Follow Their Lead with Curiosity

Before you build a curriculum or sign up for a program, start by listening. Curiosity isn’t one-size-fits-all. For one child, it’s insects. For another, it’s the patterns in the carpet. Instead of assuming what they should be interested in, pause and simply ask what captures their attention. That question does more than open a conversation. It tells your child that their interests are worthy of notice. This kind of validation isn’t just feel-good. It signals to their brain that learning isn’t a performance — it’s an invitation.

Make Creativity Accessible

Creativity often gets boxed up as a talent when it’s really a muscle. And today, that muscle has new tools. For children who are drawn to color, motion, and ideas — but feel limited by their drawing skills — introducing tools like digital art and AI painting can open up whole new forms of expression. These aren’t shortcuts. They’re springboards. They turn curiosity into confidence by showing that what matters isn’t the technique. It’s the vision, the voice, and the courage to try.

Let Play Do the Heavy Lifting

Too often, play is treated as the appetizer, when it’s really the main course. Kids don’t need lectures. They need environments that let them experiment, break, fix, and question. And they especially need time to do it without being rushed to produce something polished. That’s where guided play can support problem-solving in a way that scripted lessons never will. The best play doesn’t just entertain — it gives them room to discover how the world works, on their terms, in their tempo.

Use Books to Build Empathy

Reading together doesn’t just build literacy. It shapes how your child sees people, differences, and dignity. Stories that explore topics like autism, mental health, or social justice — written with children in mind — offer powerful windows into experiences beyond their own. That’s why resources like Books2Inspire matter. They make it easy to find age-appropriate books that foster compassion, understanding, and a more curious heart.

Let Them Teach You

Nothing strengthens a child’s love of learning more than the feeling of competence. And few things create that feeling faster than flipping the roles. When your child explains a game, a recipe, or a random fact about volcanoes, resist the urge to jump in. Ask them to keep going. Their confidence swells when they’re seen as someone with insight to share. This is how you support their self-driven exploration. It’s also how they learn to trust their own questions, not just the answers fed to them.

Ask Better Questions

Praise is nice. But presence is better. Instead of saying “Good job,” ask what surprised them. Instead of “That’s smart,” ask how they figured it out. These small shifts matter because they change the direction of attention. They say: I’m here for your process, not just your result. When you ask questions that stretch thinking, you show your child that learning is layered. It’s not about being right. It’s about being engaged, reflective, and a little bit bold.

Loving to learn isn’t a given. It’s a practice — layered into the rituals of home, the tone of your questions, and the way you respond when something doesn’t land the first time. But the reward? It lasts. Because the child who grows up knowing they’re allowed to explore, tinker, ask, and revise is the one who never stops becoming.

(This blog entry was contributed by Patrick Young, Founder of AbleUSA. Able USA offers informational resources to individuals with disabilities to improve their quality of life. Their educational blog can be found here.)

Fostering Creativity Through Art

Encouraging your child to explore art is a wonderful way to boost their creativity and confidence. Provide them with various artistic mediums to express themselves uniquely. As they create, consider scanning their artwork and saving it digitally to preserve these precious memories. An option to consider is using a PDF maker, which allows you to create or convert any document into a PDF, ensuring their creative milestones are cherished for years to come.

Teaching Mindful Listening

Mindful listening is a powerful tool, fostering empathy and enhancing communication skills. By engaging in activities that require focused attention, children learn to appreciate diverse perspectives, which improves their communication and deepens their empathy. This practice helps them connect with others on a meaningful level, essential for resolving conflicts and building strong relationships. Incorporating mindful listening into daily routines can significantly impact a child’s social and emotional growth, leading to improved self-awareness and emotional regulation. These strategies create a supportive environment that values respect and empathy, promoting a sense of connection and belonging.

