I have a confession to make. I have been holding my son back. Angel will be seven this year and there is so much that he can do. He can do more than I thought, more than I imagined. Of course, I did not realize this before because I never gave him a chance. I told myself he is autistic. He needs me. I need to do these things for him. Then, I would get a note from school about … [Read more...]
The Impact of Autism on My Marriage
Marriage can be a roller coaster ride. This is to be expected when two people are trying to build a life together. So what happens when autism enters the mix? Although autism impacts each child and marriage in a different way, there are some common issues that autism families face. They can include financial challenges, child care, special education, lack of support, parenting … [Read more...]
Autism Awareness in 2014: 10 Facts You Need to Know about Autism
I ran into my six-year old son's former daycare provider the other day. During our conversation, I told her that he had been diagnosed with autism. As soon as she heard the word autism her facial expression changed. It conveyed shock and sadness. Then she held on to both of my hands and said, “I am so sorry.” Her expression told me that she truly believed that an autism … [Read more...]
The Best Gift We Can Give Our Children with Autism This Holiday Season
As parents of children with autism, we often wonder what to get our children for Christmas. Some of our children are verbal and can tell us what they want. Some of our children are nonverbal or have limited communication skills, so they can’t tell us what they want. As we fill our carts with clothes, gadgets, and toys, remember that the BEST gift we can give our children … [Read more...]
Facing Autism: 10 Things We Think About When Considering A Second Child
When are you having second child? Does Angel get lonely? People ask me these questions all the time. Some even tell me that I am depriving Angel of having a playmate. In essence, they all want to know when my six-year old son will get a brother or sister. All I can say is: “I don’t know.” When Angel was born, my husband and I never asked IF we would have a second child. We … [Read more...]
Autism Is Not Contagious!
Picture this: I am standing on the train platform with my six-year old son, Angel. It is cold. Too cold for November. Angel is munching on Doritos as we wait for the next train. All of a sudden, he turns around and looks at one of the ads on the platform wall and yells: “BLUE"! The lady sitting next to him jumps. She is startled. I understand. But, what she does next, I do not … [Read more...]
Interview: 4 Ingredients Every Marriage Should Have When Raising a Child with Autism
It was a pleasure to interview Chris Superville and Shanté Nicole Harris-Superville to discuss autism and marriage. We rarely get to hear about the marriages that are working for autism families. I know some married couples raising children on the spectrum and I know single parents doing the same. It can have its challenges either way. Yet, all of these families are doing their … [Read more...]
Facing Autism: My Journey to Acceptance PT II
Click here to read Facing Autism: My Journey to Acceptance PT I In fall 2011, I found out that my four-year old son was cognitively 1.8 years old. Life had just gotten real. Of all the words that were written on Angel’s school progress report, those were the words that hit me the hardest. At this point in our journey, we were finally facing the fact that our son needed … [Read more...]
Facing Autism: My Journey to Acceptance PT I
Our first meeting about Angel’s developmental progress is one that I will never forget. It was the first time that someone suggested that he may be on the autism spectrum. This was four years ago and back then I had no idea that we were just beginning our journey with autism. I remember my husband and I walking into the meeting room with our two-year old, Angel. He … [Read more...]