We all know that too much stress is unhealthy. The phrase “Stress is a killer” rolls off many a tongue and pen. But to define the word objectively, stress is simply a term for our physical response to the demands of change. In small doses, that response can be positively stimulating. It’s when the stress…
There’s been an uptick of interest in neuropsychological assessments among parents in my circle, possibly fueled by the emergence of a one-size-fits-most core school curriculum here in the U.S. that, in a word, sucks. By definition, the one size that fits many excludes the few, and the different and disabled learners in our classrooms –…
For Valentine’s Day, we wanted to celebrate the plentiful and unique ways people on the Autism Spectrum express love. So we asked our Love My provider community of parents of children with autism: “How does your child express his/her love for you?” The overwhelming amount of responses we received was heartwarming, to say the least. So often…
With the Academy Awards coming up at the end of February, we at Love My Provider started ruminating on autism and the movies. Hollywood’s coverage of special needs has been somewhat on par with women’s issues and racial minorities – lacking, but slowly getting better. Let’s take a red-carpet look at the changing perception of…
I’m the mother of an outgoing boy who has autism, and like many in my boat, I harbor plenty of concern for his social life. My little man is in the third grade now, and he’s been fortunate enough to attend an inclusive public school where classmates, to date, have treated his differences as no…
With the year coming to a close, I’ve been thinking about a list of resolutions for 2016. This is usually when I look back at my prior year’s list, realize I suck, and copy almost every item, still unresolved, into a new one. Particularly over the past decade since I’ve had kids, my resolutions have…
Dear Santa, I assume you’ve been tracking my gift list this Christmas – the perfume and earrings, the festive socks and fuzzy sweaters, the iTunes gift card and Tuscan wine basket. Easily wrapped presents that are generally satisfying and non-offensive. Well, I’m writing to tell you it’s all BS. Forget about that list. I chose…
There is an anecdote on Facebook right now that’s gone viral. A mom asked the worker in the bakery at her local grocer to personalize her daughter’s birthday cake, and received this back: Instead of complaining, as some people would do, she said, “thank you,” and accepted it. Only after the cake caused a small…
When I was asked to write an article about play therapy, I didn’t really know where to start. In my years of parenting a kiddo on the autism spectrum, I’ve heard the term used widely to describe many different types of “play” within child psychotherapy: Activity-based versus child-centered (or child-led) models, direct versus indirect styles. There is…
An autism diagnosis can leave us paralyzed with fear for our children’s future. However, these things will help you and your family survive autism: Don’t be in denial for too long. We all do this. My denial cost us valuable time. We all hope our kids are misdiagnosed and want it to be anything else.…
