Ryan had a difficult week last week, what with state standardized testing and the accompanying implicit pressure from teachers and school administrators. We felt the effects elsewhere, everywhere, and it took us a while to make the connection that the testing was likely the source of his added stress. Mostly, his anxiety manifested in an […]
Read more "Everyone Has a Plan"Dear Anxiety, It’s me — Neil. You may remember me from such conversations as “€<%# off,” “leave my kid the %^?< alone,” and “are you $@&?ing kidding me?” I’m sorry about those. Can we start over? We can? Good. Go $@¥% yourself. Oops, I guess I did it again. We were enjoying enduring another typically […]
Read more "Dear Anxiety"Ryan carries many labels. Among them: Autism spectrum disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Disorders. That word contained within, order, is so, so apt. So much of his life is about trying to create some order from all the noise. Sometimes, he does things in a different order. Other times, his actions are about Imposing some […]
Read more "A Word About Order"We never know when anxiety will strike. It’s just part of the drill in our household. Sure, we know many of Ryan’s triggers and we do our best to avoid or work around them. It’s the reason we took separate cars to Riley’s school choir concert last night — to avoid any unnecessary waiting for […]
Read more "Anxiety Pays a Visit"One thing I’ve learned in a decade of parenting a child on the autism spectrum: You learn to anticipate, but you still never know what will throw your child off kilter. And nothing is ever truly in the past. I guess that’s more than one thing, but you get the point. You do your best […]
Read more "Wrenches – Big and Small"
Pucks and Puzzle Pieces 