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Author Archives: Cynthia J. Patton
Essay Selected for Forthcoming Dating Anthology
I am pleased to announce that my essay, “Pick Ups at the Dog Park,” has been selected for publication in a forthcoming anthology entitled, Rendezvous in the Rough: Essays from the 21st Century Dating Trenches. Dealing with topics such as … Continue reading
Hello Middle School
This week Katie started 6th grade. My daughter is in middle school. How did that happen? I know it’s a cliche, but time is simply flying by, galloping forward and gaining speed. My baby is no longer my baby, or … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Annie Sullivan, Anxiety, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Change, Expectations, Fear, Helen Keller, Middle School, Special Education, Transitions, Unplanned Life, Waiting
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What Happens at Camp Arroyo Stays at Camp Arroyo
Katie survived summer camp. She had fun but I suspect it was rougher than outdoor education camp last fall. Which is strange because they had no sensory tools at outdoor ed. At Camp Arroyo, which is where the Exceptional Needs … Continue reading
The Things We do For Love
The other day I was driving home and saw a man in the middle of the street. It wasn’t a lazy, neighborhood street, but a congested four-lane arterial. He was cutting across mid-way between intersections, weaving through traffic. It was … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Addiction, Advocacy, Autism, Blame, Choice, Experts, IEPs, Love, Special Education, Special Needs, Trust, Unplanned Life
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Katie’s at Camp Arroyo!!!
Yesterday I dropped Katie off at Camp Arroyo. To say she was excited would be an understatement. I was pretty excited too. (Still am.) Unlike most single parents, I don’t have an ex-spouse/partner who provides me with free and convenient … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Camp Arroyo, Exceptional Needs Network, Gratitude, Single Parent, Taylor Family Foundation, Unplanned Life
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Dreaming of Camp Arroyo
In October 2014, my daughter Katie attended outdoor education camp at Camp Loma Mar, near Half Moon Bay, California. It was a big deal, and not just because it was my ten-year-old’s first time in a camp setting. Katie has … Continue reading
Handing Off and Easing Up
Sometimes it takes an accident or serious illness to make you re-evaluate your priorities. As many of you know, in December 2014, I developed an infection in my right thumb. My thumb was so swollen that it couldn’t bend, and … Continue reading
Posted in My Life
Tagged Letting Go, Memoir, Priorities, Single Parent, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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Late Bloomers
It’s a sad truth, but kids on the spectrum don’t often get invited to parties, birthday or otherwise. Over the years I’ve grown used to this difficult state of affairs–even as it continued to frustrate and sadden me. These children … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Birthdays, Family, Gratitude, Milestones, Parties, Unplanned Life
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Welcome to Summer School, Part 2
Victoria never did call back. Nor did anyone from the Pleasanton School District, although a district staff person recognized Katie and brought her to her classroom. “Immediately,” the teacher would emphasize later. “They brought her to me immediately.” Yeah, but … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Behavioral Issues, Fear, Letting Go, Special Needs, Speech Delay, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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Welcome to Summer School, Part 1
Back in April 2014, when Autism A to Z was making its public launch, I produced a special Storied Nights: An Evening of Spoken Word that focused on autism spectrum disorder. The year before I’d been published in Chicken Soup … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life, Other Writers
Tagged Autism, Behavioral Issues, Bus, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum, Connie Post, Fear, Jennifer Bush, Katherine Briccetti, Laura Shumaker, Michele Bissonnette Robbins, School bus, Special Needs, Storied Nights, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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