3 mins read

Autism and Talking to Strangers

“Mommy, can I go talk to other people?” These sweet words were spoken to me recently by my son. Where were we? Once or twice a winter, my son and I drive up through the Angeles National Forrest. We live in the foothills below the San Gabriel Mountains, so this drive is easy for us.…

4 mins read

Just Say NO! Yes, I’m Talking To All The People Pleasers

Repeat after me: Just say no. Just say no. Just say no. I’m not sure when I realized that I was a total people pleaser. It might have been in second grade when I became the teacher’s pet. Or maybe in college when I just couldn’t stand to have anybody be angry with me. Or when, after overextending myself AGAIN recently, my husband informed me that it was time to become friends with the word NO.

3 mins read

Talking to Your Teen with Autism

Before beginning a new teen club, we had to have an intake before the first session. The intake involved an intake specialist, my child, and myself and my husband. We had to sign off on some of the rules for the club and discuss expected behaviors and participation. What is this teen club? This teen…

2 mins read

Talking to Your Kids About Scary News Events

When tragedy strikes, it’s hard for parents to know how to explain news headlines about shootings or other disasters to children without overly scaring them. Kids are like little sponges, they take in much more than we realize and it’s important to address any fears and concerns they may have. “Am I safe? Who would do such a thing? Why?” There are no easy answers. It’s hard to explain how something so terrible could happen – especially when we’re still trying to make sense of it ourselves.