He hasn’t heard the words yet but I have. “I feel so sorry for him,” they’ve said, right to my face, their tones casual, as if they’ve just announced their coffee is stale instead of making unsolicited assertions about the well-being of my youngest son Ian. He hasn’t seen the pity in their eyes, too…
My Son Has Autism. Please Don’t Be Afraid.
This is my son Andrew. He has autism. He loves the ocean garbage trucks bounce houses stained glass windows his brother Ian the tractors from CARS getting raspberries from his daddy being helpful Jesus and his iPad Andrew has autism. He may be different in a lot of ways, but he is most certainly not…
Kid App Fail
Is it just me or should someone over at quality control have thought this particular sequence of sounds through a little bit better?
Forts are Fun
So one of the most amazing things about raising our special needs son Andrew is the joy he finds in the things most of us overlook or take for granted. His laughter and unfiltered happiness is absolutely contagious and we can never seem to get enough of his smile. Tonight he discovered the fort that…
Congressional Hearing on Autism: My Son is Not a Burden
Yesterday was an emotional day for the autism community in our country. Actually, I should say communities; we are not a united bunch by any means, with a myriad of issues dividing us. But that’s for another post. Yesterday there was a congressional hearing on autism – the first one in a decade – and…
Autism and iPads slideshow: Inspiring young people to make a difference
This Wednesday my young son’s school will be holding a jog-a-thon fundraiser, with 25% of proceeds going towards the purchase of iPads for children with autism. As the head of the parent organization that’s spearheading the fundraiser, I wanted to reach out to the kids at this tiny private school in the heart of Orange…
Special Needs Children and Bullying: Planting the Seeds of Change
Everyday, as you send your special needs child off into the big wide world, consider this: “Contrary to popular opinion, and contrary to the thesis of some anti-bullying programs, bullying is not about anger or conflict. It’s about contempt – a powerful feeling of dislike towards someone considered to be worthless, inferior or undeserving of…