Kindness is the language which the
deaf can hear and the blind can see.

                    ~Mark Twain

Being a parent comes with it's own challenges. Being the parent of children with disabilities can be even more difficult with the choices you have to make on their behalf, the battles you must fight on a daily basis in the name of fairness and equality, the guilt and anxiety over every decision or action. Sometimes you just have to tell yourself it's okay to make mistakes or take some me time in order to preserve your own sanity.

I am definitely not looking forward to Monday morning. Having a week off from school and work was wonderful but the transition back into our normal routine is going to be challenging. Even after a two-day weekend, my youngest son struggles to get himself "together" so I can only imagine what tomorrow is going to bring. Praying for a small miracle!

To measure the success of our societies, we should examine how well those with different disabilities, including persons with autism, are integrated as full and valued members.
                 
                                ~Ban Ki-moon

In honor of Autism Awareness Month,  I have dedicated myself to writing one blog a day for the month of April. A year ago I refused to even acknowledge a month dedicated to autism because I live with autism 12 months, 365 days a year. However, I came to realize that it is important for all of us impacted by autism to speak out and give real world perspectives on how we manage our day-to-day lives.

I am lighting it up blue (#LIUB) not because I support any particular organization or cause, but to bring the focus to autism for my sons and countless others. I DO believe that "awareness" and "acceptance" should go hand-in-hand through evidence-based research and advocacy.

Autism Awareness is about advocating for more research about the causes of autism, but also:
 *the long term impact autism has on individuals and their families.
* identifying resources for individuals with autism in academic and community settings.
* pushing for more healthcare coverage for related services, such as speech, occupational and physical therapy.
* short and lon term affects related to the bullying of children with autism in the school setting.
* mandating more professional development concerning autism for teachers and other personnel.