Many of you may know that Autism often comes with Sensory Integration issues. At least it does in our house. Because of that, I have learned several tricks that help calm or regulate my son. And today I am going to share my favorites. They are easy to do at home, and you can even make your own sensory room for not much money. My favorite is the ball pit we saw at our Occupational Therapist’s office. But there is... Read more
I’ve debated sharing this story. But I think it’s an issue for many families, and for much of society. And I think the discussion has to happen. So I’m starting it. My Grandfather unintentionally hurt my children. He never met them. He’s been dead for 20 years, but his actions are still affecting us, many generations later. Let me illustrate. He was a traveling salesman back when there weren’t cell phones or reliable vehicles. No, he didn’t drive a... Read more
Shame on the NY Times for making Thomas S Monson’s death into a political rant. It is apparent that one NY Times obituary writer is vying for an editorial position. What should have been a sweet and sentimental farewell to a Godly man who spent his whole life serving others, turned into a political rant. He mentioned the greatest challenges to the Mormon religion before even acknowledging President Monson’s age at his passing. I’ve never seen a more flagrant... Read more
I have a New Years resolution that I must tell you. If I don’t talk about it, then it will be a lot easier for me to quietly pretend I didn’t make it. This year I resolve to sing. Before you cringe and cover your ears, I have to tell you a couple reasons why this is my resolution. Tone Deaf? When I was in 3rd grade my music teacher at school told me that I was tone... Read more
This Christmas I have a heavy heart. My friend is dying. He’s got 3 kinds of cancer now, and the doctors aren’t able to remove it anymore. He’s in a lot of pain, and we are all praying for a miracle. Last Christmas another friend of mine was in a similar boat, and despite all our prayers, he passed away suddenly. Many of us asked God why this happened. Why didn’t God see fit to save my loved one... Read more
I went to the craft store in June and found the Christmas isle was already stocked and sparkling. I was surprised! But since I love Christmas and the joy it brings, it brought a smile to my face and then I completely ignored it. I mean, that is way too early by any standard. But as more Christmas items have appeared in the stores, I find myself wondering how to celebrate this holy time of year in a way... Read more
I will never forget the day I became a mother. It changed everything for me. My son was my miracle baby. And I wasn’t supposed to be able to have kids. But I had prayed for this day with all the energy of my soul. For my husband and I, it was a joyful time. My miracle baby arrived two weeks before Christmas. So every year I feel a great sisterhood for Mary as I think of her and... Read more
We have recently begun homeschooling. And it has opened my eyes to how much time is wasted in a public school day. But one thing was always so rigidly adhered to that you’d think the school day was so full of rich activities that there wasn’t room for one more thing. That is the lunch period. Did you know most elementary aged kids get 15 minutes to eat their lunch and then they are expected to play for 15... Read more
Life is harder for a person on the spectrum. Did you know that? If we were to compare a neurotypical (NT) brain and a high functioning autistic spectrum (HFASD) brain to two computers, the NT would be a PC and the HFASD brain would be an Apple. They both function wonderfully well in their own circles. They are simply two different operating systems. But the world is built on the PC’s model. So while you and I are doing the basic calculations... Read more
This article was previously published on LDSblogs.com. My grandmother was mentally ill. Nobody knew exactly what was wrong with her, just that she was very strange. Back then people didn’t talk about mental illness. Recently my aunts have discussed Grandma, and they think she had schizophrenia. But there was never a real diagnosis. And her brother, my great uncle, spent a majority of his life in an institution after he tried to kill their whole family. I really wish... Read more
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