Sometimes the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction: An Update
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My daughter Katie has been in her new placement in the Pleasanton School District for nearly three months. By any measurement, the transfer has been a success, thanks to the incredible Ms. Nav, Katie’s awesome aide Sharon, and the rest … Continue reading

Fun at the Hardware Store
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I wonder at times how my assumptions and fears hold Katie back. I say this because every time a situation or a therapist has challenged me to increase the demands on Katie, she has sailed past my expectations without a … Continue reading

Story Published in The Mom Egg
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Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! It must be my birthday month because I have a second publication in April. This one is in a literary journal called The Mom Egg. As you might have guessed from the … Continue reading

Comments That Drive Me Crazy #3
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People can say some incredibly stupid things when confronted with autism. This is the third installment of insensitive comments that people have said regarding my daughter’s autism. You can find the first list here and the second one here. Enjoy!   She’s not really … Continue reading

Pick Ups At the Dog Park
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Last month Mom told me that my brother might be getting a dog. I asked why. My brother is in the middle of a divorce and lives in a rental house. A dog seemed like the last thing he needed. … Continue reading

What I Learned From National Day of Unplugging
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A month or two ago, I read an article in Sunset Magazine about the concept of unplugging. It sounded dreamy and positively blissful. I mean, who wouldn’t want a long, tranquil day free from the constant chime of the phone and endless … Continue reading

Sometimes the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 10
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Unlike many kids on the spectrum, Katie adores variety. This tends to make transitions go a bit more smoothly—at least on the surface. So it did not surprise me that Katie plunged into her new classroom without any hesitation. Just … Continue reading

Sometimes the Truth is Stranger Than Fiction, Part 9
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Geri, the kickass advocate, reorganized the disaster of an IEP and sent the revised version to my school district late on Thursday. The case manager responded Friday morning by stating that she wanted to go with the original, messed-up version. … Continue reading