Sign Up For My Newsletter
NOW AVAILABLE
Want One of My Books? Shop Cynthia’s Bookstore!
Let’s Be Friends!
What I Write About:
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
A Little More About Adoption
I’ve written before about how we, as a society, need to stop treating adoption as the booby prize. Stop viewing it as a second-class track to parenthood. Then someone asked what I would recommend, then the best option is visit infantcore.com … Continue reading
January is IEP Month
It’s January, so that means in my house it’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) month. In other words, as any special needs parent can tell you, it’s the least fun time of the year. Some years are better than others. My … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Divorce, IEPs, Special Needs, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
Leave a comment
Happy New Year 2013
Hope you had a wonderful, relaxing holiday season spent with family and friends. Katie and I are enjoying the last few days of her winter break. Or at least I am. Since Christmas, my daughter has been asking me every day to … Continue reading
Everyone Loves Mr. F
I didn’t think my decision on my daughter Katie’s classroom placement could get any more difficult. Then something happened that, if anything, left me even more conflicted than before. Katie adores her teacher, Mr. F. I adore him too. How … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Holidays, Milestones, Single Parent, Social skills, Unplanned Life
Leave a comment
Sometimes the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 4
Last week I visited the classroom in Pleasanton. It’s a good program, at a nice, well-maintained school. I liked the teacher. But when all is said and done, I’m not sure it’s any better of a fit for my daughter … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, IEPs, Social skills, Speech Delay, Transitions, Unplanned Life
5 Comments
The Feel of Summer, Part 2
Besides her significant speech delay, sensory issues remain Katie’s greatest challenge. Furthermore, the two issues are intertwined. In addition to autism, Katie probably has what is called speech apraxia. Her brain has difficulty coordinating the 250 moving parts that are … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Adaptive Horseback Riding, Autism, Sensory Integration, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
Leave a comment
The Feel of Summer, Part 1
Like one child in eighty-eight, my daughter has autism. While many people do not fully understand autism, awareness has improved. What really confuse people are problems with sensory integration, also known as sensory processing disorder or sensory dysfunction. Sensory integration … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Adaptive Horseback Riding, Autism, Sensory Integration, Unplanned Life
Leave a comment
Story Included in DimeStories’ Inaugural Showcase
DimeStories is a cool little nonprofit organization that hosts monthly prose open mics in various locations around the country. Founded by novelist Amy Wallen in San Diego, DimeStories is now managed by Jennifer Simpson, an awesome nonfiction writer living in Albuquerque, … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life, News, Publications, Readings
Tagged Autism, Memoir, Milestones, Social skills, Speech Delay, Writing Life
Leave a comment
Sometimes the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 3
At the end of the three-day it-feels-like-a-suspension-but-isn’t “non-suspension,” the school district held a meeting. The meeting started with the Principal and the Special Ed Director debating whether or not Katie had been suspended. The Principal insisted she hadn’t. When asked … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Autism, Behavioral Issues, IEPs, Suspension, Transititions, Unplanned Life
7 Comments
Comments That Drive Me Crazy #1
People can say some incredibly stupid and insensitive things when confronted with autism. At first these comments offended me, but over time I’ve begun to see the humor in them. So I started a collection. The first ten are listed below, … Continue reading →