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Tag Archives: Special Needs
A Trip to the Park
I wrote awhile back about the downside of Facebook, and how sometimes—not always, just sometimes—I get sad when I think of all the things I probably will never be able to post about. Then my unplanned life zigs when I … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Belonging, Expectations, Gratitude, Parenting, Single Parent, Sorrow, Special Needs, Speech Delay, Unplanned Life
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Playing Chicken
The school district and I are playing a high stakes (at least for my daughter) game of chicken. They want me to sign an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)—read annual contract—committing my daughter Katie to the generic, for-profit, non-public school (NPS) … Continue reading
Running Out of Time and Options
I am now in a place that I’d hoped at all cost to avoid. There is no available space in any of the five non-public schools (NPS) focused on autism spectrum disorder that I visited. Nothing. We have been waiting … Continue reading
What Happens at Camp Arroyo, Stays at Camp Arroyo, Year 2
This year, my daughter didn’t just survive, but truly thrived at summer camp. Once again, Katie attended Camp Arroyo, which is where the Exceptional Needs Network (ENN) holds its summer camp for special needs children in conjunction with the Taylor … Continue reading
Katie’s at Camp Arroyo!
Yesterday I dropped Katie off at Camp Arroyo. This is her second time at the Exceptional Needs Network’s summer camp for children with special needs. To say she was excited would be an understatement. I was pretty excited too. (Still … Continue reading
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
One Special Child
In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d post a poem on gratitude from my chapbook, Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, forthcoming from Finishing Line Press in 2016. And yes, I’m terrifically grateful that FLP accepted my manuscript—even if … Continue reading
The Downside of Facebook
Some days I scroll through my news feed on Facebook and see countless photos of my smiling friends and their cheerful, well-adjusted, successful children. (Of course, appearances may be deceiving, but still, it all looks good in the photo.) I … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Acceptance, Autism, Facebook, Gratitude, Milestones, Single Parent, Special Needs, Unplanned Life
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Good News, Bad News, Part 2
So the good news is that my right thumb is fully operational again. The bad news is that while I was focused on my thumb, I gained back the weight I’d previously lost. Since I wrote my last post, I’ve … Continue reading
Posted in My Life
Tagged Backsliding, Balance, Diet, Exercise, Food, Kringle, Self-Care, Single Parent, Special Needs, Unplanned Life, Weight Gain, Weight Loss
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A Sensory Dilemma
My daughter’s sensory system is amiss. Or rather, it’s more amiss than usual. Let me explain. Due to her sensory integration issues, on any given day, Katie requires a tremendous amount of vestibular and proprioceptive input in order to regulate … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Alameda County Fair, Amusement Parks, Autism, Beach Boardwalk, Change, Discovery Kingdom, Marine World, Occupational Therapy, Proprioceptive Input, Santa Cruz, Sensory Integration, Sensory Needs, Six Flags, Special Needs, Swing, Tilt-a-Whirl, Unplanned Life, Vestibular Input
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