The holidays are super fun, but they can also be ridiculously stressful for autistic children. There’s overwhelming events filled with new bright lights, loud music, strange foods, and people. So. Many. People. Not to mention that nearly every routine is changed or completely thrown out from November to January. School has weird breaks, you have […]
As I got ready for that first flight as an adult, my first solo flight ever and the first flight I’d been on in ten years, I was an anxious ball of worst-case-scenario thoughts. What if I got lost in the airport? What if I didn’t make my connection? What if I missed my flight […]
When you have an autistic child, goals are often thrown at you from all sides. Their OT is setting goals about creating a sensory diet, their SLP might be setting goals about communicating wants and needs, their school might be setting goals about “reducing negative behaviors”. It can feel super overwhelming, and you can easily […]
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Except when it’s not. I have always been obnoxiously holiday-obsessed. My family even has a make-believe holiday called Cookie Day and Santa even comes… When I had kids I was SO excited for the holiday season. We’d bake cookies and watch Christmas movies and drive around looking […]
I run a community on Facebook where autistic adults and parents of autistic children come together. The focus of the community is on education — that is, autistics are educating parents of autistic children. But often I see a pattern in posts with questions from parents. They seem to start the same way… “I’m scared […]
First/Then Charts… I’m sure that you’ve seen them… In classrooms and in therapy offices, maybe even at your house. And there’s a lot to unpack with First/Then Charts… Because here’s the thing: They can be extremely helpful or they can also be extremely harmful. See, there is a definite ‘wrong way’ to use First/Then Charts… […]
