Gavin hit a major milestone on his journey to independence

Today, I'm thrilled to share a milestone achievement in my autistic son, Gavin's journey toward independence—a journey marked by resilience and quiet strength. At 24 years old, Gavin faces challenges that many of us can barely fathom. Diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), his immune system is severely compromised, which means he's highly susceptible to infections that his body struggles to fight off. To manage this condition, Gavin has adopted a rigorous medical routine that involves self-administering a crucial medication through two small needles directly into his abdomen, not once, but twice every week. The procedure itself is daunting and time-consuming, at times taking several hours each session. It's a testament to Gavin's fortitude that he has managed these infusions on his own for many years, enduring the discomfort…

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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. ❤️

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.

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So yeah, that happened

For the last few days, the boys and I were in Tennessee, on vacation with my entire family. We all had a really good time but two days before we were supposed to leave to come home, Emmett broke his arm in a tubing accident. I posted the video below on IG briefly explaining what happened. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cxi8qBPRe-N/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== The whole event was pretty awful. Emmett was miserable and on overload from everything that was going on. Long story short, he was so brave and handled himself so well. I couldn’t be prouder of him. Emmett’s okay and managed to avoid surgery. I felt it was best to get him home ASAP, so we left a day early. Emmett and I made a few stops on the way home. Elliott and Gavin…

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