The Power of Recognizing a Child’s Gifts
Episode 34: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman The Power of Recognizing a Child’s Gifts These archival conversations were recorded while I was writing Raising Superman. As Ricky II approached the end of high school and prepared for college and young adulthood, the interview process gave us space to have candid conversations about his experiences growing up on the autism spectrum and my experiences parenting a child on the autism spectrum. In fifth grade, Ricky II’s mus
Investing in Your Child’s Gifts | Episode 33
Episode 33: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Investing in Your Child’s Gifts These archival conversations were recorded while I was writing Raising Superman. As Ricky II approached the end of high school and prepared for the transition to college and young adulthood, the interview process gave us an opportunity to have candid conversations about his experiences growing up on the autism spectrum and my experiences parenting a child on the autism spectrum. I use the Vi
Owning Your Identity | Episode 32
Episode 32: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Owning Your Identity. This episode continues the archival interviews I conducted with my son while writing Raising Superman as he approached the end of his Young Tree stage and prepared for the transition into college and emerging adulthood. In Episode 32, we discuss the evolution of the identity I originally gave him and what happened when he began deciding for himself who he was. But listening to this conversation now th
Becoming Superman | Episode 31
Episode 31: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Becoming Superman. This episode begins another layer of our developmental archive. In 2024, as my son was approaching the end of his Young Tree stage and preparing for the transition into college and emerging adulthood, I was writing Raising Superman. As part of that process, I conducted a series of interviews with him to capture his perspective on his own growth and development before that chapter of childhood closed. In
The Rhythm of Conversation | Episode 30
Episode 30: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman The rhythm of conversation. This video is especially nostalgic for me to watch now. In Episode 30, you actually see me teaching my son a strategy we called the rhythm of conversation. The strategy began because my son told me he wanted to be one of the “cool kids.” Of course, I told him he was already a cool kid. What he was really trying to communicate was that he wanted to make friends and was having difficulty connectin
Helping My Child Understand Autism | Episode 29
Episode 29: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Helping my child understand autism. In Episode 29, we discuss something I believe is essential to self-awareness and self-advocacy: talking to your child about autism. When my son was about 8 years old, I realized I wanted to begin inviting him into his own IEP meetings. Then it occurred to me: How could I invite him into a meeting about him without first making sure he understood that he had autism? So, I told him. There
Giving My Child the Gift of Time | Episode 28
Episode 28: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Giving my child the gift of time. In Episode 28, we discuss one of the most valuable resources we can give children as they grow and develop: Time. I have never been in a rush with my son. My background in early childhood and human development taught me that skills build upon skills. I understood that there were foundational skills he needed before he would be prepared to develop the next level of skills, and I wanted to g
Teaching My Child to Speak Up for Himself | Episode 27
Episode 27: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Teaching my child to speak up for himself. In Episode 27, we discuss developing self-advocacy—the ability to understand what you need, identify who can help you access it, and speak up for your own best interests. I began this work with my son long before he had the words to advocate for himself. Even when he was not yet verbal, I understood that the absence of spoken language did not mean the absence of an opinion. So, I
Helping My Child Build Friendships | Episode 26
Episode 26: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Helping my child build friendships. In Episode 26, we discuss my son’s growing desire to make friends and establish meaningful connections with people outside of our family. This was one of the more difficult parts of his development for me to watch. I wanted him to have friendships because he wanted them. But as his mother, there was something else underneath that desire for me. I know I will not live forever. I have alwa
Helping My Child Engage with Others | Episode 25
Episode 25: From Autism Diagnosis to College Freshman Helping my child engage with others. In Episode 25, we discuss a characteristic of autism that has required continued attention throughout my son’s development: he can become so deeply focused on his own thoughts and interests that he may not naturally acknowledge or engage with the people around him. As a Young Tree, relationships outside of our family were becoming increasingly important to him. So, we began working more
