Read more about the article We have a very difficult decision to make about the education of our two little boys with #Autism
Elliott / Emmett John / School Related Issues

We have a very difficult decision to make about the education of our two little boys with #Autism

Lizze and I have been discussing something that makes me incredibly uncomfortable. While this is something I really don't even want to think about, as parents, I don't think we have much of a choice. The topic of concern is whether or not the boys are in the right school. I don't like this conversation because the idea of even thinking about moving the boys to a new school is something that terrifies me.  At the same time however, I've become more and more concerned that a move may be necessary. Let me say that I really like the staff and the school as a whole. I would recommend it to people who have kids that struggle in the public school system. The concern for us lies in whether or…

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September 6, 2016
Read more about the article A major update about Elliott and homework 
Elliott / Homework / My thoughts / School Related Issues

A major update about Elliott and homework 

First of all, I hate the idea of homework in general.  There's so much research out that that proves homework doesn't improve test scores at all.  I'm even less supportive of giving homework to kids with special needs.  There's several sides to this coin but the biggest things are pretty solid arguments in my book.   Frankly, I can see this from both sides and here's why.   I want my kids to reach whatever their potential is. I want them to be prepared for the real world, so they can function within to the best of their abilities. This requires that my kids be held to a reasonable standard.  Homework is something that they won't be able to escape in high school or college and practicing now is a…

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September 2, 2016
Read more about the article I don’t even know where to start
Elliott / Emmett John

I don’t even know where to start

Emmett had the hardest time sleeping last night. I'm going to skip the pleasantries and get right to the point.   Elliott woke me up around 3am because apparently, Emmett had woken up and decided to screw this plastic nut on his index finger.  The only reason he was able to get it on was because it's threaded on the inside.   I don't know what he was thinking but he screwed this thing over his knuckle, which couldn't have been easy or comfortable.  By the time they came and got us, his poor little finger was swollen purple.   We had to do a 3am emergency removal of this stupid and it wasn't easy or pleasant. That said, I did manage to get it removed.  Unfortunately, Emmett and Elliott…

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August 31, 2016
Read more about the article We’re at the psychiatrist for Gavin and I’m terrified
Elliott / Emmett John / Gavin / My thoughts

We’re at the psychiatrist for Gavin and I’m terrified

We are finally at the psychiatrists office for all three boys.   Elliott is a simple meds check and refill, while Emmett's is in regards to a meds check, refill and sleep issues. Gavin on the other hand is a far different and much more complicated situation.   I'm sitting here sick to my stomach because I don't know what's going to happen.  We may not have any choice but to adjust his meds and that scares the shit out of me.   Thank God I'm not doing this alone anymore. Lizze and I are prepared to do whatever we have to in order to help Gavin.   I'm seriously shaking as I'm writing this because I'm terrified we have to increase his Clozapine. 

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August 29, 2016
Read more about the article An example of how locked into routine kids on the #Autism Spectrum can be
Elliott / Emmett John / Routine

An example of how locked into routine kids on the #Autism Spectrum can be

I went to pick the boys up from school yesterday. Actually, Lizze and I both went to pick the boys up from school yesterday.  We got there a little bit before 3pm, which is dismissal.  As my long time readers may recall, I typically get to the school about an hour early, park in the shade and write.   This makes me first in line to retrieve my kids.  The boys will usually see me there during their hour of school and feel better kowing that I'm there to get them.   Yesterday, I walked into the school rather than wait in line forever.  When I walked into the school, it was a little before 3pm and I caught Elliott walking out of the office and Emmett in somewhat of…

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August 26, 2016
Read more about the article We are still struggling with sleep issues
Elliott / Emmett John / Sleep Issues

We are still struggling with sleep issues

Sleep issues are one of the more prolific symptoms that can present when someone's on the Autism Spectrum.  It's one of the more exhausting challenges as well.  Elliott and Emmett are both struggling with sleep issues.   Elliott wakes up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. Sometimes he's not able to fall asleep either.  On the other hand, Mr. Emmett can't seem to fall asleep in his own bed. He sneaks out of his bed after being tucked in and makes his way to our bed, where he proceeds to encase himself in our pillows and blankets.   We put him back in his bed after he's asleep and most of the time he'll stay there.   There are countless reasons why sleep can…

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August 26, 2016
Read more about the article It’s the end of the world. Well, it’s the end of Elliott’s Minecraft world anyway 
Elliott / My thoughts

It’s the end of the world. Well, it’s the end of Elliott’s Minecraft world anyway 

The boys have really been into Minecraft lately and Elliott discovered mods for Minecraft PE. I warned him countless times that while mods may work, they may not always work correctly or they could even corrupt his game data, meaning he could lose all his world's.   Some of the mods began causing problems right away.  No one could join his world and he was no longer able to join our family realm.   He lived with it for a couple weeks but decided that he needed to remove all the mods and get things working correctly again.   Unfortunately, that ended up costing him the world's he's worked on for many months and he now has to begin again.  He's pretty devastated right now but it is what it…

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August 22, 2016