Boog

Boog

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Help, do you need it?



Sometimes I see a tv show about a child with extreme behavioral problems. I just saw a commercial for an upcoming show with a nine year old girl and her parents. They played a video of the girl where she was screaming, kicking and uncontrollable. Then a clip from the parents showed that the mother uses excessive force to restrain her and the father is beating her with a belt as punishment. And they really wonder why she can't be controlled?

I have a special needs son. My son is non-verbal. He can't tell me specific things/wants/needs. He has to work ten times or more as hard as other children to do basic things, yet he never *ever* gives up.

If my child has **no** behavioral issues while dealing with so many struggles, what is the explanation these parents can give?  Yes, there can be chemical imbalances and issues that do require medication. So isn't it their job to have her checked for that? Isn't it their job to be using behavioral modification techniques instead of violence?

Crappy parents make me so angry sometimes. They have no clue what they have and what they're doing.

Being a decent parent can often mean asking for help when you need it. Hopefully you can swallow that pride and help your child before the age of nine. I've seen children just like this poor girl. I can promise you, the older the child the harder the road will be.

I've seen parents of children with special needs and parents of neurotypical children fail at this one basic principle. Don't Reward Bad Behavior. Write it down if you need to.



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Saturday, December 10, 2016

Make this Christmas Yours


I found this poem online randomly and I've never seen anything written about the holidays that hit so close to home.

Make your holidays fun and happy just like any other family will be. Save this poem and email it to family. Post it on Facebook. Heck, print it out and mail it with your Christmas cards.

We go through way more than enough every day. They say Christmas is about the spirit of "giving". Well, making Christmas great for your special needs child is a perfect example of giving to me.

Remember, if anyone doesn't appreciate the beauty of your child and the hard work you've both put in, then you don't have to just sit there and take it. Make Christmas yours! You both deserve it! Screw tradition and trying to make everyone else happy. Maybe your Christmas dinner includes pancakes and bacon, maybe you have one episode of a cartoon playing on repeat, maybe you keep on those soft and tagless pajamas on all day. Who cares if it's non-traditional!

The very first Christmas involved a manger and a donkey. Having a trampoline in the living room seems pretty mild compared to that.

I started doing this years ago and it's taken a huge amount of stress away. I can actually enjoy Christmas! I can see my little man happy. Truly happy. Isn't that the point?

May you all have a wonderful & beautiful Christmas this year, no matter what "rules" you break and tradition you stomp on 😉

-Boog's Mommy








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Monday, November 28, 2016

Living on the Couch


I hate being sick. Hate it. I've been on the couch for two days with no energy. Pneumonia is horrible and I wish I could punch it in the face.

Sometimes in conversation someone will compliment me because they say my job as a Mom is so much harder than theirs. I always deflect and tell them that all Mom's have a hard job. Sometimes I speak with a working Mom that wishes she could stay home because life would be easier. I usually tell them about how much I miss working because I have such limited adult interaction.

Truth is, I don't really have any comparison. Boog is my only child and I wasn't around any babies growing up. At times I do think my job is more difficult because I have to push so hard. One thing I'm sure of is that I don't have time to be sick.






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Thursday, November 24, 2016

Turkey Day!



Happy Thanksgiving!!

Here's a nice little graphic to share:








May all my fellow Moms be stress free, no tags on the new sweaters and have enough chicken nuggets to feed a small country!

-Boog's Mom

P.S. Don't forget the iPad charger! 😉













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Friday, October 7, 2016

Interpretation



I have many interests. Music, English history, linguistics and dialect by region (yes, that's a thing), science and technology. I'm especially interested in technology related to AI, or Artificial Intelligence. 

Wikipedia defines AI as:


Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence exhibited by machines. In computer science, an ideal "intelligent" machine is a flexible rational agent that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of success at some goal.

The term "artificial intelligence" is applied when a machine mimics "cognitive" functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as "learning" and "problem solving". As machines become increasingly capable, facilities once thought to require intelligence are removed from the definition. For example, optical character recognition is no longer perceived as an exemplar of "artificial intelligence" having become a routine technology.

Capabilities currently classified as AI include successfully understanding human speech, competing at a high level in strategic game systems (such as Chess), self-driving cars, and interpreting complex data."



