Read more about the article What happens today doesn’t represent the rest of your journey
Because You Asked / My thoughts / Reels

What happens today doesn’t represent the rest of your journey

Its been a minute cause I'm currently remodeling the space I use for these videos. I've been reading the personal stories of people in the Autism Parenting support group I built in reddit. I wanted to hop on here share some thoughts about the autism parenting journey, feeling overwhelmed, and even desperate along the way. I've been there and these stories are heartbreaking at times. I hope this provides at least some comfort to those of you out there in the trenches. You're not alone and remember, what happens today doesn't represent the rest of your journey. I also want to invite you to join the other 8,500 families in my Autism Parenting sub. It's a safe space to talk about parenting, learn from autistic adults, and connect with others…

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April 7, 2022
Read more about the article Feeling anxious and excited
My thoughts

Feeling anxious and excited

I've spent part of the day planning my trip to South Carolina later this month. I've been invited to things like this many times, I've even been invited to speak. This is the first time that I've accepted an invite and while I won't be speaking, thank God, I will be doing interviews and some promotional things for the National Converge Autism Summit. That's pretty exciting for me. At the same time, I'm also nervous because this takes me way outside of my comfort zone. The truth is, I like kinda being the person behind the curtain. Video conferencing took me some time to get comfortable with. I don't mind being on the other side of a screen and definitely don't mind being able to hide behind a blog post,…

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April 6, 2022
Read more about the article My thoughts and feelings about #autismawareness month
My thoughts

My thoughts and feelings about #autismawareness month

I shared this the other day on social media and I wasn't sure what the response was going to be. I was a little concerned afterwards cause I was frustrated when I recorded this. I feel like we often waste a really good opportunity each April because we lack cohesion. I literally get people, and organizations emailing me asking me to promote awareness over acceptance or the other way around. It's so frustrating, I just delete them and don't even bother with a reply. Many of you have asked about my thoughts or plans for April and I wanted to get my thoughts together before sharing anything. I recorded this a couple days ago and shared it on my social networks. If I come across angry, it's not anger, it's…

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April 4, 2022
Read more about the article I’m attending the @SpringbrookBHS National Converge #Autism Summit on April 28th and 29th
Announcements / My thoughts

I’m attending the @SpringbrookBHS National Converge #Autism Summit on April 28th and 29th

I've been talking about a few of the projects I'm working on or involved with but I've been holding off talking about this one in particular, until the time was right. Well, the time has arrived and I'm really excited to share this information with all of you. I've been invited to the National Converge Autism Summit, put on by Springbrook Autism Behavioral Health, in Greenville, South Carolina. The summit will be held on April 28th & 29th. There's an amazing lineup of keynote speakers. Dr. Temple Grandin, a pioneer in the field of autism will be there, as well as Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, journalist, and filmmaker. I will be conducting on site interviews for the podcast with Dr. Temple Grandin, Ron Suskind, as well as few other…

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April 2, 2022
Read more about the article Tips to Financially Prepare for an Autistic Child
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Tips to Financially Prepare for an Autistic Child

Having a child is always expensive. Having a child with autism can carry even more financial weight. This is because you may need to spend money on doctors, therapies, and schooling. Plus, you might need to consider financially assisting them through adulthood, too. It can be challenging for many families, especially those who don’t earn a high salary. To make sure you don’t struggle, here are some tips to financially prepare for an autistic child.  Stay on Top of Debts  This tip is sometimes easier said than done, but staying on top of debts is crucial. If you owe money, try to create a payment plan that you can afford and that won’t tank your credit score. In general, it’s best to avoid debt altogether.  If you are in debt…

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March 31, 2022
Read more about the article I’m happy, healthy, and making progress
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My thoughts

I’m happy, healthy, and making progress

It's been a productive morning so far. Emmett got to school on time and is dealing with state testing today. He's not excited about these tests, even though he always does well. It's just added stress that I feel autistic kids really don't need. That's a whole other topic for a different day. I went walking this morning and then crammed in a decent workout before coming home and getting some work done. There are several projects that I'm waist deep in right now and it's a little overwhelming. At the same time, it's also exciting because I need the work and it means I'm doing something right. It's a little scary at times but it's a good problem to have. I'm working on organization and efficiency right now because…

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March 30, 2022
Read more about the article Have you had to pursue guardianship of your adult #autistic child?
My thoughts

Have you had to pursue guardianship of your adult #autistic child?

I went on a walk this afternoon and it really helped me to work through some things. There's many reasons I love these afternoon walks but the company is one of the best parts about it. Today's walk really helped me to gain some much needed perspective. We were talking about ways of helping Gavin find greater levels of independence and part of that conversation centered on guardianship. Without going into detail, I've had some emotional roadblocks in regards to pursuing guardianship. The legal arrangements I've currently made are working well. That said, guardianship has always been on the table and it's something that has recently come up again. I'm an emotional person and there are some very real emotional hurdles in regards to pursuing guardianship. The conversation I had…

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March 29, 2022
Read more about the article I guess I’m just feeling grateful
My thoughts

I guess I’m just feeling grateful

It's been a really good day. We started out rough and Emmett was sent home from school sick but we totally bounced back. I was able to get in a good workout and a couple miles at the track. It's really cold but I sorta like the cold. I'd rather it be cold than hot. I really enjoy walking at the park, regardless of the weather. It helps me stay centered and I need that in my life. I shot the picture while walking the track today. I was lost in thought and I realized that the path I was on reminded me of my life. I turn around and I can see all the footprints, from all the places I've been. Looking ahead is like a clean slate. My…

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March 29, 2022