Read more about the article Why a #meltdown kept my son home from school today
Autism / Emmett John / Meltdowns / My thoughts

Why a #meltdown kept my son home from school today

Emmett was in rare form this morning. He began melting down the moment he woke up. I'd say he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but I don't think it was that simple.  I've spoken many times about my understanding of Emmett and meltdowns.  Emmett is extremely sensory driven, very easily overstimulated. He spends a good deal of time, looking for stimulation his body needs to know where he physically exists in time and space.  It appears that Emmett had a really good time at the zoo yesterday, with his school. It also appears to have drained his resources. When his resources are drained, he doesn't cope well with anything, and today was one of those days.  As far as Emmett is concerned, his day was shot…

4 Comments
April 28, 2017
Read more about the article Opinions Wanted: Should our kids with #Autism be forced to conform? 
#Autism Question of The Day / My thoughts

Opinions Wanted: Should our kids with #Autism be forced to conform? 

I'm really looking for the communities input for this discussion, because this is a rather sensitive topic, but one that needs to be discussed.  Should we force our kids with Autism to conform to the world around them? Should we allow our kids with Autism to simply be who they are, and make the world around them adapt to meet their needs?  I know this sounds like a loaded question but with so many kids being diagnosed everyday, I think parents need some ideas of how to do what's best for their child.  I'm looking for anyone to comment, especially the Adult Autistic community. Adult Autistics have such valuable insight and I know I could always use the help.  Please treat each other with respect, even if we differ in…

24 Comments
April 28, 2017
Read more about the article How to decide if homeschooling is right for your child with #Autism 
Guest Post

How to decide if homeschooling is right for your child with #Autism 

Photo via Pixabay by Theresa_Quagraine Deciding whether or not homeschooling is right for your child on the autism spectrum is difficult, and it’s not something to be entered into lightly. There are many things to consider--including whether you’ll need to modify your home in any way--and taking over the way your child learns and receives information can be overwhelming if you’re not prepared. Yet many public schools find it a challenge to be able to meet the needs of their special needs students, and it’s a big concern to parents as to whether or not their children are getting everything they require during an average school day.  Because there’s such a wide range of treatment options available for children who fall on the autism spectrum, many schools just aren’t equipped to…

2 Comments
April 28, 2017
Read more about the article Guess where the boys went on their field trip
Elliott / Emmett John / My thoughts

Guess where the boys went on their field trip

This will be super quick.  I wanted to share that the boys both went to the Akron Zoo yesterday with their school. They both had a great time and Elliott couldn't even remember how many animals he saw.  Emmett really loved the underwater slide that runs through the otter habit. The otters would follow him as he went down the slide.  Elliott's teacher snapped a picture for Lizze and I. It was while he was standing by the otter exhibit. He wanted the picture because the otter is Lizze's favorite animal in the world.  They both arrived home safely, after having a good time.  Elliott was upset on the bus ride home, but I explained that in the previous post. 

0 Comments
April 28, 2017
Read more about the article I didn’t realize what the problem was until today
Autism Parenting Struggles / Elliott / My thoughts

I didn’t realize what the problem was until today

I've come to an important realization today. I used to think that Elliott didn't have any issues with socialization. He has friends and interacts with them throughout the day. When we're out in public, he's the most polite kid in the world, and people comment on it all the time.  All those things are good. They're great actually, because not all kids on the Autism Spectrum have those skills.  Unfortunately, it never occurred to me that what he's been struggling with has to do with social skills. On the surface, everything seems great. It's when you look a bit deeper that the problems become more apparent.  Elliott struggles to understand where people are coming from.  Today is a perfect example.  Elliott was riding the bus home from the field trip…

22 Comments
April 28, 2017
Read more about the article Never underestimate the impact of a meltdown 
Emmett John / Meltdowns / My thoughts

Never underestimate the impact of a meltdown 

This was one of those days where I spent all the energy I had in morning.  The boys went to the zoo today and the anticipation/excitement of that kept Emmett from sleeping last night. We camped out on the couch and he did eventually fall asleep, but he didn't get nearly enough.  He was a holy terror this morning. Overstimulation, exhaustion and anxiety are not his friends.  As volatile as he was this morning, when we got to school he was fine. He gave me a super long hug and a kiss, before hopping out of the car and walking into the school.  I don't know own how he turns it off like that. Gavin used to do that and it drove me crazy. He's get Lizze and I all…

16 Comments
April 27, 2017
Read more about the article The meltdowns are killing me today
Emmett John / Meltdowns / My thoughts

The meltdowns are killing me today

The boys are going on a field trip to the zoo today. Emmett is in a truly horrible mood this morning. He's been screaming all morning and it's been like one long meltdown.  The problem is likely the fact that he woke up after midnight and couldn't go back to sleep.  He and I crashed on the couches in the living room but he didn't fall asleep for hours.. That meant that I couldn't fall asleep for hours as well.  I don't have the patience to deal with this at the moment, as I'm exhausted. 

0 Comments
April 27, 2017
Read more about the article The meltdowns are killing me today
Emmett John / My thoughts

The meltdowns are killing me today

The boys are going on a field trip to the zoo today. Emmett is in a truly horrible mood this morning. He's been screaming all morning and it's been like one long meltdown.  The problem is likely the fact that he woke up after midnight and couldn't go back to sleep.  He and I crashed on the couches in the living room but he didn't fall asleep for hours.. That meant that I couldn't fall asleep for hours as well.  I don't have the patience to deal with this at the moment, as I'm exhausted. 

0 Comments
April 27, 2017