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Go after your dreams! Society puts so much emphasis on success that it prevents many of us from going after our dreams – from going after what makes us happy, what…
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Thank you Bona for sponsoring this post, all opinions expressed are my own. One year in our new home, hardwood floors as good as new We’ve lived in our house for…
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How do you do it? People often ask me, “how do you do it,” with regard to raising a severely autistic child. And, “how do you stay happy? Or, “how…
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Wandering and autism If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I went through a difficult moment this weekend. Charlie ran away when we were downtown. He was doing fine,…
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“Why are you doing this to your son?” “Are you trying to turn him gay?” Boys and princess dresses Jude is a boy. He loves cars, dinosaurs, soccer, and superheroes.…
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My French crêpe recipe I’m a self-proclaimed bad cook but as a French person, you can trust me on a few things when it comes to recipes. One of them is…
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Anxiety has a way of ruining good things that happen to me. Even when I’m happy, it comes creeping on me like dark overcast clouds over my sunny day. I convince…
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Autism success stories in the media The media like to portray heart-warming autism success stories, but the reality for many autistics and their loved-ones is often quite different. While it makes…
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This is the continuation of a post I first published in 2016 that you can read here. Parents of autistic children are my heroes. This is your reminder that you are…
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This is an excerpt from my book, All Across The Spectrum. You can pre-order here. Autism: A balancing act With autism, I always feel like I’m playing a balancing act, trying…
![Jude’s been having a lot of anxiety lately. He told Willy and I, with tears in his eyes, that he doesn’t like school because he misses us when he’s there. He’s been asking for hugs and affection even more so than usual. He’s also asked us if Charlie loves him even though he doesn’t say it and if we still love him when he makes bad choices... I can relate so much to his needs and worries. I’m thankful he’s expressing himself so well so I can give him the reassurance he needs but also kinda sad he’s overthinking so much at just 4.
I can’t help but worry that being so soft will make Jude vulnerable as he gets older because we live in a world that shames sensitive boys. The expectation is that boys have to be strong. I wish for people to realize that feeling deeply has nothing to do with not being strong. Feeling deeply in a world where vulnerability is considered a sign of weakness shows strength. It takes courage to be yourself, to allow yourself whatever it is you need to feel in that moment. Of course, Jude doesn’t have that level of thought yet. He feels deeply because that’s who he is and he doesn’t have the protective reaction from these emotions yet. But instead of encouraging him to not get so overwhelmed by his strong emotions, I encourage him to focus on his feelings and express them. I don’t want Jude to “toughen up” and bottle up all his emotions. I did that for too long because this is what I was taught as a child. I don’t want Jude to harden because the world expects him to. I do hope people will treat his fragile heart with kindness. All the love he gives so selflessly, he deserves to come back at him like a boomerang
[My book is being released tomorrow and I don’t think I have fully realized what it means yet 😳]](http://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/10cfb0c4703c355640c764d841f2f039/5DFAC493/t51.2885-15/e35/c0.180.1440.1440/s320x320/66652712_489232684984713_1591966773832259102_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com "Jude’s been having a lot of anxiety lately. He told Willy and I, with tears in his eyes, that he doesn’t like school because he misses us when he’s there. He’s been asking for hugs and affection even more so than usual. He’s also asked us if Charlie loves him even though he doesn’t say it and if we still love him when he makes bad choices... I can relate so much to his needs and worries. I’m thankful he’s expressing himself so well so I can give him the reassurance he needs but also kinda sad he’s overthinking so much at just 4.
I can’t help but worry that being so soft will make Jude vulnerable as he gets older because we live in a world that shames sensitive boys. The expectation is that boys have to be strong. I wish for people to realize that feeling deeply has nothing to do with not being strong. Feeling deeply in a world where vulnerability is considered a sign of weakness shows strength. It takes courage to be yourself, to allow yourself whatever it is you need to feel in that moment. Of course, Jude doesn’t have that level of thought yet. He feels deeply because that’s who he is and he doesn’t have the protective reaction from these emotions yet. But instead of encouraging him to not get so overwhelmed by his strong emotions, I encourage him to focus on his feelings and express them. I don’t want Jude to “toughen up” and bottle up all his emotions. I did that for too long because this is what I was taught as a child. I don’t want Jude to harden because the world expects him to. I do hope people will treat his fragile heart with kindness. All the love he gives so selflessly, he deserves to come back at him like a boomerang
[My book is being released tomorrow and I don’t think I have fully realized what it means yet 😳]")
