April brings “Autism {fill in the blank}” day and month. Is it “Autism Awareness,” “Autism Acceptance,” or something else? I don’t have the time or energy to care. Each year, I rant about the month. Most people are “aware” of autism, though I question if that awareness helps anyone. My…
Tag: family
I spent Christmas 2023 at home alone. Susan, Leigh, and Anne are in California, visiting family. My anxiety spikes when I’m alone. I worry about all the things that might go wrong because, too often, things have gone wrong while Susan and I were apart. From flooding basements, kidney stones, and…
Podcast 0111; Season 07, Episode 04; 4 December 2023 Our family is tired — exhausted — but we are well. The first half of this school year has gone smoothly, though everyone is extremely busy. We’re so busy that the blog and podcast had to be set aside, much as…
Podcast 0106, Season 6, Episode 16; 11 July 2023 Elizabeth Bennett, Life Coach for Families With over 35 years of teaching, administration, and coaching experience, Elizabeth offers a unique blend of leadership, vision, and vast knowledge background. She is a retired award-winning school principal with a relentless passion for empowering…
Podcast 0105, Season 6, Episode 15; 20 June 2023 Loss, and its accompanying trauma, alter our minds. The neurodiversity of PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, illustrates how stress alters us. For autistics who rely on stability and routines, losing friends and family results in multiple traumas. In this episode, Marinda Dennis…
Podcast 0103, Season 6, Episode 13; 30 May 2023 Josh Stehle, Superhero Expert Josh Stehle is an autism author, speaker, advocate, and leader from Philadelphia, PA. His debut book, I am a Superhero Expert, explores autism awareness from his perspective as the brother of Zach Stehle, an autistic young adult.…
Dear 2023, you have already been way too interesting. We’d appreciate a change to “boring” mode for the remainder of your days. And, definitely, no more near-death experiences. We’re disappointed in you, 2023. We’re already looking ahead to 2024. As 2023 began, we thought the year was going to be uneventful.…
Hello to 2023 and good riddance to 2022. As we look back on the last few years, the curse “May you live in interesting times” comes to mind. Please, may we have a boring, uneventful 2023? Our family is exhausted. We need a year that’s relatively mundane. First, a reminder…
Podcast 0096; Season 6, Episode 6; 6 December 2022 DJ Stutz, Parenting Coach DJ Stutz is an Early Childhood Specialist with more than 20 years of teaching experience. DJ has an immense love for children, with 5 of her own, 12 grandchildren, and 70 nieces and nephews. She understands the…
Podcast 0088, Season 5, Episode 19; 07 June 2022 I’m not much for travel, something I’ve written about on the blog and mentioned on the podcast. I dislike airports, struggle on trains, and mass transit systems are sensory nightmares. Travel for conferences and family visits require a lot of mental…