrate with me because you understand the significance of what I'm about to say. For those who are unable to relate, I hope this provides a bit of insight into the challenges kids on the autism spectrum can deal with on the daily. Mr. Emmett is a character. There's no two ways about it. He's so full of personality and life that frankly, it can be a bit overwhelming for me at times. He has an infectious smile and a belly laugh that will melt your heart. At just 12 years old, he's one of the smartest people I've ever met in my life. We're talking scary smart. Like, as his Dad,…

10 Comments
November 9, 2020
Read more about the article Today’s Victory: Pants
Emmett John / My thoughts / Today's Victory

Today’s Victory: Pants

I want to take a second to remind everyone to celebrate the victories. As Autism and Special Needs Parents, we're all to aware that even the smallest step forward still means forward movement. Focus on those victories, even on the really bad days because it helps to maintain perspective. That being said, I want to share a victory we celebrated yesterday and again today. It may not seem like a big deal to the uninitiated but trust me when I say, this is huge. For the first time in as long as I can remember, Emmett has worn a different pair of pants to school. This has been a nightmare and we have not been able to find a pair of pants that he will wear to school, other than…

0 Comments
February 21, 2018
Read more about the article I had to tell my son he’s NOT a failure
Clothes / Emmett John / My thoughts / Sensory

I had to tell my son he’s NOT a failure

I've been working with Emmett on wearing his new pants. It's not been an easy journey but I will cautiously say that we might be making a baby step forward. ☺ For those new to the party, Emmett is our 9 year old with Autism and significant Sensory Processing issues. Food and clothing are his mortal enemies. Food doesn't taste, smell, feel or look right and clothes make him itch. This has a profound impact on day to day life, especially when it comes to school. Apparently, the school requires clothes to be worn and there are many days where Emmett simply cannot wear clothes because the hurt. We recently had what I thought was our first successful shopping trip in regards to finding pants he will wear. He tried…

0 Comments
February 4, 2018
Read more about the article Teamwork is the only reason we survive
My thoughts

Teamwork is the only reason we survive

Lizze is still under the weather with a stomach thing and was unable to go with us to celebrate my Mom's birthday last night. She needed her rest and the best way to do that is without the kids bringing down the house around her. lol The boys and I had a lot of fun last night, a little too much fun actually. Holy crap were they bouncing off the walls both while we were there and when we got home. After a couple of hours, I had all I could take and we mad a graceful exit. There ended up being a ton of people present and that gets the boys overly excited. Bedtime was a serialistic nightmare but they did finally go to bed. Lizze didn't sleep well…

0 Comments
February 3, 2018
Read more about the article Many people will take for granted that their kids wear clothes, but not this #Autism Dad
Clothes / Emmett John / My thoughts / Sensory

Many people will take for granted that their kids wear clothes, but not this #Autism Dad

It's been a roller-coaster day here in The Autism Dad household. We started the say off with a bang or rather an enormous meltdown (see Autism Parenting Confessions: Does anyone else ever feel like giving up but won't?). It's wasn't fun. Poor Emmett couldn't tolerate his clothes and there was nothing we could do. The school pants he would wear are in tatters and we've been unsuccessfully trying to find replacements that he'll tolerate forever. After things settled down a bit, I told Emmett that we would try looking for pants again today. We ended up at Sears, which incidentally is shell of its former self. I'll be honest with you, I didn't have much hope that would find something because even Lizze's Mom has taken him out looking for…

0 Comments
January 22, 2018
Read more about the article A massive meltdown set the tone for the entire day and that sucks
Elliott / Emmett John / Meltdowns / My thoughts / School

A massive meltdown set the tone for the entire day and that sucks

It's been one of those days where I'm not sure how we've made it this far. lol For the first time in awhile, Emmett almost didn't make it to school because of sensory processing issues. Those issues were of course related to his clothes. Truthfully, I don't think he was feeling well. He was complaining of a headache and tummyache but I don't know if that was behind his struggles or just influencing them. By the time we worked through it, we were an hour late to school and they had missed breakfast. We stopped by McDonald's on the way so the boys could get something to eat before dropping them off at school. Emmett was hanging on by a thread already but when McDonald's screwed up his order not…

0 Comments
January 17, 2018