So, basically it is AI if it can interpret. Siri understands my Southern accent (most of the time), but can also understand the speech of a man from Boston. We sound nothing alike. Siri interprets. Self-driving cars interpret something suddenly appearing in front of it. If it's a leaf, it will keep going, if it's large/dangerous/living item, then it will slow down or stop. Interpreting.

Yes, I think we will have some sort of robot-like items soon that will do tasks for us we don't want to do or don't have time to do. I'm still waiting on that laundry-bot myself. Yet, it is a completely different type of AI I'm hoping to see in the not so distant future. AI that can "make up" for a possible lack of synapses in the human brain, thereby mimicking neural pathways. 

Why? Because one of the most difficult parts of Autism is communication. It's thought to be difficult due to a lack of brain synapses that should have been formed early on in life (if you need more explanation on synapses, I have a post explaining them here: http://www.allaboutboog.com/2015/03/new-study-on-brain-synapses-and-people.html
Without those crucial synapses the brain cannot send the thought correctly to the body or other region of the brain it needs to go to. The thought cannot be interpreted.

If you want to "cure" Autism, just stop reading now and please don't come back. Autism makes up part of my son's personality. Claiming you want to cure autism is like saying you want a cure that would make your child happy all the time. If she's happy all the time, that's not her personality. That would be a different person. Get it?

If not, click here and don't come back: http:/www.bored.com

I want a way that would make things easier for my son, not change him. Visually impaired children can receive glasses, a hearing impaired child may receive a cochlear implant. Why couldn't a form of AI assist my son to communicate? Yes, we have sign language, speech therapy, augmentative devices and are blessed to have them, but...  what if an attempt at speech is made at one part of the brain and a device could interpret that thought?  It could speak the thought. Maybe it could replace the missing synapses and the child could speak themselves. This really isn't out of the realm of possibilities. 

I'd gladly trade my laundry-bot in for something that could make it in any way easier for my son to communicate his needs. 

One in 65 children is a big number. At one point no one thought you could repair eyesight with surgery. No one thought you could put a device in a body that would regulate a heartbeat. No one thought people with type 1 diabetes could wear a device that gives them the insulin they require.

Things are changing daily. It used to be the race for space. Now it's the race to create. 

I like that race.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Quick Tips

I've recently lost a pretty good amount of weight and I feel soooo much better. Several people have asked me how I lost the weight and the "I go to the gym, don't over eat and make better food choices" answer seems to be unsatisfying to people. I can't really give any magic secret because it's just simple mathematics 

Calories you need each day (ex. 1800)
-calories spent by normal activity and/or exercise (400)
-calories ingested that day from food/drinks (1200)

1800 - 400 - 1200= 1600

You want to meet or be below your needed calories. No other part to it. No secret. If you eat a high calorie breakfast, eat a lighter lunch. I can't say if the following advise/tips will work for you, but it helped me a lot. 

*** Do not begin an exercise program or diet change without speaking to a physician.
***These are descriptive tips I use. I am not encouraging any of the information below.

At first, I needed to learn how to gauge calories and how many calories certain exercise burned.

1. I downloaded the MyFitnessPal app (it's free) and entered what I ate into the food journal. It really made me see how many pointless calories I had each day: drinks, that one donut, cream for my coffee. After logging my food I realized I'd rather skip the donut and use those calories for a veggie pizza. I logged my food daily until I got used to being aware of calories automatically throughout the day.

2. I bought a Fitbit. Fitbit actually can connect to your MyFitnessPal app and subtract the calories you spend during the day. This makes it so much easier! You enter your food, Fitbit subtracts all the movement you've done and you can see if you're in the right range. Yes, the Fitbit is about $80 for the most basic one, but would you rather spend $80 and fit into those old jeans, or spend it on fast food and feel like crap. Totally your choice. I chose to spend the $80.

The Fitbit and MyFitnessPal apps.


The basic $79 Fitbit at Walmart.


3. I joined a gym once the weather got too hot to exercise outside. There are gyms like Planet Fitness that cost $15 a month. No excuses there.

4. I made some better snack options.

Tea! Tea is great. Sometimes you feel hungry when in reality you're thirsty. A cup of hot tea is good for you, it adds to the water you need each day and it curbs snacking-hunger (for me).



