Finding Myself Again

I’ve been struggling to find myself. There have been so many changes in my life over the last few years and some of them significant. Some of these changes left me feeling lost and broken. I needed to rediscover who I am, and I’ve been on this journey trying too figure it all out. Our identities can become wrapped up in the people and things we hold most dear. For me, I was a son, a fire fighter/paramedic, a husband, a special needs dad, a caregiver, a writer, amongst other things. Sometimes life throws us curveballs and can result in major life altering changes taking place. It doesn’t matter if we welcomed those change or if they were thrust upon us. When we experience loss, significant change, or get too…

2 Comments

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…

0 Comments

Parenting sometimes requires a freakish level of flexibility

I've been struggling as a parent for the last couple of weeks. I was pretty stoked about the new school year cause everyone seemed excited, or as excited as possible to go to school. I had already figured out a plan of attack in regard to balancing work and finishing projects around the house. Now I find myself in limbo because I'm waiting to find out what's going on. Emmett has been added to the mix, and now I have both boys in need of change that will require much more of me, and frankly, it's a little overwhelming. I feel like I was getting my footing, and now, I have no idea what's going on. The reality is that they will most likely be transferred to the online academy…

0 Comments

Dipping into my reserve of patience

I mentioned yesterday that Emmett was not doing well in school. I was caught off guard because I thought he was doing great, and academically he is. Unfortunately, he's struggling emotionally and didn't want to tell me because he was afraid I'd be disappointed. Last night I emailed his school guidance counselor and explained what was going on. She emailed back this morning and said that they were going to process Elliott and Emmett's transfer request together. I also heard back from Dr. Pattie, the boy's therapist. She is forwarding the letter today. I hope we can get this all done before the end of the week. I don't want this floating out there for too long, and the boys need to get started on their new routine. This was…

0 Comments

The truth is I’m really struggling right now

It's been a minute since I've written anything. While this is the part where I usually apologize for that, I'm not going to do that anymore. The reason is because it ends up feeding this insane level of guilt that I feel for not writing and I need to stop that. The truth is that I'm struggling a bit right now. Honestly, I'm struggling more than a bit right now. I don't know why I try to downplay it. I want to try and explain what I'm experiencing, as it might help someone else out there feel a little less alone. I feel like I'm spread way too thin. The reality is that in some ways, I probably am, while in others, maybe not so much. I know that sounds…

0 Comments