Sawyer's Adventures in Thomas Land. 1 woman, 1 man. 1 girl, 1 boy, 1 train. And a diagnosis of ASD
One of the most incredible parts of being an autism parent is having to make life-changing decisions before 10am, and then spend the rest of the day pretending it never happened. I left Sawyer’s EHCP meeting in a baffled haze at around 10.30am and made my way in to work for Christmas lunch. Mainstream school… Continue reading Orientation
Life is all about balance, I suppose. I try hard to ensure Sawyer has the same opportunities as other children (particularly his sister), but at what point do you accept that your child might just want to be left alone? That they're happier indoors? Lloyd and Piper went out tonight, to spend some time with… Continue reading New Year’s Adaptation
(the autism way) ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Sawyer could hear everything – a clock ticking; a mouse The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care They were straightened obsessively, so almost thread-bare His sister was nestled all snug in her bed, While the world danced around in Sawyer’s head.… Continue reading ‘Twas the Night before Christmas
Friday was school disco day, and to our alarm surprise, Sawyer said that he wanted to go. After some gentle reminders about what the disco would entail, Sawyer dug out his Woody costume, kissed me on the cheek, and bounced out of the house with his dad in tow. However by the time they arrived… Continue reading Disco Dad
Sawyer sailed through Year 3 with relative ease and for a minute there it looked like his additional support really had been a magic key that had opened the door to a calm and positive education. As the summer term came to an end both Sawyer and his sister were eager to begin the six… Continue reading 2 Steps Back
Dear Sawyer, Today is your 8th birthday. And what a year you have had! At school, this year has been a real turning point for you. You have gone from not wanting to go to school at all, to winning an award for effort in the end of year assembly! You seem to have found… Continue reading Pieces of Eight
As Lloyd’s story starts to unfold between us, I am surprised by how easily he can access his emotions when I ask a direct question. It occurs to me for the first time that although he rarely offers out his innermost thoughts, they are in fact very close to the surface. The conversation continues to… Continue reading Blame: The Husband Diaries
Fathers of autistic children are often lost and forgotten. Their feelings are not regularly discussed, their voices not heard, and their stories never told. If you were to google the words ‘autism blog’ you would discover pages and pages of words written by mothers, but there are comparitively very few that tell stories of what… Continue reading Autism Dads
Sawyer is an incredibly endearing and often hilarious 7-year-old. He is kind, inquisitive, outgoing and incredibly handsome. He faces the challenges autism throws at him with admirable determination. The meltdowns, the sensory overload that fills his days, and his lack of special awareness are an example of the threads that tie Sawyer and autism together.… Continue reading Confessions
After school one day, I drove my children to our local Macdonald’s as a special treat. There was a time not long ago when I didn’t think Sawyer would ever feel the childhood elation of a random trip for fast food, and so each burger they consumed was as much a delight for me as… Continue reading Happy Meal