Boosting Focus and Curiosity with Bird-Watching

Introducing your children to bird-watching is a wonderful way to nurture their focus and curiosity while connecting them with nature. By observing birds in their natural habitats, whether from your backyard or a local park, kids can learn about various species and their behaviors, enhancing their understanding of the environment. This activity promotes outdoor exploration and encourages scientific inquiry as children start asking questions about the birds they encounter. Equip them with binoculars and a bird field guide to enrich their experience, making it both educational and enjoyable. As they document their observations, children develop a deeper appreciation for the environment and improve their attention span, making bird-watching a valuable activity.

Creating a Relaxing Reading Routine

Establishing a reading routine that your kids will love involves a few thoughtful steps that can turn reading into a delightful family activity. Start by choosing a time that naturally fits into your daily schedule, like bedtime, which is often recommended for its calming effect and bonding potential. This can be a great way to ensure time together during busy parts of the year. Encourage regular visits to the library and let your child pick their own books, fostering a sense of autonomy and excitement about reading. Consistency is key, so aim for daily reading sessions, but stay flexible to keep the experience enjoyable and stress-free for everyone involved.

Enhancing Transitions with Music and Dance

Incorporating music and dance into your child’s daily routine can transform transitions between activities, making them smoother and more enjoyable. By using familiar tunes or creating a unique soundtrack for different parts of the day, you provide a comforting and predictable structure that helps children, especially those with ADHD or sensory processing issues, feel more secure. For instance, a playful song can signal the end of playtime and the start of homework, easing the shift. This approach engages children emotionally and physically, as dancing to the music can release endorphins, enhancing mood and focus.

Enhancing Creativity and Critical Thinking with Brain Games

Engaging your child in brain games is a powerful way to boost their creativity and critical thinking skills. Activities like jigsaw puzzles and Tangrams encourage children to explore unconventional solutions by forming shapes and patterns, which fosters innovative thinking. These games stimulate the brain to create new neural pathways, enhancing cognitive development and empowering children to question assumptions and make informed decisions. Moreover, the skills gained from these games often translate into improved academic performance, as they involve problem-solving and critical analysis directly applicable to school subjects. Incorporating brain games into your child’s routine can be a valuable tool in nurturing a well-rounded and imaginative thinker.

By weaving these activities into your child’s routine, you create a nurturing environment that supports their growth and well-being. These practices help them reset and refresh and equip them with essential life skills, fostering a balanced and joyful childhood.

(This blog entry was contributed by Patrick Young, Founder of AbleUSA. Able USA offers informational resources to individuals with disabilities to improve their quality of life. Their educational blog can be found here.)

Dear Trey,

You are now a young man and no longer my baby (let’s stop playing you will always be my baby). You were quite a handful when you were little, I will not lie. I was worried that because you had no voice that you would never have one. But you proved everyone wrong and you found your voice and began to speak at 6. Not many words, but enough for you to get by. You are not a talker; I have to respect that. You are just like your father; a man of few words. You are so very bright and I don’t think you want anyone to know it. You have to be since you have such a great sense of humor. I don’t think people take the time to get to know you for them to realize this. We have so much fun playing around and laughing at the silly things you do. You have your own language and I understand it well.

I want you to know that not once do I wish you didn’t have autism. In fact, you are freaking awesome just as you are! Being a special needs mom has given me a sense of purpose (I hope that doesn’t sound selfish). You are exactly what I wanted and needed. We as a family support you and all your wants, hopes, and dreams. You are so loved. I hope you know this. Me, your father, and younger brother love you. You are a fun big brother. Your little brother enjoys playfighting with you and even though you can’t have conversations like most folks, you connect with each other in other ways. I see you two being very close as young men. Your brother will be your defender and one of your biggest supporters.

As we now embark on adulthood, I can’t wait to see what ends up being your purpose. You have burgeoning interests but what is going to be your main passion or what you do for a living? I know it will be so awesome. You are different but your differences make you special and unique. They are going to help set you apart from the other autism and neurotypical folks. Just know whatever you decide, I will honor and support you through it.