It says rice crisps, but they're so much more. They have sweet and salty flavors and you can eat around 15 for under 200 calories. Love these.



I have cashew milk. Not soy or almond. If I want something creamier than water in my coffee or oatmeal, this is my thing. The unsweetened vanilla has only 25 calories in a cup. So awesome.




When I'm on the go and want that donut, I eat a couple of these. You'd be surprised how much it helps curb the sweet tooth. They cost less than a dollar and have only 5 calories each.




I also take a good multivitamin for a ton of health benefits. The Ultra NourishHair is optional. I take it for healthy hair skin and nails. 


That's about it! It's just about commitment. I worked out more in the beginning because it was hard to change my eating quickly. My diet changed, so I don't have to work out as much. 

After 6 months I found out the clothes I bought 2 years ago didn't fit, but this time it's because they fell off me, not because they were too tight 😊

Good luck!




Thursday, September 22, 2016

Sometimes I just want to shake humanity and scream WAKE UP.

However, I don't do this due to legal ramifications.



Let me give you some advise. Real advise. 


If there was ONE thing, be it chemical, natural herb, essential oil, something in pill form, extract, or whatever that could POSSIBLY give non-verbal children with autism the ability to speak...Do you reeeeeeally think no one would have capitalized on it yet?

Seriously?

1 in 65 boys. That's a lot of kids. A lot of parents. Parents that would somehow find a way to buy whatever it was in order to help their child even if it meant selling their house and cars.

You don't think pharmaceutical companies don't know that? You really think Pfizer is sitting on the ability to sell this? Seriously? Dude, if you believe that I got something to sell you. Great property. Oceanfront. Located in sunny Arizona.

I have **no** issue with maijuana. It's ridiculous it's not legal everywhere. 

But if you think for one second there was something out there that could be marketed to even potentially help these kids you may be the definition of future Social Darwinism. If so, good luck with that.


Examples of horse crap:

1. Vaccines cause Autism! I know it! It's the Mercury! It's a conspiracy!

2. One sort of Mary Jane extract giving speech to non-verbal kids
"Boy gains ability to speak after just two days of cannabis oil treatment!"


3. Essential oils (do you guys really not know what a pyramid scheme is? Why don't you google it (and also how the FDA has never approved that crap to be digested).



Homework: Read these responses to the above:


1. 

A. The doctor that "discovers" vaccines cause autism:


"On 28 January 2010, a five-member statutory tribunal of the GMC found three dozen charges proved, including four counts of dishonesty and 12 counts involving the abuse of developmentally challenged children.[12] The panel ruled that Wakefield had "failed in his duties as a responsible consultant", acted both against the interests of his patients, and "dishonestly and irresponsibly" in his published research."

B. Jenny McCarthy may have been a playboy bunny, but she's right!!


"In the panic created by the Wakefield article, England saw MMR vaccination rates fall to 80 percent in 2004 and Wales to 78 percent. In 2012, England and Wales had the highest number of measles cases in 18 years.

These are dangerous illnesses, and the victims of an outbreak are often infants too small to have yet received vaccinations. Jenny McCarthy styles herself a “mother warrior.” If so, the kids sickened in the fallout from reduced vaccinations are the victims of friendly fire. Nothing good can come from undoing one of the miracles of medical progress."



2. Mary Jane for kids is a miracle!!

https://www.babble.com/mom/medical-marijuana-for-autistic-kids-um-no/  ***Please read this article

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is opposed to the use of medical marijuana for children, regardless of diagnosis, and research into its use on either adults or children with autism is nonexistent. Anecdotal evidence abounds, however, with Autism Daily Newscast citing the heartbreaking case of Alex Echols, an 11-year-old boy from Oregon whose story is chronicled in the blog Alex Needs Help."

Sounds great…except if you look at the most recent blog post of Alex Needs Help, his family is no longer finding success with treating their son with marijuana. I’m not judging Alex’s parents at all here. I understand the desperation and the need to go beyond the standard medical offerings when things are just not helping your kid."

What’s missing from the coverage of Alex’s story, and other stories like his, is the explanation that his parents aren’t actually trying to treat autism, they’re trying to deal with a behavior. It may not seem like a big difference, but I think it is."



