If Special Olympics Parents Could Rule the World
This morning, I stood at the edge of a small indoor pool at the Special Olympics Regional Swim Meet, watching Stone get ready for his events. And I felt it. That unmistakable, overwhelming feeling I’ve come to recognize at these gatherings. It’s not just pride. It’s not just joy. It’s what the world is supposed […]
Building Bridges: Stone’s Journey from Student to Advocate
Sometimes, life takes you in a direction you never imagined. And in those moments, you realize just how much is possible. This past fall, Stone and I participated in a webinar hosted by the Northwest Augmentative Communication Society titled “Thoughtful Inquiry: Spelling for Communication.” Its purpose was to give SLPs an opportunity to hear directly […]
Stone Found His Voice Through Spelling
What is it like to hear your 17-year-old tell you that his dream college is Harvard?
For many parents of teens across America, it’s probably so common they don’t give it a second thought.
For me it’s both thrilling and slightly heartbreaking. But mostly thrilling.
Why? Because against our wildest dreams and expectations, our autistic son Stone was able to communicate that this is one of his dreams with us last week.
Sunday’s swim lesson (for me – not Stone)
He didn’t want to go. He was adamant. “No swimming! No swim team!” I tried to cajole him by telling him it’d be fun. He repeated it louder this time – an inflection in his voice to make his point. “No swim TEEEEAM.” Crossing my arms I sighed and considered the options. For the past […]
