Breaking Free From Shame & Failure As An Autism Dad I hate to admit this, but my relationship with my 12 year old son with autism had been suffering for many months. With this tension, my happiness and mental health were suffering as well. It felt like our relationship was continuing its downward trajectory with …
Raising Autism
I Love And Accept My Son But, Do I Accept Autism?
My son, Ethan, is a gift. His autism is not. We’ve always seen him as a blessing to our family. We love, cherish, and accept him for who he is. His accomplishments are celebrated no matter how large or how small. While I am proud to be Ethan’s Dad, I do not accept autism, and …
If I Could Take Away Autism, Would I?
If you had a time machine and could go back and make Ethan NOT have autism, would you? My wife asked me this question a couple of weeks ago, and I honestly could not answer it. On the surface, you would think there would be a clear answer. Yes, “take away Autism!” While my life …
Autism Awareness: One Dad’s Perspective on Raising a Son with Autism
Autism Awareness: One Dad’s Perspective on Raising a Son with Autism Ken Siri is a single Dad with sole custody of his 19 year old son Alex. Alex has autism and is nonverbal. The 2 of them live in New York City. An inspiring autism story told from a Dad’s point of view: We talked …
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Accepting Autism: 5 Tips to Help Dads Accept the Autism Diagnosis
When we realize our kids will not have that picturesque childhood we wanted for them and ourselves, it can be very devastating for us parents. There are very few things in life that will cause more heartache than learning your child has autism. We only want the very best for our children, so accepting autism …
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Autism Moms Rock: 5 Traits that Make These Moms So Amazing
Despite the hardships we face, Autism Dads have one distinct advantage. It is an unfair advantage because it fills our hearts with never-ending pride, gives us great joy, and makes our lives so much easier. What is this magical advantage? It is our partners of course! We are married to Rock Star Autism Moms. …
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Autism Dad: An Honest Look Inside the Isolating & Incredible Life of an Autism Dad
I often get asked what it’s like to be an autism Dad. Occasionally, people will say to me, “it’s good to hear from Dads because there are so few Autism Dads who are really involved like you.” Honestly, I have avoided writing this piece even though it has been on my mind since I started …
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What Autism Parents Want You to Know
Do you know what it’s like to raise a child with autism? Unless you are an autism parent yourself, then you can’t imagine the struggles we autism parents go through. Teachers who work with these kids everyday for 20 years still can’t conceive the constant worry that comes with being an autism parent. Even autism …
Complete Guide to a Happy, Healthy Easter
Do the Easter Bunny Bop Bop! Step left, right, left; then hop, hop. Big bunny ears go flop flip flop in the Easter Bunny Bop Bop. Every Easter Egg has some magic inside. If you’re lucky there might even be a surprise.” Find plenty of fun, surprises, and maybe even a little magic in this …
A Powerful New Perspective in Coping with Autism
I think I may have found a book that may just change my life. “The Daily Stoic” has already helped me better manage stressful situations. My #1 goal for 2017 is to learn to live with stress and be happy in spite of it. Last year, I looked towards Buddhist teachings for help in this …
Moving on After an Autism Meltdown
The morning was like every other morning. I’m loading all 3 kids in the car to take Gavin to school. Suddenly, Ethan’s anxiety spikes. Little sis is wearing a jacket, and he does NOT like that. In an effort to prevent a full-blown autism meltdown, I run back inside to grab a blanket for Kaitlyn. …
Our Tips for A Successful Blood draw
This morning, the alarm went off at 4:37am, and by alarm, I mean our 10 year-old with autism shouting, “Hey!…… Hey!….. Hey!…. Heeeeeeeyyyy! Open the dooooor!! Heey! Mom opens her eyes looks at the time and says, oh boy, it’s going to be a long 2 hours. Our Tips for A Successful Blood Draw When …
Decreasing Stress for Autism Treatment
Autism and stress: two things that seem to go together as well as peanut butter and jelly. Every parent with a kid on the autism spectrum knows how things can spiral from super-chill to ultra-meltdown mode in a matter of seconds. Too often, parents and their kids are suffering from a high level of stress. …
Our Autism Detoxification Protocol
Detox has become a popular buzzword these days. The interwebs are filled with promises of feeling great after a 5-day detox or a 7-day lemon juice and cayenne pepper cleanse. When it comes to a true detox however, it has to go much deeper than this, and when autism is involved you need a thorough …
Sensory Friendly Costumes
10 Sensory Friendly Costumes What do you want to be for Halloween this year? This is a question that most parents get to ask their kids every year. Unfortunately, some of us parents have kids that can’t give us an answer. For instance, my son doesn’t really understand this question. He understands Halloween and trick …
Hope for Autism
An Event that Inspired us All The Autism Education Summit (AES) always promises to renew your spirit as an autism parent. This year was no exception. The event connects autism parents to one another and combines stories of healing with cutting edge scientific research. My wife and I have attended this event for the past …
Autism Treatment: Why We Treat Autism Holistically
All parents want the very best for their kids. Autism parents are no different, and we want to help our kids in every way possible. Parents often have their own autism treatment plans that include traditional therapies like speech, OT, and ABA. Many other parents will even take this autism treatment a step further and …
Autism Journey: Where it All Began
Unless you’re personally affected by someone with autism, you probably really have an inaccurate perception of what it’s like to live with autism. April is autism awareness month, but even during this month, you probably don’t hear too much. You may see various stories on CNN, or maybe you’ll scroll through your Facebook feed, and …
Thank You Autism Pioneers
It can be hard for us parents who choose to look at autism from a holistic perspective. We work on detoxing, fighting infections, cleaning up the home and environment, and spend so much time preparing special food than our counterparts. However, when I think of the parents that came before me, I am in complete …
Trick or Treating with Autism
Trick or Treating with Autism Trick or treating with autism is not the same for our kiddos. For most kids, Halloween is a time of excitement. It’s a time when you can dress up as your favorite character. All the grownups in your neighborhood tell you how beautiful you look in your Cinderella dress or how …