3. Essential oils can help kids with autism! Or cure it!

http://deadstate.org/report-gullible-parents-are-poisoning-their-children-with-essential-oils/

"Along with the rise in people using “essential oils” as an alternative remedy for what ails them, incidences of children being exposed to toxins in these oils has risen as well.

A Tennessee poison center reports that between 2011 and 2015, 4 out of 5 harmful exposures to these oils involved children."



Wake up. Take a step back and really think. Could this help, or is someone taking advantage of our guilt/fear/pain for monetary gain?

When you figure that out, you'll stop passing around this crap over and over year after year. 

If the above evidence isn't enough for you:  Just send your kid to me. I'm not mother of the year, but I at least try not to administer toxic chemicals into my kid.


#WAKEUP








Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Pinky and Brain

Okay fine. 

Bad dream? Yeah. 
It sucked? Yeah. 
Was the dream about any of the new awesome things Boog is doing? No.


This kid is using sign language to answer my questions about his day when I pick him up. 
He's reading at a higher level than anyone thought. 
He's kicking @ss at typing. Soon he'll be typing sentences, no doubt.
He's also the best kid ever.
Happiest kid ever.

I'm thankful for my son. Proud of him. 

If I could give my subconscious the bird right now I might. Or at least roll my eyes. Here this will work: 🙄

Haha!


-Boog's Mommy

Pure Unintentional Heartbreak I Give Myself

I had the dream again last night.

He said a word. Then another. I remember feeling scared he would stop. Then he said three words together. He was smiling. I ran to get my husband. He said a whole paragraph. I can't remember what he said, just the feeling of elation. 

I know it's my subconscious trying to help, but I wish it would work on something else. 

It hurts. So badly. There is no word. He has no words. 

Sunday, September 18, 2016

FALLing in Love

This is a post about fall, the season. See what I did up there 😉


I saw this great list on Pinterest and tracked down the creator (who deserved some credit). Check her out over at http://www.theclassicbrunette.com/ for more great posts and ideas.

So let's try to de-stress and get ready for a welcomed seasonal change!






- Boog's ready-for-cardigan-weather Mommy

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Not on the Road Rage

I was watching DVR Dr. Phil (don't judge). It was an episode about a 26 year old woman who grew up wealthy, but now has horrible problems. She's living in a hotel room with mold, drinks every day (up to a gallon of vodka a day sometimes), and has an abusive boyfriend. Why am I rambling about a Dr. Phil episode on my blog? Because she's pregnant.

Dr. Phil tried to get her to understand what alcohol can do to a child. He put the description and possible outcomes of fetal alcohol syndrome on a big screen for her to see. He started reading each disability a child with fetal alcohol syndrome could have.

I turned off the tv.

Not because the woman was a horrible, terrible person. I turned it off because it reminded me of doing nursing clinicals in the NICU. I heard the stories of the little ones from some of the nurses. A sweet little healthy girl. Beautiful baby. She just happened to have a severe addict as a mother who did drugs and drank through the whole pregnancy.

When I was pregnant I didn't even fall down one time. I'm serious. Every step I took I was careful. Never missed a vitamin. Did everything the doctor told me to and then some.


My son has Autism. It didn't matter what I did while I was pregnant. He has Autism.


I wish I could find that Dr. Phil guest after she has her baby and beat the snot out of her. 

Yes, I blog about progress and cute stories and helpful things we've tried. This is a blog about anger. I would almost call it rage. It's because a piece of crap woman can somehow have a child without Autism and I did everything right and my son does.

I'm trying to deal with my anger in a better way. Hence, this blog post. Yeah, writing it down does help. I'm a lot less angry than I was when I started writing this. 

But I'd still kick that chick's ass.


-Boog's Mommy

Saturday, September 10, 2016

We're Two for Two with Target!

Bragging again on Target! First they have Caroline's Carts and now a "Kind is Cool" kids line with "Come sit with us" and other clothing with positive messages! 


Let's all support this because we know most of all that kind is cool 😎



*This is not a sponsored post, but if Target ever wants to - feel free! 😉




Monday, September 5, 2016

Mathematical Meanings Meant for the Mind(games)

It bothers me that there is video footage and more than one photograph of John Lennon making fun of the handicapped. Well, I should say it bothered me, past tense.

No, I'm not letting it go because he is my favorite musician, or because Boog gets more peace from "Imagine" than anything else I've seen.

