Read more about the article I’m so f*cking tired of the verbal gymnastics
Autism Parenting Struggles / My thoughts

I’m so f*cking tired of the verbal gymnastics

It's been a frustrating evening tonight because there was a disagreement between Gavin and his brothers, that quickly escalated to a screaming match. The whole thing comes down to Gavin and the boys, how shall I say this, lackluster communication skills. Basically, Gavin wanted to take a break from playing a video game with Elliott. They were supposed to be working together on something and Gavin wanted to stop. There's nothing wrong with that. Rather than just say that, he made up some excuse that his tablet was at 60% and he'd like it to charge until it was 85%. Elliott felt that Gavin was blowing him off. Gavin, on the other hand, is incredibly awkward and was concerned about hurting Elliott's feelings by saying he needed a break. Elliott…

0 Comments
July 6, 2019
Read more about the article Insight into my struggles as an #Autism parent
Autism Parenting Struggles / Inspirational Posts / My thoughts

Insight into my struggles as an #Autism parent

Being an Autism parent is incredibly challenging. If you've been following our journey, you have probably picked up on that message by now. I try to be open, honest, and transparent about that because spin won't do anyone any good. 😉 I'm struggling a great deal lately. That makes an already challenging and complex situation even more so. Factor in depression, as well as the loss of several family members, and I feel like I'm drowning at times. My Daddy Do List keeps growing by the day. I have bills that need managing, a house in desperate need of repairs, a car that simply needs to be replaced because it's beyond repair, mounting yard work, and about million other things. I have a backlog of work-related things that need to…

2 Comments
July 1, 2019
Read more about the article How we knew our 11-year-old son was #depressed and how we’re helping him
Autism Parenting Struggles / Depression / Emmett John / Link / My thoughts

How we knew our 11-year-old son was #depressed and how we’re helping him

I've spoken about my personal war with depression many times. This time, I thought I would take a few minutes and provide some insight into how we knew that Emmett was struggling with depression, as well as why we decided medication was in his best interest. Everyone is different, and this is not to be viewed as medical advice or replace seeking help from your doctor. Emmett is our recently turned 11-year-old. He's the youngest of our three autistic kids. He's been through a great deal in his short life from Gavin's extreme behavior to the loss of three family members in the last eight months. Everyone in our house is on at least one medication, and some are on multiple. We take medications very, very seriously, especially for our…

0 Comments
June 30, 2019
Read more about the article Confessions of a frustrated #Autism Dad
Autism Parenting Struggles / Gavin / My thoughts

Confessions of a frustrated #Autism Dad

This is one of those posts where I'm brutally honest about something that's going on. Those with experience will be able to relate, and those without have an opportunity to gain some insight into something they might not otherwise have any experience with. The issue tonight is a reoccurring one, but I've not spoken about it in a little while. Mr. Gavin has been driving me nuts today, and the day before, as well as the day before that. You get the picture. He's driving me crazy on a pretty regular basis. I always want to preface things with a this is not his fault statement, because it really isn't his fault. Yes, choices are being made, but nothing he does is meant to upset or cause distress to anyone.…

2 Comments
June 24, 2019
Read more about the article #Autism can make dealing with loss much more difficult
Autism Parenting Struggles / My thoughts

#Autism can make dealing with loss much more difficult

Raising kids with Autism is no easy task. There are a zillion little things that we as Autism parents have to be cognizant of, that other parents don't. There are challenges our kid's experience that are unique to Autism, and it can be very difficult to navigate as a parent. Losing a loved one is one such challenge. I've been talking recently about my late grandmother. She passed away a week ago, and we had to decide how to handle services with our three Autistic kids. Elliott and Gavin didn't want to go because they knew it would be too hard. Emmett, on the other hand, struggled to decide. Ultimately, Lizze and I went on our own while the kids stayed with her parents. We knew that even without attending…

1 Comment
June 24, 2019
Read more about the article Hopefully we made the right decision
Autism Parenting Struggles / Emmett John / My thoughts

Hopefully we made the right decision

The boys are at Lizze's parent for at least the next day, and possibly the next two days. Lizze and I will be leaving very early in the morning and making our way to Youngstown. It's about an hour and twenty-minute drive, and we need to be there no later than 8:30 AM because that's when services for my grandmother begin. Calling hours were Wednesday night and Thursday morning before the funeral. I spent every day with her for the last few months, and I couldn't handle two days of calling hours. I've never had a death hit me this hard, and I'm already depressed. I decided it would be best for me to forego the first viewing and instead see her before the funeral. As I mentioned, the boys…

1 Comment
June 20, 2019
Read more about the article I think this is best
Autism Parenting Struggles / Emmett John / My thoughts

I think this is best

Poor Emmett has been struggling today. He's trying to decide if he is comfortable going to my grandmother's funeral on Thursday. Elliott and Gavin are a hard no. Emmett has been on the fence. Lizze and I don't want him to feel pressured either way, but we do need to know. My Dad called me this afternoon and asked me if Emmett might be will to read something during the mass. He was very clear that he didn't want Emmett to feel any pressure, and agreed with our approach. I spoke with Emmett about if he decides to go, would he be willing to do a reading during mass. When he said yes, I was a little concerned that he was afraid to say no. I told him to think…

2 Comments
June 18, 2019
Read more about the article This sums up our trip to the @ClevelandClinic today
Autism Parenting Struggles / Cleveland Clinic / Gavin / My thoughts / Psychiatry

This sums up our trip to the @ClevelandClinic today

It's been an incredibly long day, and I'm exhausted. For those tardy to the party, Gavin and I spent the day with our friends at the Cleveland Clinic. He was undergoing neuropsych testing. The purpose was to benchmark his level of function across several categories and compare to his baseline testing from 2014. We've seen what feels like significant regression over the last few years and his neurologist ordered neuropsych testing to establish where his new or current baseline is. Doing so will give us a better understanding of what's changed over the last five years, and we can do to better support him. His testing went well. I think it was roughly here hours long. He finished the entire process this time, and while he did get frustrated, he…

0 Comments
June 12, 2019