Cody is in a man’s body with the mind of a child. His body is growing faster than his mind and there are many challenges that come with that. Cody had a huge tantrum last night. Tantrum not meltdown...
Caregiver Reflections Archive
Enough Is Enough
From the minute you become a parent, the overwhelming fear and concern sets in. You constantly question whether every choice or decision you make on your child’s behalf is the right one. When your...
Here We Go Again: How One Family Works in Shifts to Achieve Minimal Sleep
“This photo is what we aim for — a happy, calm, contented Josh — the snapshot that we choose to share, but the everyday reality is far from this picture.” Here we go again, I say to myself, trying...
High School Is Over, But Leaving The Nest Is Not An Option For My Daughter at This Time
As written by Linda Pollack Orleans The season I've been preparing for the past several years is here. This is the season my autistic daughter’s peers settle into their new college life or embark on...
We Are Here
As written by Katie Emde from her blog @A Journey for Avery We will always fight for you. The days you are crying, the days you scream all day & when the meltdowns are never ending. We will...
Strength Not Weakness
As written by Kim Mcisaac from her blog @Autism Adventures with Alyssa Mental health struggles are real and can be dark. You can lose your ability to cope and even to care. It can push you to the...
When He Prays
As written by Lindsay Criswell from her blog @Branch and Stone Studio My son cannot usually answer open ended questions. He may not look you in the eye. My son might come by your side, but then he...
Endless Game of Charades: Trying Nonverbal Strategies
As written by Laurie Hellmann for Autism Parenting Magazine and her blog @welcometomylifeblog The minute we become parents, we instinctually set high expectations and timelines for our children’s...
Maybe One Day
As written by Margaret Hay from her blog @A&Me I am sometimes seen as rude. Uninterested. Detached. Maybe it is because when I bump into you when out, I often just say "hi" and then rush off...
When Losing Hope isn’t an Option
The following guest blog post was written by Michelle Kiger of My Redhead Warriors The last thing I ever want to do is lose hope. When our life gets really hard I try to think of our past. Look back...
A Holy Shift
I descended the stairs, immediately irritated by what was awaiting me with each scream originating from my 15-year-old son. Great, I muttered as the uninvited stench rose to greet my nose. Luke, my...
Holy Work
“This is holy work,” I begrudgingly reminded myself a day after returning home from a much needed vacation; a week of relaxation, sun, and reconnecting with my husband, and here I was now, again,...