Here is a true admission of guilt: I made fun of the handicapped. When I was a kid, then old enough to know better. I remember it well. Me and my friends goofing off, making faces at each other, saying things like "Why are you doing that, it's so retarded". I think back a bit and I'm not embarrassed, I'm ashamed. 

What does that mean, actually? Well, I like to look at things like math problems sometimes. Bear with me a moment here:

A) Me, being rude and horribly insensitive is a negative (-)

B) Me, becoming educated, admitting my flaws, changing and educating myself. That's a positive (+)

C) Me, after educating myself, reaching out to educate others. Another positive (+)

So we have -1 +1 +1 = 1

Still in the positive. You've done more good than bad. Makes sense.


Back to Mr. Lennon. Okay, he:

A) Made fun of the handicapped very often in his younger years, producing a negative (-)

B) Later in life, he admitted regrets. Some of them about being immature, rude, insensitive, cruel to women. He was aware, admitted it, and made changes. A positive (+)

C) This ones a bit long, sorry for that:

"Early in August 1972, John Lennon had the idea to perform a live benefit for the pupils of Willowbrook School in New York City, a state-run institute for children with mental disabilities. Following three days of rehearsals, two concerts took place at Madison Square Garden. They were the last full-scale performances given by Lennon in public".

"Prior to the concerts, Lennon bought $59,000 worth of tickets and gave them away to fundraising volunteers, as he worried that not enough money was being generated. Both shows were sell-outs, however, and the day raised more than $1.5 million for Willowbrook. Proceeds from the tickets, which cost $5, $7.50 and $10, were intended to establish smaller residential facilities in the community for mentally-disabled people".

He was such a public figure, his positive needed to be pretty big. I'd say that was pretty big for 1972, when benefit concerts weren't even a thing yet (George got that going with Bangledesh!). So, that's a positive (+)

Again, we have:  -1 +1 +1 = 1


What's all this really mean?
You get what you give. 
Every day is a new day. 
Today is the first day of the rest of your life. 
Be the change you want to see in the world. 
It's never too late.

We all make so many mistakes. I did. You did. John Lennon did. That's not the important part. What's important is what you do when you realize those things were mistakes. If you truly learn from it and make positive changes, well, it will be just like...



Peace and Love,
Boog's Mathmatical Mommy





Sunday, September 4, 2016

Adulting! Almost as fun as laundry.

So we went to Target today. When I walked in I immediately noticed two girls (not little, like 12ish) laughing and sitting in one of the  "Caroline's Carts" Target now has. These carts have a forward facing seat so you can shop and have your older special-needs child with you safely. I blogged about them a while back. It was the only one I saw, so the others must have been in use. They've become pretty popular at our Target and I'm so thankful for them when I shop and Boog is with me.

It annoyed me, but I kept walking.

 I stopped after about ten steps and thought.

Then, I made a decision. 

I walked back, approached the girls and with a very polite voice said something like this:

"Hi there. 🙂 Those carts are actually for special needs children. I don't see any more of them, so if someone comes in and needs one they won't be able to use it if you're riding around in it."

They sneared, grumbled something and immediately got up and went to go disrupt some other area (no parents in sight... Shocking!).


So some snotty kids made me adult today 🙄 

Anyway, my point is: Parenting a special needs child is hard enough. If you see something and it bothers you, speak up. You don't have to be rude. The person may have no idea. I doubt those girls had a clue what that cart was for.... but they do now 😉

-Boog's sometimes adult, sometimes irritable Mom


Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Childhood

I despise growing older. Not because of vanity really, but because the older I get, the more tremendous parts of my childhood disappear. 

I learned years ago that Jim Henson passed away. Sad, but at least you still had his creations. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Big Bird and Fraggle Rock were still around. I was sad, but okay because he lived on through characters. 


The Dark Crystal will always be so very dear to me.


David Bowie's sudden passing was a sad day. Obviously because of what immense amount of talent that changed music forever, but for me I had lost the Goblin King. 
He was no longer in his castle in the center of the Goblin City.



Now I've lost the Fox. You won't come across many people unaware of Gene Wilder and his amazing portrayal of Mr. Wonka, an eccentric genius looking for the kindest, most innocent child to give his world to.


