When I first learned of my son’s extremely high toxin load at the age of 5, I took immediate action to remove cleaning chemicals from my home. And then over the course of years, I’ve gradually shifted many other items and products. It can seem VERY overwhelming to think of all of the chemicals we have in our homes and I want you to know that feeling that way is normal. I don’t, however, want … [Read more...] about The Busy Mom’s Guide to Reducing Chemical Exposures
Survival Strategies
It’s Time to Re-Think Self Care
I’m seeing more and more social media content encouraging moms (including special needs moms) to take care of themselves. Sometimes this is called Self-Care, a relatively new term on the block is “community care”. And frequently when I see these articles posted, the comments are “I don’t have time to do any of that” or “I don’t have money to join a gym” or “I’m a single parent, I get zero … [Read more...] about It’s Time to Re-Think Self Care
May is Hard for Special Needs Families. Six Ways to Make it Easier.
I spend all winter looking forward to Spring and Summer. I thrive in the sun, the warmth and the renewal promise that Spring brings. But I'm a special needs mom and May brings with it some unexpected and unwanted challenges. And those challenges ALWAYS serve as a lesson for growth but damn, growth hurts sometimes. What could possibly make May more difficult than the rest of the … [Read more...] about May is Hard for Special Needs Families. Six Ways to Make it Easier.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Today I gave my son a haircut. And by normal standards, it was uneventful. And the fact that it was uneventful means by Autism standards – IT WAS AMAZING! My son is 15 years old and has always had sensory issues and nervous system challenges with haircuts. I’ve spent a huge amount of money on different tools over the years. I’ve spent a huge amount of mental energy on figuring out how to make … [Read more...] about Slow and Steady Wins the Race
What to Expect When You Attend AutismOne
When my son was first diagnosed in 2007 and I was desperately seeking information, I stumbled across a website called autismone.org I felt like I had hit gold because on this site was an amazing collection of presentation materials and some videos on all things autism. Treatments, causes, therapies, science, science, science – it was all there in one amazing place for me to explore and reference. … [Read more...] about What to Expect When You Attend AutismOne
Your Navigational Tool for Staying the Course – The ATEC
When you have a child whose growth and development progresses on its own timeline, it can be very hard to recognize growth or if things are "getting better". And "better" can be pretty subjective because as some things become resolved, it reveals another issue that requires as much if not more attention so it feels like you are always working, never resting, relaxing or even seeing … [Read more...] about Your Navigational Tool for Staying the Course – The ATEC