Autism Awareness Month: Meet Jacob Barnett

I love Jacob's story, not just because he is amazing and appreciates his autism, but because his parents didn't try to change him to fit their ideas of who he should be. They took notice of what engaged him and embraced it, using his interests to connect with him, and allow him to feel safe and confident in himself. I admire them for this.

And this is the gift we try to give our kids.

Acceptance and complete support.

My son has not displayed a genius talent for math or astrophysics, nor do I have any expectation that he will. But when I watched Jacob for the first time, I was almost unsettled at how many similarities I observed between him and Zak. Then it made me smile a lot, and cry a little, because I felt reaffirmation that we are on the right track as a family. While their passions are focused on different things, the excitement with which they both talk about what they love is so similar. The knowledge and interests ahead of their years paired with such innocence and emotion. Such a precious combination that so few adults in the world manage to hold on to.

And I am reminded that indulging their world sometimes makes ours all the richer and more vibrant.

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Le Petite Chef: Mud Pie

Here it is, as promised, Grace's Mud Pie recipe! She did all the work, I helped explain terms and measurements, stirred at the very end to make sure everything was evenly coated (at her request), and helped hold the pot. She let one of her friends spread the Nutella and add the "dirt" to one of the pies while she did the other. This is a very kid friendly recipe, I highly recommend it for ages 8 and up! The original recipe is in the book The Cooking Book, by Jane Bull. But we modified it just a bit. Here are our supplies: 3/4 c butter 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1/2 c sugar 1 c graham cracker crumbs 1/2 c dried fruit 1 chocolate bar (we used Nutella spread instead) We added: Heath chocolate and toffee bits Black Sixletts (found in the party aisle) These are the original measurements, we doubled the recipe though. Step 1: Crush graham crackers. We used a gallon size zipper bag and a coffee mug (I don't own ...

Preschool at Home! Chalkboard Painting

Here is another treasure from the backfiles. This started as an act of desperation on my part, I just needed her to be occupied so I could finish something, but it quickly became one of her favorite activities. If you have a chalkboard (we made ours on a half wall with chalkboard paint), all you need is a paintbrush, sponge, or washcloth, and a cup of water. Dip the brush in the water and have at it! Kit LOVES how the water turns the board black. So often, she will be at this so long that by the time she gets across the board, the first area she painted will be dry and a fresh pallet once again. You can get creative with the things you use as paintbrushes, but she has been completely happy with our basic art brushes from Walmart. I love watching her do this.

Failing Moments, Does Not a Failure Make

The truth in that statement is profound. And more of us parents need to start making it a core part of our inner dialog. In fact, parent or not, more of us humans need to start channeling this into our inner voice. Yet how we execute it is integral to it's truth. It is not an excuse for every time we drop the ball, and especially not when we really mess up. Nor is it justification to treat others (including our kids) however we want. It is not a free pass either. Rest assured our choices will come home to roost. Rather it is a way to check our relationship pulse. To make daily self-checks and make needed adjustments. Permission to forgive ourselves, our children, our mate, or a friend and then take a deep breath and try again. Many adults, including some parents, have the expectation that people, (especially children) "should know better". This is not entirely unjustified. I have this expectation of my various children for various things. I have, jus...

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