I have another memory too, that means even more to me than Mr. Wonka. Gene Wilder played the Fox in the "The Little Prince" movie made in 1974. 
He not only brought such life to the character, but also gave several lessons about life I wouldn't understand until years later.


I understand time exists and people don't live forever. People and things come in and out of your life and some of them leave with a lasting impression. Gene Wilder was one of those people. I will end this post with one of the quotes from the Fox. A quote that I didn't really understand until yesterday when Mr. Wilder decided to "simply look around and view it".








Monday, August 29, 2016

It Was Never About the Chocolate

Gene Wilder was a common fixture in my younger years with Willy Wonka and the Little Prince. Those are some of the first movies I remember seeing.


I looked on his IMDb page to see the last thing he'd been in...

He did a voice for "Yo Gabba Gabba" in 2015. 

Yo Gabba Gabba is one of Boog's all time favorite shows.


So that's Gene Wilder coming full circle from making me smile in the 80's to making Boog smile in 2016. That's a lot of smiling children over those years. I get some peace from that. 







Thursday, August 25, 2016

Namaste Calm and Stress Free. Life's Better that Way.

This can be a very difficult thing to do:

When things are going good, enjoy them and revisit them when things are not so good.

It can be reeeeally hard to do.

I am very, very far from being a happiness guru, but I do have some pretty decent ideas sometimes. Sometimes.


Okay, right now Boog is fantastic. Reading and comprehending even more than I thought. The kid is SMART. Not in the same way other kids may be, but he can do a lot of awesome things other kids can't. He's using the iPad keyboard to type words now. With no assistance. We're getting closer to him being able to type his thoughts and the timeframe is lot quicker than I thought. As in months, maybe even years quicker. He's blowing me away. Thank the Lord for all the people who have gotten us here and those helping us get to the next goal.

Life is Good! 

A week, month, or whenever down the road I may be having a hard time for 10,000 different reasons. I'm not saying it's a quick fix, but the good days can be diluted by the thoughts of days not so great. Sound familiar? I think I can help you!


In my infomercial voice: And YOU can achieve this in just TWO steps! Amazed and want to know more?! Just read below!! (not charging you $19.99 though).

Step One: When something good happens (big or small) write it down, start a notebook, use Word on your PC, notes on your iPhone. Just a date and a quick blurb to remind you about that time. Try to add to it regularly.

Step Two: The next time you are having a hard time (anxiety, stress, crying, hopelessness). You go find that note. Read it. Read it again. Remember the beginning. Remember how far you have come since then. Remember the things you used to worry about at one in the morning that now you can barely remember. Whatever is bothering you now will likely end up one if those distant memories. Breathe. Most importantly, repeat this or something like it:


"My child would not have come this far without me and my hard work and love. We can and will get through this".

Read it again. Say it out loud or just in your head. 

"My child would not have come this far without me and my hard work and love. We can and will get through this".




There's actually some science to this, believe it or not. It's called having a "mantra" or "positive affirmation". You can read more about it here: 



This blog post is as much for me as it is for you. There are so many ups and downs. I love the ups and when there's a down, I will come here and take my own advice (hopefully).


With Love,
Boog's Mommy






And my favorite from a very well-known Doctor:





Thursday, August 18, 2016

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

I received this email today:





I seriously could not be more honored! The email basically told me that "All About Boog" has been included in the "115 Best Resources for Parents of Children with Special Needs" list created by Total Pediatric Therapy!

A bit about Total Pediatric Therapy from their website:


"Total Pediatrics strives to define quality therapy. As our name implies, we offer the total package. Our therapists are not just therapists; they are the best at what they do. Your child’s health and development is not to be taken lightly. You’re picky about your doctor, why not your therapy team too? You are in control of your child’s development. We provide client-centered care. Our therapists are involved in continuing education programs far beyond what is mandated by state and national boards. Our therapists are passionate about multidisciplinary care, including nursing, nutritionists, and physicians in all decision-making. Our therapists are connected to quality professionals of other disciplines to ensure a thorough plan of care. Our therapists are equipped to utilize telehealth. Our therapists are committed to researching cutting-edge programs, yet equally skilled in tried-and-true traditional approaches to health and wellness.  At Total Pediatrics, you get the total pediatric package without sacrificing quality."


