Autism still lives here. I want it to leave. I’ve tried taming it, coaxing it, encouraging it to move on. For awhile now, I thought it listened. So sure was I that it had vacated the premises, I made comments like, “I’m not so sure he even has autism,” and “Was the diagnosis even correct?” […]
This Worries Me Most About My Son Starting Kindergarten
My five year-old son is about to start a giant milestone: grade school. Mainly because of his August birthday, he will be entering junior kindergarten. I don’t doubt the decision to put my son in junior kindergarten. My husband and I, alongside our son’s preschool teachers, spent months discussing the decision, weighing the pros and […]
How to Raise a Bully
Bullying is all the rage right now. From cyber-slamming to good ol’ fashioned fist fights, bullies are on the rise. Haven’t you been wondering where all of these bullies are coming from? Even more so, aren’t you wondering how you can raise your own? Great news! I can tell you how. My son is young yet, but […]
Autism And The Turkey Pacifier
Autism: “self + -ism” (from the Greek prefix, auto = self) a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by social-interaction difficulties, communication challenges and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors (oxforddictionaries.com, autismspeaks.org) 2. a tendencytoview life in terms of one’s own needs and desires. (dictionary.com) Isn’t this everyone? My definition: exhaustion (sprinkled with anxiety and a dash of humor) WTF? Did she just say […]
Your Kid Will Survive Without A Birthday Party
Bounce houses; rambunctious party games; sugary candy; caffeinated soda; cheap party favors; food left out on banquet tables for children to grab, spill, and lick; large piñatas inevitably leading to kids blindfolded with bats… If these images send chills down your spine, you’re like me and, likely, you have a kid like mine who gets […]
When Your Child Is the Socially Awkward Extrovert
You know this child. He pushes his way to the front of the line, to the front of the class, to the front row of the photo. His hand is the first one up, his answer shouted out before he’s actually called on. He sings the loudest, dances the most exuberantly, appears the most confident. […]
This Is How Being Called Ugly Shaped Me
I was your typical nerdy kid all through elementary and middle school: I wore giant purple glasses in 1st grade. At one point, I had a hairstyle that could only be described as a mullet, and one picture in particular will always stand out to me: my third grade school picture. There are laser beams […]
Autism: Lost in a Lingo-Laden Land
[nextpage title=”Page 1″ ] Seventy-four. The number of new terms I’ve come across since the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder was placed on my child. And the list keeps growing. Just days before I received my three year-old son’s diagnosis of ASD, I’ll never forget what I said to a dear friend of mine with […]