Podcast Episode 0069, Season 5, Episode “0”; 31 August 2021 Season Five Trailer This podcast is about real life. I’m an exhausted parent, an imperfect husband, a freelance writer, a former educator, and an authentic diagnosed autistic struggling to hold things together day after day. Transcript Welcome to The Autistic Me Podcast.…
The Autistic Me
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 —…
Podcast Episode 0068, Season 04, Episode 32; 17 August 2021 Another rant on pandemic parenting? Absolutely. I’m exhausted. My wife is exhausted. If people don’t come to their senses I’ll be podcasting about the COVID-19 pandemic for another full year. Somehow I’ve managed to record 68 episodes of The Autistic Me…
Neuro, the Greek-based root for Neurodiversity, neurology, and neurons, draws attention to the physical nature of the brain and the greater nervous system. With my doctorate in rhetoric, I get stuck on words and meaning. More accurately, my obsession with precise meaning and clear communication likely guided me towards the…
Podcast Episode 0067; Season 04, Episode 31; July 13, 2021 Laura Reber is a school psychologist and founder of Progress Parade. At Progress Parade, they know what makes you different makes you strong. They provide 1:1 online tutoring with hand-picked specialists for students who have been diagnosed with ADHD, learning disabilities,…
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…
What am I? Who am I? It’s easy to dismiss the questions as a bit silly. The “who” is a philosophical question beyond the what, yet the answers create a Venn diagram because who we are is what we are. I am a father and husband. Those are the roles…
“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…
Podcast Episode 0066; Season 04, Episode 30; June 18, 2021 Gary Martinez is a fitness trainer and father of Monica, a 15-year-old autistic young woman. He describes his choice to leave a “Big Box” fitness center for independent fitness training as becoming “an athlete for life” focused on Monica. Gary integrates sensory activities into Monica’s…
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…