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50th Birthday Acceptance Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism Adoption Advocacy Anger Anxiety Art Authenticity Autism Behavioral Issues Change Creativity Dating Divorce Expectations Family Fear Finishing Line Press Gratitude Holidays IEPs Letting Go Memoir Milestones Open Mind School Parenting Poet Laureate Poetry Rapid Prompting Method RPM Sensory Integration Shame Single Parent Social skills Soma RPM Special Education Special Needs Speech Delay Story The Blank Canvas Blog Hop Transitions Truth Unplanned Life Writing Life
Author Archives: Cynthia J. Patton
Summer School Surprise
Summer school. What can I say about summer school? In a word: amazing. I’m serious. After three agonizing months of what can only be described as a horrible in-home “school” experience, summer school has blown my mind. Quite possibly, it … Continue reading
Essay Selected For Modern Dating Anthology
My essay, “Pick Ups at the Dog Park,” was selected last summer for publication in an anthology entitled, Rendezvous in the Rough: Essays from the 21st Century Dating Trenches. Six weeks later, my poetry manuscript was accepted for publication, and to … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life, News, Publications
Tagged 21st Century Dating, Autism, Dating, Rendezvous in the Rough, Single Parent, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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Just When I Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse, Part 6
You thought I forgot about this story, didn’t you? Life (and death) intervened, but I’m back to finish this crazy tale. You can find the previous installments here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. The … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Behavioral Issues, Child Protective Services, Fear, Single Parent, Unplanned Life
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Galleys for Across An Aqueous Moon Are Here!
The galleys for Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism have arrived!! For those of you that don’t know, galleys are the publisher’s layout of a forthcoming book. It’s kind of like the publishing version of a first draft. This … Continue reading
Our Introduction to Rapid Prompting Method
Remember when I said I needed to free my autistic daughter’s brain? (If you don’t, you can read that here. Don’t worry, we’ll wait.) Well, I think I’ve found the answer. Her name is Lenae Crandall and the technique is … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Gratitude, HEED, Lenae Crandall, Milestones, Parenting, Rapid Prompting Method, RPM, Single Parent, Soma RPM, Special Education, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
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Another Twist on Our Autism Journey
Back in February, when I was scrambling to set up an in-home school program, I was invited to an open house at The Friend Tree Autism Center in San Ramon, CA where I ran into fellow autism mom Annette Musso and … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Annette Musso, Autism, HALO, HEED, Lenae Crandall, Letterboard, Matteo Musso, Rapid Prompting Method, RPM, Soma Mukhopadhyay, Soma RPM, Special Education, The Friend Tree, Unplanned Life
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Saying Goodbye
Katie and I are on vacation this week, getting some much needed rest and relaxation on the Sonoma Coast. This place has never failed to provide both of us with much needed solace and sanctuary. I am grateful that we … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Adjusting Course, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Failure, Gratitude, Loss, Monica Martinez, Parenting, Single Parent, Special Education, Unplanned Life
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Release of Across An Aqueous Moon Delayed
Finishing Line Press expected to publish my debut poetry collection, Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, this week on June 24th. Unfortunately, due to a new printer and other unforeseen events, the release date has been postponed by eight weeks. … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life, News, Publications
Tagged Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, Autism, Finishing Line Press, Poetry, Writing Life
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Staring Into the Abyss
Apparently four people weren’t enough death and dying for one week. Shortly after I wrote my last post, I received an email from a mom of a child who attended school with my daughter Katie for the past three years. … Continue reading
Posted in My Life
Tagged Autism, Cancer, Death, Fear, Gratitude, Grief, Letting Go, Single Parent, Unplanned Life
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Death Comes in Threes (Or More)
It’s going to be a long, sad week. There’s far too much death and dying in my crazy corner of the world. First, a writer I know, Joyce Maynard, announced that her husband, Jim Barringer, was dying. I was shocked. … Continue reading
Posted in My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Cancer, Death, Divorce, Expectations, Jim Barringer, Joyce Maynard, Letting Go, Single Parent, Unplanned Life
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