Caregiver – Page 2 – The Autism Dad

ENHAN

Is this how other adults function?

Today was such a good day for me. I made so much progress in the living room. I was able to get everything patched up and prepped for Wednesday when we paint the ceiling. I stayed on task and got everything done. The living room will be ready to start receiving fresh cost of paint this Wednesday. It's amazing how small changes in the way I approach things can have such a positive impact. I have to use things like lists, reminders, post-it notes, broken down tasks, self-imposed deadlines, and the like in order to keep myself on track. I have mixed feelings about it but truthfully, it's a small price to pay for adult functionality. I'm so grateful to have figured this out because if today is an indication…

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January 31, 2022

My thoughts

I’m 43 years old and I think I might have ADHD?

Recently, I've begun to wonder if I might have ADHD. I'm 43 years old and never once thought that to be the case. There is ADHD in my family, and both the younger boys carry that diagnosis, as does their mom. I've watched them over the years and seen how ADHD impacts their lives. I've not seen any of those struggles in myself. I'm not very impulsive and certainly not hyperactive. A few weeks ago, I read an article about other ways ADHD can present, especially in adults. Forgetfulness, failing to follow through, struggling to focus on the task at hand, and being easily distracted, among other things. I don't forget important things, but little things seem to slip through the cracks, which seems weird. I struggle with focus. That's…

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January 7, 2022

My thoughts

I’ve learned to never underestimate my kids ability to overcome

Today began the transition back to school after the holidays. This used to stress me out because more often than not, it was a nightmare scenario. Kids on the spectrum do not like change. Many years were spent trying to navigate transitions like this and it wasn't fun for anyone. Thankfully, it's gotten much better. My kids are so much more resilient than they used to be. While there are some anxiety related hiccups, such as Emmett not sleeping last night, the transitions have become little bumps in the road than a ten car pile-up. I'm so grateful for that. If you're reading this and still dealing with some of these issues, please know that it does get better. I won't promise that it will be a cake walk and…

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January 4, 2022

My thoughts / Personal Growth

An emotionally exhausting level of personal growth this week

It's been a long, emotional couple of days for me and I'm exhausted but feeling better. Sometimes personal growth can be a bit more challenging and it forces me outside of my comfort zone. While it can be unpleasant in the surrounding moments and take some adjustment on my part, it's ultimately a good thing. This is especially true when learning to navigate new things for the first time. I'm a big fan of personal growth and sometimes it can be uncomfortable but it makes me a better person in the end. I know the people in my life deserve the best I have to offer. I woke up today feeling really good and highly motivated to keep pushing forward with what I know I can do. I have people…

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December 9, 2021

Hiking / My thoughts / Self-Care

It’s a self-care kinda day and here’s what I have planned

It's been a relatively quiet day so far. It's beautiful outside and the kids have been working on the house while I've been working on........work. I still have 3 seasons to remaster and re-upload. It sucks and it's time consuming but otherwise pretty easy. Anyway, the boys have been a great job with minimal fighting. I really appreciate the minimal fighting side of things because it's exhausting and annoying for me to have to deal with. I'm sure many of you can relate. Something that I haven't really talked much about is that we've been trying to reserve Sundays for hiking. Getting out into the woods is the absolute best way to both end one week and begin another. Depending on the weekend, it might just be a grown-ups only…

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November 7, 2021

Contributed / Sponsored Post

Supporting Your Family With Self-Care: What Can You Do?

This is a contributed post and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of this blog or its author. https://unsplash.com/photos/WMjqzYGoU5w When you’re the head of the household and you have a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, you can often feel the pressure to help everyone. It can often be easy to confuse the idea of parenting and guiding and supporting your family, with doing everything for them. While every family is different, and you are going to have to accept your individual circumstances and find a rhythm that works for you, you will also find that bringing in some self-care can really do a lot for your family’s dynamics. And here, we’re not just talking about your immediate family, but your aging parents too. Because we…

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April 18, 2018

Gavin / My thoughts

The judge approved my request

I received a phone call from Probate Court, to let me know that the Judge had issued a ruling. That may sound a bit dramatic but that's exactly what happened. Yesterday, I requested a copy of the adoption decree from when I adopted Gavin. Apparently, there's a rather significant process involved in doing that and that involves getting permission from the Probate Court Judge. Rather then walk in and simply request a copy of paperwork, I had to petition the Judge for permission instead. I get some adoptions are sealed but I'm seeking documentation for the adoption of Gavin, where I was one of two parties. It's not a secret or something I would have thought was protected. It's not a huge deal, I just thought it was a bit…

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April 17, 2018

Gavin / My thoughts

There are times as his father, I have to turn away and cry

Lizze and I had a fairly decent night to ourselves. The E's were at their Grandparents but Gavin was home. It's not really a night off, even with Gavin being the only one home. Gavin is becoming more and more difficult to manage. That wears heavily on us both physically and emotionally. It's physically exhausting because it's physically exhausting. It's emotionally exhausting because it's painful beyond my ability to articulate, seeing Gavin decline to the extent he has. Heartbreaking is probably a better word choice. Gavin is such a sweet kid but he's 18 years old and we have to seemingly micromanage his every move. We have to make sure he doesn't hurt himself doing something he shouldn't. We have to make sure that all the things that he doesn't…

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March 25, 2018