Read more about the article He’s been going through so much and had basically shut down
My thoughts

He’s been going through so much and had basically shut down

So I've been dealing with less sleep than usual because Elliott has decided that he wants or needs to hangout when he can't sleep. The last few nights, he knocks on my door and asks if he can hang out. He's been going through a lot and basically shut down for a long time. When he asks to hang out, that's amazing in my world and the last thing I want to do is turn him away. At the same time, it's well after midnight and I just can't keep doing this. I think he just needs the company because we don't really talk about anything in particular. We just sit on my bed and play Xbox for a little while or watch a movie until my eyes can't stay…

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November 18, 2020
Read more about the article Review of the @Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress
My thoughts / Reviews

Review of the @Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress

I'm reviewing the Purple Mattress, and I'm doing so in a nontraditional way because I'm a nontraditional person in nontraditional circumstances. Sleep has been a struggle for me since having kids. I'm a single Dad to three kiddos on the autism spectrum, and when they don't sleep, I don't sleep. Frankly, even when they do sleep, I don't always sleep. Being single, I don't even get to sleep in shifts, and it takes a toll on my physical and emotional health. That's not a good thing. It's so important that I get the most out of whatever sleep I manage to obtain. That said, I want to talk to you about the Purple Hybrid Premier with 4 inches of Purple Grid I received a few weeks ago. Disclaimer: I received…

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November 14, 2020
Read more about the article So this is what my day will look like
My thoughts

So this is what my day will look like

The kids don't have school today and that means less distraction for me. At the same time, that means less distraction for them as well. Unfortunately, that also means I'm going to have to run interference because they're likely to get on each other's nerves. I need to accomplish a couple of things today and one of those things is getting today's episode up on time. That means I'll be staring at this screen for the next couple of hours. I really enjoyed this weeks conversation and should have it ready for your ears later today. The other thing I have to do is mulch the goddamn leaves again. It's only like the 4th time this week. I'd say about 90% of the leaves are down and so this should…

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November 13, 2020
Read more about the article When it comes to remote learning, my youngest is out of shits to give
My thoughts

When it comes to remote learning, my youngest is out of shits to give

It's been a frustrating day for me and if there was a circus nearby, I might have just run away and joined it. The day started out rough and it just went downhill from there. Actually, it was a rough night prior because Emmett struggled to sleep and literally glued himself to me and that pretty much killed any hopes of me finding sleep. The boys did great in class today. Good for them, I'm very proud. Emmett is struggling a bit with what amounts to the remote learning version of homework. He keeps falling behind and it's clear that remote learning is a struggle for him. It's frustrating for me because I know this isn't what he normally does and trying to constantly stay on him about it, without…

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November 11, 2020
Read more about the article It’s not been a terrible day
My thoughts

It’s not been a terrible day

It's not a secret that I struggle with sleep. Most autism and special needs parents struggle with sleep. I'm simply following that same unwritten rule that we must constantly function while chronically sleep deprived. Anyway, I had the best night of sleep last night. My sleep score was in the 80's and I woke up feeling pretty goddam amazing. Emmett slept in his room all night long and I'm sure that helped. I'm also sleeping on a new Purple mattress and OMG, it's amazing. My back is a little sore because I have to get used to a completely different type of mattress but it's amazing. I've been waking up in the same position I feel asleep in and that's unusual for me. I'll have more on that later. Anyway,…

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November 1, 2020
Read more about the article What does sleep look like for #autism parents?
My thoughts

What does sleep look like for #autism parents?

Parents often struggle with sleep, especially when their kids are younger. Parents of special needs kids struggle with sleep all the time. I'm one of those parents. If I had it my way, I'd be in bed at 10pm every night and sleep straight through until 7am. Unfortunately, my kids don't cooperate with that. They each struggle with sleep disturbances, that we haven't been able to work through. For the most part, Gavin's doing really well with sleep. The issue is with Elliott and Emmett. Elliott claims to be a night owl and needs to be awake at night. His doctor and I call bullshit on that. The issue is sleep hygiene and poor sleep habits. In other words, he needs a better bedtime routine and a reset to his…

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October 28, 2020
Read more about the article It’s frustrating but melts my heart at the same time
My thoughts

It’s frustrating but melts my heart at the same time

I had an awful nights sleep last night. Emmett woke up at some point and climbed into my bed. My bed is a huge and he literally has to cling to me like if he let go, I'd disappear. I'm reviewing a brand new king size Purple 4 Hybrid matter with 4 inches of Purple grid and I woke up with back pain because I was twisted into uncomfortable positions by my 12 year old all night. He's been doing pretty good lately but is really stressed out with school and COVID. When he's stressed out, he doesn't sleep well. Of course, his current fever flare doesn't help either. It's frustrating for me because I need to get some sleep and that's difficult when he's clinging to me all night.…

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October 17, 2020
Read more about the article (Poll) Does your child with #Autism have trouble sleeping?
My thoughts / Vivint Gives Back

(Poll) Does your child with #Autism have trouble sleeping?

Lizze and I are facing a growing challenge when it comes to putting the boys to bed at night and having them go to sleep. Elliott and Emmett went from falling asleep within about thirty minutes of laying down, to being up until midnight almost every single night. This started during Christmas break for some reason, and we can't figure out why. I guess the reason doesn't matter as much as finding a way to fucking fix this because this is getting old. We had finally gotten Emmett through his I have to fall asleep in your bed, and then you can carry me back to mine when you go to sleep phase, around Thanksgiving. It was a glorious time, short-lived as it was. Nothing changed during the break. We…

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January 29, 2018