special needs Archives - Page 7 of 521

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I’ve discovered plant therapy and it’s amazing

It's been a really long week but I have accomplished at least some of what I set out to accomplish. That's something. Yesterday, I sorta spent the day immersed in plant therapy. Emmett and I spent some time at Petitti Garden Center. It's one of the three dangerous stores for me to visit when I'm feeling depressed. It goes Best Buy, Petitti, and Home Depot. They're dangerous because I can always find something I need. All I needed was potting soil because I was potting my recently transplanted ferns. They started dying outside and I've been saving them one by one. I dig them up and plant them in a pot. All the potted ones are doing great, but I ran out of potting soil, Emmett also wanted a cactus.…

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July 16, 2022

Guest Post

Tips for helping your autistic kiddo transition into summer

My friend Mitch Leppicello, LICSW, has 30 years of experience with autistic kids and their families. He's here to share some tips for managing the transition to summer.

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July 5, 2022

Gavin / My thoughts

When scrambled eggs are so much more than just scrambled eggs

I know, this is the weirdest title ever but I promise it'll make sense. I've been an autism parent for almost two decades and I know how easy it can be to lose hope, especially when things are really challenging. We all need reminders from time to time and that's okay. encourage you all to find a memory that can act as a touchstone. When things get rough, you can focus on that memory and it will help keep you moving forward. These memories can be anything and it doesn't have to make sense to anyone else. We all have something like this in our lives, and mine is scrambled eggs. I know that sounds a bit odd but let me explain. You all know my oldest son, Gavin. If…

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June 18, 2022

Gavin / My thoughts

The coolest thing happened today

As the title states, the coolest thing happened today. I've been talking about Gavin's ever-growing level of independence, and today marked a big first for him. Gavin gets his IVIG Infusion supplies delivered every month. He organizes them into kits and even does the infusions on his own. I have almost zero involvement in the process anymore. He's doing incredibly well, and I'm proud of him. The only part of this process that he didn't do was sign for the delivery, fill out the paperwork, and mail it back to the hospital. That's always been my job. It's been my job until now, that is. When his delivery arrived yesterday, I asked him if he wanted to do the paperwork. He has to sign his name, date it, and stick…

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January 8, 2022

My thoughts

I’m 43 years old and I think I might have ADHD?

Recently, I've begun to wonder if I might have ADHD. I'm 43 years old and never once thought that to be the case. There is ADHD in my family, and both the younger boys carry that diagnosis, as does their mom. I've watched them over the years and seen how ADHD impacts their lives. I've not seen any of those struggles in myself. I'm not very impulsive and certainly not hyperactive. A few weeks ago, I read an article about other ways ADHD can present, especially in adults. Forgetfulness, failing to follow through, struggling to focus on the task at hand, and being easily distracted, among other things. I don't forget important things, but little things seem to slip through the cracks, which seems weird. I struggle with focus. That's…

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January 7, 2022

My thoughts

2 decades of special needs parenting and I’m still learning

My kids are absolutely amazing. I love them completely and without condition. They've all come such a long way and I couldn't be prouder of them. That doesn't mean we are without our challenges. As the only neurotypical person in my house, I can sometimes feel like an outsider. The irony there is that many autistic people, including my kids, can feel like outsiders everywhere else. That hasn't escaped me and it provides me some insight into what my kids might go through outside of our home. I sometimes have a difficult time understanding what's going on with my kids. I might feel like something is wrong because I misinterpret their nonverbal queues. I can read other neurotypical people like a book but slap in a bit of neurodiversity and…

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October 26, 2021

Inspirational Posts / My thoughts

Let’s Talk About Respite

I want to talk about something that's really important and most parents don't get enough of. If you're a special needs parent, you're probably all too familiar with the word respite. Basically, respite means break. More specifically, it means a temporary break and is usually associated with caregivers. While my focus is more on special needs parenting, this really applies to any parent because we all need to take care of ourselves and we all need a break from time to time. Many of you know that respite is hard to come by for many caregivers, myself included. While my kids are older and can stay home alone for periods of time, that's relatively new and wasn't always like that. They can't stay home overnight by themselves and while that…

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August 3, 2021

Inspirational Posts / My thoughts

My Moment of Clarity

I woke up this morning, super early, filled with clarity, and laser focused. The laser focused part might be a bit of an exaggeration but I wish I was laser focused. The clarity part is very true, however. Life is full of twists and turns, detours and delays, setbacks and forward progress, joys and heartaches, successes and failures. I have found that moments of pain can lead to a certain clarity that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. Sure, it's messed up that I can't seem to find that same clarity elsewhere but it's still positive, right? I'm going to keep being me. I'm going to keep bettering myself. I'm going to keep moving my kids forward. I'm going to keep growing my business. I'm going to keep believing in myself.…

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April 20, 2021