In the Marine Corps, you may hear spouses talking about a motto similar to “Semper Fidelis.” “Semper Gumby” translates roughly to “always flexible,” thanks to the 1950s claymation character named Gumby. The ability to adapt and overcome adversity directly correlates with positive outcomes for military families. Executing a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is…
The late Whitney Houston says it best as she expresses that “everybody is searching for a hero; people need someone to look up to” in her hit song “Greatest Love.” Younger individuals with autism who are striving for success and looking to find their place in the world need people who can inspire and encourage…
The New Year is a time for all families and individuals to look forward to creating new opportunities and starting fresh with possibilities. The challenges, hardships, and bad memories from the previous year are gone – a chapter closed in your life’s book. The New Year kicks off a new chapter and you, as the…
Our common bond as parents, no matter our educational level, is that we all walk into individual education program (IEP) meetings wondering if we are going to fight for and get what our child needs in order to succeed that school year. “Fight” is not an adversarial word here. It is a strong word meant…
It’s not easy to be the sibling of an autistic person. As our autistic siblings face challenges and trying times, so do we. Though others may expect us to innately understand and love them without any moments of frustration, it’s not that simple. In fact, the struggle some siblings face can lead to hurt and…
Online employment works well for many individuals. For example, working from home allows me, an autistic with multiple disabilities, the same opportunities as other employees. Living with COVID-19 has revealed that many jobs can adapt to remote employment. Companies that were hesitant to embrace telecommuting have discovered its many benefits, including reduced costs and lower…
Parenting is never easy, but parenting during a pandemic poses entirely new challenges. For many, if not all of us, school is going to look different this year. For parents of children with special needs, this burden is unique as we take on the role of teacher, paraprofessional, and therapist, all while juggling work, family,…
Congratulations! Your autistic child just secured their first job. You’re probably feeling a lot of emotions right now. Trust me when I tell you that your child is too. You both may be excited, proud, overwhelmed, and more. Work will bring some familiar and certainly a few new challenges. Here are some tips for supporting…
The summer camp diving board was the perfect opportunity to work on taking turns. The counselors eagerly stood beside the pool and watched Jason waiting in line at the diving board. Jason had been working on taking turns all year long at school, but it had not been easy. He began to bounce impatiently as…
This month we are featuring a How To that was originally published in The OARacle in September, 2015. As an autistic self-advocate, I consider myself fairly lucky to have been relatively unaffected by bullying for most of my life. However, it is an unfortunate fact that many other autistics are very likely to be affected…
