It’s the seventh anniversary of James’s first day of school. That seems like such a long time, yet I remember that day as if it were yesterday … By far, the hardest day of our entire first year of James’s autism diagnosis was his first day of school. I went through all five stages of grief…
We’re deep into the second week of 2018, but I finally have my goals for the year mapped out and I’m ready to make some progress. I’m using Lara Casey’s PowerSheets this year, and they have been helpful. I also had a fun goal setting discussion with my friends Teri Lynne and Kristin and…
Yesterday afternoon we had a reporter from a local newspaper come over to talk about the challenges of the holidays for special-needs families. She asked good questions: “What do you do differently because of your son’s sensory issues?” “What’s hard about being out of his routine?” And my favorite, “What advice would you give…
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Because I follow lots of special-needs parents on social media, my timelines have been filled with facts and fun stories about friends and family members with Down syndrome. Last week on my Instagram account I even shared my own story, including these texts from my big sister: She and…
Pray to God and talk to your spouse. Seek God’s wisdom and plan for your child. Don’t keep your concerns to yourself. Even if you and your spouse aren’t on the same page at the same time, keep talking and praying. God can bring you together to help your child. Be patient with your…
James developed typically until around his second birthday. He made good eye contact, interacted with his brother and others, and had the language skills typical of other two-year-olds. But after his second birthday, we noticed some changes in him. We were most concerned that he didn’t talk much. He even seemed to be losing…