The 2019-20 school year has never ended. It goes on and on for our family and for many others. This isn’t because we’re all cruel parents or guardians. Quite the opposite. We maintain the sameness day after day because a predictable schedule helps provide emotional security to some people —…
Category: Relationships
Work, school, family… they are all about relationships.
Another late night of trying to balance the homeschooling summer routine, my projects, and some volunteer work. It’s after 1 a.m. and I’ve been working on the 2021-22 school plans for the girls, organizing long-overdue blog updates, watching movies for AutFest Texas 2021, and hoping that I might some night…
“I celebrate every autism diagnosis!” declares a post circulating among autistic self-advocates. I read this in several ways. First, the positives. Diagnoses help individuals receive services and supports. For many people, a diagnosis also helps understand struggles. Diagnoses also ensure, with disclosure, some legal protections. The negatives exist, too. Believe…
We have made the decision to continue with homeschooling, for many reasons. It’s frustrating, but we know the girls are doing much better academically and emotionally at home. Our daughters are going into the fourth and second grades. I’m conflicted because I know how important social skills are… and I…
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,…
Susan and I have made three major moves to reset our lives, taking us from California to Minnesota to Pennsylvania… and, finally, to Texas. We moved to Texas expecting that I’d teach high school technology and business courses. The girls would have a fresh start at a new school. Best…
Autistics struggle because most people have more social skills and extroverts with social skills lead most communities. By the age of six, teachers can accurately predict which students will be successful. That’s true in various nations, on several continents. Research has found, time and again, that the mastery of cultural norms…
Podcast Episode 0063; Season 04, Episode 27; April 20, 2021 John Ordover is a man of many talents. A creative consultant, a writer, an editor, and a stand-up comic. He’s even appeared as an extra in some of my favorite television shows. John also advocates for the autistic community as the father of an…
“What has changed since you started blogging in 2007?” The question from a Facebook follower prompted me to skim the older posts and compare them to now. What has changed over 13 years and a bit? What has remained the same? Have my attitudes changed dramatically, or only a little?…
I have started and stopped work on a memoir repeatedly since 2007. For the last few weeks, I have been attempting to resurrect the work, in part because readers of this blog, listeners to the podcast, and social media followers continue to ask for such a work. It is doubtful more…