Parenting

Hang Ten + 4

Good morning from Carlin Park in beautiful Jupiter, Florida Nothing screams ENDLESS summer more than raising a child with autism. All you need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and you're fine, they say?  Not so fast, brah. Fourteen years into this, I can honestly say I still feel like a

High Times

According to Justin Bieber, everybody gets high sometimes. Man I love that kid. When your life is up in the air because you are raising a child with special needs, you sometimes feel like as if you're existing on a completely different plane than everyone else. I vaguely remember that term of geometry, yet it so

Don’t Stop Believin’

  image credit http://blog.umbiedentalcare.com/   Over the weekend, J.R. lost a tooth.  The good news? I'm not sure I can report any.  The bad news? Amazon Prime doesn't yet drone packages to my door in an hour's time.  I am screwed. You see, J.R. could not care less about money. I won't mention

Bad Autism Mom

Gluten, sulfites, and casein OH MY! / image via today.com If you haven't seen Bad Moms, please stop reading this and RUN to your nearest theater.  If you have to arrange a sitter (adding a side of guilt), great! You'll relate to the characters' plight even more. This story of three stressed out moms produces one belly

Jackson 9.0

    photography by Alison Frank   The last time I sat down to write, I could hear beautiful noises from across the hall. You were in your room, making crashing and exploding sounds to animate a war between Ironman and a Transformer. Starsceam, I think. You spied me tapping at my keyboard, then bounded toward me- all

Complete. Fools.

photo by Alison Frank Photography   It isn't lost on this sign-seeking girl that Autism Awareness Month begins on a day dedicated to pranks. Joke's on me; I get it- I'm the fool. Twenty-four hours later, the punchline to the gut persists as World Autism Awareness DAY commences. Ha! Over the years I've gone from

Autism’s Middle Age

Boy oh boy, was ten fantastic.  I want to say it was J.R.'s best year.  He blossomed socially, trudged through academically, and held it together mentally. Professionals (okay, his teachers, who I bribe) even threw around the terms perseverant and scientific to describe J.R.'s attitude toward his studies.  At home, his independence is emerging; I am hopeful, for