Read more about the article My Autistic Son Voted for the First Time: Here’s My Takeaway
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My Autistic Son Voted for the First Time: Here’s My Takeaway

Last week, my 22-year-old autistic son voted for the very first time. It was a momentous occasion for him. Seeing him exercise his right to vote was an emotional experience, and it got me thinking about what we can learn from his voting journey. Here are a few takeaways that I wanted to share. I also sat down with Gavin, and we talked about his experience on a recent podcast episode. You can also read my previous post about tips to help our kids vote by clicking here. The Importance of Accessibility One of the biggest barriers to voting for people with disabilities is accessibility. What many of us fail to realize is that accessibility to voting starts at home. It's so important that we, as parents, talk to our…

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November 6, 2022
Read more about the article The Importance of “Me Time” for Parents
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The Importance of “Me Time” for Parents

Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences a person can have. But it's also one of the most challenging. Sometimes it can feel like you're constantly giving and never getting anything in return. That's why it's so important for parents to make time for themselves. My Most Recent "Me Time" Story This weekend, the boys spent some time with their grandma. They love spending time with their grandparents. While they were out living their best lives yesterday, I got some much-needed me time.I went on my own little adventure and was able to put back into myself. Even better, I no longer feel guilty about taking time for myself or for building my own life outside of just being a Dad. I spent some time out in…

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October 24, 2022
Read more about the article The Power of Hindsight
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The Power of Hindsight

We've all been there. We look back on a situation, and we think to ourselves, "If only I had known then what I know now." It's called the power of hindsight, and it's a very real phenomenon. Sometimes we make decisions based on the information we have at the time, and later we realize that we could have made a better decision if we had known more. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately in relation to my kids. When they were younger, I made many decisions based on their autism/ADHD diagnosis. There was a great deal of trying to figure out how to hold my kids accountable. It's a difficult thing to navigate because I wasn't always sure what was within their control and what was…

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October 19, 2022
Read more about the article Talking to Your Kids About Autism: What You Need to Know
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Talking to Your Kids About Autism: What You Need to Know

If you're a parent, chances are you've already had or will be having difficult conversations with your kids. It's part of being a parent, and we all go through this, especially if we're parenting to kid with autism.. What happens when it's time to talk to your kids about autism? How do you even begin to talk to your kids about something as complex as autism? Maybe they've recently been diagnosed themselves and have questions. Perhaps there's someone in their life who's autistic? Whether it's a friend, a classmate, or a family member, here are some tips on how to approach the topic. Please remember that this is just my opinion based on my experience. Everyone's situation is different, and there is no one size fits all approach to this.…

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October 12, 2022
Read more about the article If your child struggles with emotional self-regulation (aka meltdowns, anger, aggression, anxiety, etc), Mightier can help
Mightier / My thoughts / Parenting Resources

If your child struggles with emotional self-regulation (aka meltdowns, anger, aggression, anxiety, etc), Mightier can help

Do you have a child that is struggling with emotional regulation? Would you like to help your child learn how to control their emotions in a constructive way, and not resorting to negative behaviors such as tantrums or aggression? Mightier is a game that was developed by Harvard Medical and Boston Children's Hospital to help children learn how to regulate their emotions. It has been found that in just 45 minutes per week, 87% of parents report positive behavioral changes after three months with the program! Kids who have trouble regulating their emotions might resort to more negative behaviors such as tantrums, aggression, and other emotional outbursts. Kids who use Mightier also experience a significant reduction in meltdowns. Developed by Harvard Medical and Boston Children's Hospital, Mightier uses biofeedback-based video…

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October 3, 2021
Read more about the article Empowering my kids through a Summer of Mightier
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Empowering my kids through a Summer of Mightier

COVID had taken its toll on pretty much everyone and my family is no exception. One of the things that I want to do is spend the summer, helping my kids to get back to some semblance of normalcy. COVID was very challenging partly due to the isolation, but also because of the frustration, anxiety, and fear it caused on the daily. As an adult, I found myself struggling to manage these emotions and I have a lifetime of experience to assist me. Gavin is 21 years old and Emmett is almost 13. It works amazing well with both of the boys. My kids on the other hand, struggled with managing these emotions in a way that was appropriate. Frankly, I feel like they've done an amazing job but we…

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May 30, 2021