The following comes from the first book my daughter ever wrote as dictated to her mom at age four.
It is titled:
WHEN I GROW UP I AM GOING TO BE
EVERYTHING
When I am Mrs. Claus I could do anything I want. Continue reading »
I’ve been divorced for about 14 months now. There have been some good times and some tough ones. That’s to be expected. There are more of both to come and I am prepared for that.
That’s not just divorce…that’s just life. It ebbs and flows.
Having joint custody of my son Brennan has been an amazing experience. I know I am a better Dad now than I was when I was married. My attention is more focused, I get to spend more time with him and I believe my intention has shifted to one that is much more appreciative and grateful for the time I do get to have with him. Continue reading »
We went to the mall the other day, to get August’s picture taken with Santa.
Right now, his mom has to take the bus up. So, I picked her up at the bus stop, and we went to the mall.
I know I am biased, but he is one of the cutest kids I’ve ever known. Continue reading »
In January, I have been asked to do a speaking engagement to a support group of parents of autistic children. This subject is very near to my heart since I have a family member who is autistic. What I’ve learned about autistic children is they need to have, more than other children, routine and structure and don’t handle change too easily and therefore have a difficult time transitioning from one activity to the next. Add to that, they also experience sensory overload and get overwhelmed when their environment is too stimulated with things like loud noises. Some autistic children are more higher functioning then others but the bottom line is having an organized and structured environment is crucial to their daily well being.
I watched an episode of Extreme Home Makeover the other day with a friend. This family had two parents who were both deaf and a son who was not only autistic but blind. Their oldest son was the only one without any disabilities and he was the rock for the family, helping in every way he could. I truly don’t remember crying as hard as I did since I saw the Notebook over the love this family had for each other. Their light absolutely radiated from them. And watching the town rally for them gives me goose bumps to even think about it. It also helped me to understand even more what my family member goes through on a daily basis and it truly broke my heart.
I can imagine that a parent who is typically disorganized and un-structured will be forced into becoming organized and structured for the sake of their children. That can prove very challenging for those that have never lived there lives that way. But getting organized doesn’t have to be a gigantic project that all has to be tackled right away. In fact, I would bet that, since autistic children don’t handle change well, it would be a better idea to take the project in phases. As a professional organizer, that is how I encourage my clients to handle their clutter anyway. In phases. The mistake a lot of people make when it comes to deciding to tackle their clutter is they don’t break it down into manageable pieces, accurately estimate how long it will take, actually put it down on their calendar as an actual appointment, and put measures in place to hold themselves accountable during the process. This is where hiring a professional can help. We are able to be realistic with your situation and help you handle what can be realistically done in a realistic time frame with your realistic abilities. Continue reading »
I get really tired of saying ‘no’ to Max when he is doing something that is not in his best interest.
Instead, I have created a mantra this year that allows me to say ‘yes’ more often, by discerning a situation and looking for ways to create more harmonious and positive outcomes.
The timing is perfect, as the holidays have created some new challenges for Max around food portions, and how he is negotiating his choices. Interesting, since I coach my clients on this every day, and now need to find ways to gracefully teach this to my son. Continue reading »
I am packing and unpacking boxes.
I have come across several treasures as I load and unload stuff from one house to the other. The photos are great reminders and the art that my kiddos created has been a real pleasure to stumble across.
Save their art. Put it somewhere safe (much of it in my house decorates the wall along with other art as they are framed and treated as any other art object in my home—they add to making my house a home).
Especially noted is their “early art” before their art was influenced by authority figures. often times you will see a drastic difference in what they produce before they start school than the stuff they put out after school has begun influencing their creative expression. Continue reading »