In my thank you reply I mentioned that my journey with Boog has been filled with many ups, downs, smiles and tears. I decided to blog about all of those aspects to give a truly realistic view of being a parent of a child with Autism. Blogging about only the good days would be a half-truth. It also wouldn't help my target audience: Parents with special needs children who are often overwhelmed, worried about the present/future, looking for ways to pay for expensive therapies and frequently feeling isolated or alone.

If a person under that sort of stress has no one they can relate to, it can often lead to them believing their feeling/worries aren't valid. 
ex.: "She blogs all the time and she's happy. Her son's therapy is going great. What is wrong with me? What am I doing wrong?".

I really applaud Total Pediatric Therapy for creating a one-stop-shop of so much helpful (and often hard to find) information. The list contains 115 real-world resources pertaining to Autism and/or special needs children. This is extremely valuable information to so many parents and caregivers who may not have any idea where to start (I was one of them and still am sometimes!).

Please check out their link below and don't forget to share it. It contains pertinent information and resources helpful to anyone with a special needs child in their life.

http://www.totalpediatrictherapy.com/115-best-resources-parents-children-special-needs/


Happy and very Humbled,
Boog's Mommy






Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

A Bigger Better Buggy!


I love Target. Probably too much.


Boog and I go sometimes, but I end up worn out before we even shop. I put Boog in the buggy with some sort of pillow behind him so it's more comfortable. Getting Boog into the buggy is getting harder and harder for me. Boog is growing and I don't think I will magically become over 5'2" and lifting him is so hard for me.

After all of that, I don't have much room to put the stuff in that I'm buying. Usually if it won't fit under the buggy it's a no go.





     Enter a Game Changer: Caroline's Cart!






Here's a little background from their website:


Caroline’s Cart is a shopping cart created for special needs children. It provides parents and caregivers a viable option to transport a child through a store while grocery shopping, without having the impossible task of having to maneuver a wheelchair and a traditional grocery cart at the same time. It is named after Caroline, the special needs daughter of Drew Ann and David Long.

Drew Ann Long saw the need for Caroline’s Cart after realizing her daughter would outgrow a typical shopping cart. Knowing what was needed, she founded Parent Solution Group, LLC, designed the cart, applied for a patent, and enlisted the services of legal and business professionals to help her bring the cart to market.


No surprise this awesome problem solver was created by parents. Special needs parents are some of the most creative people you'll meet. Forget art school.... We run the school of "How can I do this when it looks impossible and have no clue what to do?". Yep, we rule.


Imagine my happiness when I saw a Caroline's cart at our Target! Boog loved it and it made shopping SO much easier for me. I really appreciate that. It seems like we get so used to being over looked, when something helpful comes along its just purely amazing!



     One happy little shopper along for the ride!




Find out what stores near you have Caroline's carts here: Find a Store


Tell them how awesome they are here: Caroline's Cart Facebook Page


If applicable, tell Target we appreciate them being considerate: Target's Facebook Page




The little things can really be the big things,

Boog's (often shopping) Mommy





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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Give Peace a Chance


North Miami Police Officers Shoot Man Aiding Patient With Autism


A man was shot today. An unarmed man that was helping a man with Autism who had run.

I don't know if this was the case, but I know police are nervous.

People who help others with Autism the most are therapists. Rarely do they make the income they deserve. Ask them why they do it, and you will probably hear something along the lines of "I want to help".

Now, as a mother of a son with Autism, I'm going to pray.



God,

Please help this broken world. Please let people see that we must have peace in order to survive. I ask you please, do not let this tragedy make people afraid to help those with special needs. Please. Please.

Amen.





Warsan Shire is an incredibly talented woman. A poem she wrote keeps appearing in my head. I'd like to end this blog post with it.



To learn more about the incredibly talented Ms. Shire, visit her Twitter here












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Saturday, July 9, 2016

I am a Sleep Lover!

I was recently very happy to receive a free sample of Zzquil from Influenster. I suffer from insomnia (I'm sure it's stress related and too much caffeine). I didn't think an over the counter medication would work so well! I slept through the night and woke up rested and not at all groggy.

If you're a tired parent, check out Zzquil. It's very affordable and does the trick!!



*I did receive this sample free from Influenster, but the opinion is my own.