Do you need a self-care challenge? It can be easy to lose track of you in your role as special needs parent.  But just like putting your oxygen mask on first in an airplane, you have to find a way to maintain your own mental and physical health, or you will be less effective in managing your ... View Post

An autism diagnosis changes not only the world of the person with autism but the world of those around them. Overnight, you become an autism mom. The news can, at first, be paralyzing. Then, often comes a period of intense research - reading everything you can get your hands on, waking up in the ... View Post

What are special birthdays? I know, I know- all birthdays are special. But some are even more special. If it takes a village to raise a typical child in our complicated world, it takes a mid-to-large-sized city to raise many special kids.   After preschool, we moved beyond the model of ... View Post

So what is a "sensory bank"? An autism diagnosis often comes with an additional diagnosis of sensory processing disorder.  Some aspects of this can be sensory-adversity - shying away from loud noises, bright lights, and big crowds.  Other aspects can be sensory-seeking - searching for strong ... View Post

Autism and sleep.  Or perhaps, more accurately, autism and LACK of sleep.  No matter what the age of your child, you may have spent hours searching for autism sleep advice.  There is little else in the world of autism parenting that more directly affects YOUR quality of ... View Post

New Year’s is a weighty holiday - no pun intended.  On New Year’s Eve, you may overthink your outfit, overpay for dinner (or a “dinner” of appetizers!), or have unrealistic expectations for the evening - or all three.  On New Year’s Day, you may be trying to fit all the “goodness” of your ... View Post