Read more about the article Budgeting and the special needs family
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Budgeting and the special needs family

One of the things I wished I had learned eariler on was how to manage a budget as a special needs family. Maybe that comes easy for some but it didn't for me. It's something that I've historically struggled with on my special needs parenting journey, but not because I wasn't disciplined or didn't see the value in maintaining a budget. It was more a complication of the additional challenges associated with being a special needs family, limited resources, and my inability to adapt. I don't think most people recognize just how challenging being a special needs parent can be. Every family is different because every child's needs are unique but there are many common threads. Things like insane levels of stress, chronic sleep deprivation, and difficult time maintaining balance, are…

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August 23, 2021
Read more about the article I think 43 going to be my best year yet
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I think 43 going to be my best year yet

For those who don't know, I turn 43 years old on Tuesday of this week. I used to hate the idea of getting older because it scared me. I've since learned to embrace life in all its stages and live them to their fullest. Turning 43 isn't upsetting to me all and it feels good not to be dreading my birthday. In fact, 43 looks to be my best year ever and I'm excited for all the new adventures. Over the weekend, I went out to dinner for my birthday, and it was amazing. The kids are doing great being back at school and that's awesome. I don't really have any plans for Tuesday aside from sneaking in one last workout before my surgery on Wednesday. I'm a little nervous…

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August 23, 2021
Read more about the article Parenting: Tips on How To Keep Autistic Kids Safe
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Parenting: Tips on How To Keep Autistic Kids Safe

You may not already know this, but life seriously begins once you become a parent! It is even more challenging when you are raising kids with special needs. You have to stay cautious and ensure that everything is safe. Autistic children are always curious and want to interact with everything they come across. Well, curiosity is cute! But would you ever leave your autistic son at home alone? The panic might stress you out. This potential outcome is why you need a safe home for your child. The activities below might come in handy: Image credit Choose What To Teach or Let Kids Do Children do not need to know how to do everything simultaneously even though they always want to be involved in everything. As a parent, you must…

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August 22, 2021
Read more about the article How Parents of Special Needs Children Can Create an Effective Work-Life Balance
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How Parents of Special Needs Children Can Create an Effective Work-Life Balance

It’s difficult to balance a fulfilling career with raising children, particularly special needs kids. in fact, work-life balance is an illusion for many parents raising children with autism and other special needs.  The demands of raising the children alone can be overwhelming. How much more trying to combine it with a good career. It takes a lot of mental jujitsu and emotional toughness to be able to pull it off.  Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash Every autistic child is unique in the sense their triggers and tantrums can be vastly different. So you often have to cater to everyone’s needs and do so as quickly as possible. This is why many parents tend to quit their jobs so they can just focus on the child.  But how about those…

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August 19, 2021
Read more about the article Transitions Suck
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Transitions Suck

I had a really early start to my day and it was totally worth it. Sometimes I need some motivation to get up earlier than I would otherwise, but I'm always glad I did. I want to start my days eariler whenever I can. That's a goal going forward. The school year has officially begun and we got off without a hitch. Both boys are masked and vaccinated. Please do the same as soon as it becomes available. Let's keep each other and our families safe. Starting a new school year isn't nearly as stressful as it once was but that doesn't mean it's stress free, because it's not.  As the kids have gotten older and gained more independence, I don't need to be as heavily involved as I…

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August 19, 2021
Read more about the article Being a single parent is tough but I’m feeling accomplished today and here’s why
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Being a single parent is tough but I’m feeling accomplished today and here’s why

It's been a fantastic day and while it wasn't perfect, I feel like it definitely belongs in the win column. The rest of my labs finally came back in, everything is perfect, and I'm grateful. I wasn't really worried but I'm not a huge fan of the unknown. I saw my doctor this week and she was really proud of me. She says I'm going great and to keep it up. That felt really good because it's been a journey to get where I am. Don't get me wrong, I still have room for improvement, for for the moment I'm celebrating the victory. I spent the morning working on some freelance stuff and next weeks podcast episode. I think it will be next week anyway. I'm on somewhat of a…

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August 18, 2021
Read more about the article I need to make some decisions this week
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I need to make some decisions this week

It looks like this week is going include some rushing around getting everything done for school that I should done already. Both the boys need new shoes and I think we're gonna take care of that today. I've gone through all of their clothes and I think we're okay for the moment. Sensory challenges make this so much harder, especially for Emmett. He is incredibly sensitive to things that touch his skin and he doesn't tolerate pants very well. He prefers shorts but he needs pants for the colder Ohio weather. It difficult to find pants that he will find comfortable enough to wear. Anyway, the point is, it's challenging and I'm grateful that I don't have to look for too much because it will be easier on him. I'm…

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August 16, 2021
Read more about the article I get overwhelmed sometimes
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I get overwhelmed sometimes

There are times when I feel like a total failure. I've talked about before and I'm sure I'll be talking about it again in the future. I've been fighting this overwhelming feeling of being a failure recently. I know that I do the best I can but sometimes it's just not enough. I feel like I'm drowning in that feeling right now. I've been interviewed many times over the years and I'm always asked about what I find most difficult about being a special needs parent. My answer is always the same and it goes like this. One of the hardest things for me is that I wake up every single morning knowing that even on my very best day, I'm not enough. That sounds super depressing and frankly, it…

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August 15, 2021