This essay is for my daughter--my best girl, who is both warrior and philosopher. She lives with milder special needs and balances that with accommodating her brother's boisterous affection. She thinks it's time to talk about the siblings. I couldn't agree more. Here's to all the sisters and brothers of special needs. "You" by Radha … Continue reading 6. You: Shoutout to Siblings Part 1

Couches Build Character Just so you know, we are those people. We have a couch in our dining room, and let me tell you, it gets sat on a lot. I didn't plan it. I had planned on a dining room that had credible dining room furniture in it. In fact, I spent a ton … Continue reading 5. Couches Build Character

Tribal Identity Years ago, in a moment of foreshadowing, we ran into a mother and her autistic daughter. We were all at a live Dora show (don't judge me!) and the mother had high hopes that her daughter, who was a huge Dora fan, would enjoy the experience. But she couldn't handle the amplified sound … Continue reading 4. Tribal Identity

We Are the Burst of Orange Juice Just because my son has grown so much in the last few years, we nicknamed him Gumby*. So that's what I'll call him here. 🙂 Years before Gumby agreed to taste oranges, he loved to watch people peel them. If one of us sat down with an orange, … Continue reading 3. We Are the Burst of Orange Juice

Putting Down the Backpack Sometimes In my life as an autism mom, I see myself in my mind's eye as carrying a (fashionably cute) backpack around all the time. In it, I carry around, symbolically of course, both useful and not so useful things that have become my companions in this journey--patience, flexibility, acceptance, love, … Continue reading 2. Putting Down the Backpack Sometimes