Podcast Episode 0065; Season 04, Episode 29; June 1, 2021 Throughout the experience of pandemic parenting, I held onto the hope for productivity. However, my focus quickly shifted from my creative works to educating my daughters and their needs have remained my primary concern. As the pandemic seems to be waning,…
Category: Parenting
Life as a parent.
A Facebook follower asked why I do not use “Au” after my name to indicate I support the Au manifesto, the Autism Union statement of ideals. Do I not support the 10 points? Do I not like the community members? Is there something wrong with Au? What does the Âû…
Our daughters, now known as “Leigh” and “Anne” on The Autistic Me, are Neurodiverse. They share some traits, share traits with me, and also have their individual needs. Their adoption was finalized in May 2019, or as they say, “We adopted you, Daddy!” The girls are everything to me. We…
What does it mean to be autistic? Like many diagnosed later in life, I turned to books for some answers. The autistic label was applied to me during my first year in a doctoral program. That was also the academic year I started this blog. Among the books I read…
Podcast Episode 0054; Season 04, Episode 18; February 2, 2021 Roy Richard Grinker is a Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs at George Washington University. His books include Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism. I met Dr. Grinker in May of 2007 while he was promoting Unstrange Minds, my favorite book on autism’s history.…
As I mentioned in a recent podcast, I’m trying to engage more online and, once the pandemic passes, I hope to return to public speaking. (Virtual appearances are always an option, if your organization would like to hear my perspectives.) Some autistics are actively engaged in activism, with large numbers…
Parenting comes with anxiety and stress. Those are part of the bargain when you decide to bring children into your life. Susan and I are natural worriers. We hope for the best, prepare for the worst. We have emergency kits in the cars. We keep a stocked pantry. We bought a…
Podcast 0053; Season 04, Episode 17; January 26, 2021 Autism encompasses social and physical disabilities. Traits become disabilities when they limit “normal” daily routines and life activities. My sensory sensitivities exist whether or not I interact with other people. I’m not going to cope well with bright light (including sunlight) or…
Podcast 0052; Season 04, Episode 16; January 5, 2021 I’ve been reflecting a lot on friendships, the connections I don’t have. Many autistics I know are more social than I am, especially online. Not every autistic is an introvert, especially in virtual communities. My autistic traits and introversion lead to personal…
Followers of The Autistic Me blog and podcast send along emails and direct social media messages with topic suggestions and questions. Many of these, I have answered in the past. I try to address private questions when asked, as well. What questions should I be addressing? Which topics are valuable to…