Coping

Anger Management… Can I Just Pout About It?

“I’m angry!” Those are two simple words that, ideally, should be relatively easy to say. I’m angry, I’m mad, I don’t like that, please stop. One would think that these sentiments would roll off the tongue and the receiving party could simply say, “I’m sorry, let’s work on this.” Right?! Simply put, no. It is not that easy. Anger is one of the most complex, misunderstood, misinterpreted, and generally mishandled emotion out there.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 | 3 minutes Read

Anger Management... You Want me to Breathe?!

Okay, you’re happily sitting in your living room watching your two loving, caring, adorable children play together when suddenly BAM, one snatches a toy away from the other and all hell breaks loose. There is screaming, shrieking, and ultimately hitting. Before you know it, everyone is crying and you’ve lost your opportunity to finish you’re cup of coffee. You’re angry, they’re angry; the whole mood of the house has suddenly turned.

Thursday, September 20, 2012 | 4 minutes Read

Anger Management... Talk It Out

“Tell me how that makes you feel…” I can hear men (and many women) cringing all over the world. Why are we like that? What is it about talking about our feelings that makes us all suddenly very quiet? We are willing to share intimate daily details on Facebook, but not share how we feel with our close friends and family members? People talk all the time. Talking is a very important part of life…especially the part about our feelings.

Friday, September 21, 2012 | 7 minutes Read

Anger Management... Walk Away

Sometimes it’s best to walk away. There are times when the best course of action warrants more than a deep breath or a conversation. Sometimes you try to calm down and you simply cannot do it while staring directly at your problem. You need a break, do a chore around the house, a bath, or maybe just a good scream and cry. Whatever it is you need, do it. No problem has been solved by staying in a volatile situation.

Sunday, September 23, 2012 | 7 minutes Read

Here, have a warm fuzzy

Merriam-Webster defines warm fuzzies as, “feelings of happiness, contentment, or sentimentality.” Honestly, it’s a phrase I use an obnoxious amount… at least according to my children. I gave out warm fuzzies to students in the classroom frequently when I caught a student going out of their way to be kind, help a friend, help and adult, etc. The warm fuzzies were simply pom poms with eyes. Sometimes they didn’t even have eyes.

Monday, October 11, 2021 | 3 minutes Read

Dealing with Change

Change is hard. Very few people really like change. Most of us are perfectly content moving on day to day with no major disruptions. Sure, we like an occasional surprise visit, maybe a new dish at supper, even a new outfit from the department store, but a large change? Most of us will pass. Changes are especially hard for many neurodiverse people. Little disruptions in schedules wreak havoc on their busy and amazing minds.

Friday, September 17, 2021 | 4 minutes Read

A Girl on the Spectrum

I laughed like a hyena. There I was (isn’t that how all good stories start?) in the doctor’s office once again talking about autism…but this time we were talking about my little diva. What? In that moment it was either laugh or cry. Not because autism is a horrible diagnosis, but in that moment, I felt overwhelmed and as if I had failed my diva for the past seven years. I mean, come on, I’m supposed to be “The Aspie Whisperer,” how had I not nailed this one?

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 | 6 minutes Read

Advice on Advice

As a people, we are full of opinions. Varying opinions are a necessary and integral part of what makes us human. But what happens when these opinions are given and intrude on our family or loved ones? We’ve all experienced those moments when someone gives us an unsolicited opinion about our children, or how we should raise our children. These opinions, though often coming from a place of well meaning, are hard to swallow.

Thursday, July 30, 2015 | 3 minutes Read

It matters

It matters. In this house, regardless of the “it,” the need, want, etc. is considered valid and we make every attempt to find “it” and make it so. Too often in life we hear, “It doesn’t matter!” or “Why does it matter?” Those two little letters, i-t, make up the most abused pronoun in history. The truth of the matter is that the universally vague “it” does matter…the reason why “it” matters is much less important than the fact that “it” does.

Friday, July 18, 2014 | 5 minutes Read

Change Is Hard

Change is hard. Very few people really like change. Most of us are perfectly content moving on day to day with no major disruptions. Sure, we like an occasional surprise visit…a new dish at supper…maybe even a new outfit from the department store….but, a large change? No way, no how, no sir! People on the autism spectrum absolutely typically change. Little disruptions in schedules wreak havoc on their busy minds. Major changes (and sometimes little things no one else would notice) can simply start a complete and total shutdown.

Saturday, May 18, 2013 | 4 minutes Read

Ah Christmas

Ah Christmas, that magical time of year when everyone puts aside their differences and coexist in perfect harmony. Decorations are lovingly placed in just the right spot…food taste better, smiles are brighter, and the serenity of the whole scene rivals that of the nativity crèche itself. That is unless, of course, you live in the real world. In that case, your home is cluttered with gifts, the tree doesn’t quite fit, one light is always burned out, your cookies are smoldering in the oven, and you’ve asked yourself at least six times if the children really need to be out of the school a full two weeks.

Monday, January 2, 2012 | 8 minutes Read