Another child with autism has died, and this time, the victim was murdered by his mom. You will hear many things as this story unfolds. You will hear that raising a child with autism is hard. You will hear that many are hopeless and helpless and left to fend for themselves as they navigate an…
For Hire: One Special Needs Child to be a Tour Guide at Disneyland
Remember that story that was trending a few weeks ago about a bunch of rich folks paying for a special needs tour guide in order to obtain a Disneyland Guest Assistance Pass? You know, that pass that special needs families get as a “perk?” The one that makes their visit to the happiest place on…
Outrunning Andrew: When Our Children with Autism Wander
Those beautiful eyes. That radiant smile. Hers could be his and as I stare at the photo of Mikaela Lynch, a beautiful little girl with autism who wandered from her family home on Mother’s Day last year and lost her life in a creek nearby, I think of all the near misses we’ve had with…
Advocacy and Asshats
Sometimes, I’m tired. Sometimes, there are days when I don’t want to put on my big girl panties and my Cloak of Advocacy (which, if you must know, is made of the softest velvet and the perfect shade of green to accentuate my eyes) and go out into the real world and shake my fist…
Disneyland Guest Assistance Passes Not a “Perk”
Our special needs son Andrew loves Disneyland; but that’s not what makes him unique. After all, you’d be hard pressed to find a child that doesn’t dream of spending day in and day out at the world’s most famous amusement park. What does make Andrew unique, however, is that unlike many other children his age,…
Why My Best Friend’s Daughter Made Me Cry
It’s not a conversation you expect to have with a 2nd grader. I was in the car the other day with my son Andrew, and my best friend’s daughter, Berkeley (yeah, like the school). We were in the McDonald’s drive-thru (hey, I don’t just want my kids to be unhealthy) when Berkeley spoke up from…
I’m Aware.
I’m aware. I’m aware that the majority of society does not look too kindly on having to slow down and wait for someone slower and clumsier than they are. I’m aware of every sound way before you are, desperately trying to ascertain whether the next noise my son hears will be the undoing of him.…