I hope you know how much I love you and that I will always be here. You are a testament to what sheer tenacity and perseverance can do for a person. To go from someone whose words escaped them to someone who can express their wishes or desires is an amazing feat! Even if we are not at the point where we can have a conversation yet, your ability to communicate has transformed the relationship you have with the world. Being able to communicate with others is important because it allows you to express yourself and feel less bottled up or frustrated. My hope is that you continue to build on your communication so that you can expand the network of folks you want to connect with in the future.

It is only up from here. I know and believe this 100%.

Xoxo,

Mom

I just learned that a close relative has a pretty serious diagnosis and I thought to myself, this must be my test to practice radical acceptance. Accepting what I hear rather than challenging it or undermining it is hard for me. I like to be in control. But trying to be in control all the time is a blessing and a curse. It is the number one reason why I have anxiety. My anxiety won’t let me accept anything good and only focus on the bad. So, in an attempt to rid myself of anxiety, I’m practicing radical acceptance to help me cope with this bad news.

Practicing radical acceptance isn’t for the faint of heart.

I admit I am struggling with this. Radical acceptance is at best… radical. To just accept bad things as they come and resist the urge to fix it is hard. I may seem calm on the outside, but my dream life has been turbulent letting me know my subconscious is manifesting my fears for me. However, I am trying to push through despite feeling that I got to do something. I recognize that’s my anxiety talking and that what I need to do more than ever right now is practice faith and recognize that whatever happens is what was always meant to happen.

We as humans overestimate how much control we have over things. As a Christian, it is constantly reinforced that it is God’s will (not mine) that will be done. When I get bad news, I no longer pray ferociously for it to go away or for miraculous healing. Instead, I have faith that God’s will be done no matter what I do, and I have to accept HIS will and not force my agenda. Death is a part of life. We all are going to die. God has already written in his good book how long each of us will live. It was written before we were born. As much as I love any person, I have to always remember that we all have an expiration date. That’s why it is important to love on your loved ones fiercely because we never know when God will call them home.

Accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can, and be able to know the difference.  

This is the mantra for the Twelve-Step Recovery program, it is part of their Serenity Prayer. There are things I can control such as what I choose to eat every day and what time I go to bed and there are also things I can’t like unexpected events such as bad weather or someone I know getting sick. Rather than dwell on the things I can’t, why not focus on the things I can change? Even the concept that I can eliminate my anxiety is foolish. My anxiety is a chronic disorder that I have had since I was a child and inherited from my mom. Because of the genetic markers for anxiety and living with the current stressors of today’s toxic environment, I will probably never rid myself of it. But what I can control is my perspective on it and how much I allow it to affect me. That is something within my control. Accepting all of this will hopefully bring me one step closer to peace. And perhaps this is the lesson God has been trying to teach me all along.

What are you working on radically accepting?

Now that I have shared how I am working and struggling with radical acceptance, I challenge you personally to practice radical acceptance. What is one thing you can work on radically accepting? It can be small or big, however I advise you to take baby steps. Try picking one tiny thing you can radically accept and practice relinquishing control over it daily. I have seen things actually turn out better than I could have imagined when I allowed God’s plan to unfold rather than my orchestrated one. So, I challenge everyone who reads this blog to start practicing radical acceptance. And when you do, comment below on how it turned out for you.

Take good care and be blessed,

Kira

I felt I needed to do a part two so I can further discuss what I am still learning on my journey being a parent to an autistic child.

Autistic folks take things very literally. Like when I want Trey to speak louder, and I tell him to “open his mouth” to project his voice when he is reading; he will literally just open his mouth. He also suffers with echolalia, which is where the child repeats things people say and has a hard time with two-way communication. Trey will often answer a question with that same question or just repeat back a response you gave him. Trey struggles to give authentic answers and we often have to do what I call scripting, which is me providing Trey with examples of appropriate responses to the questions. I’ve been practicing this with Trey for a few months now and am finally seeing improvement in his ability to come up with spontaneous responses.

Trey also struggles with following multi-step directions. I have to be sure to keep my sentences short and only give him one direction at a time. Information overload is a thing that autistic children or adults struggle with and it’s important that we accommodate this challenge by slowing down, simplifying things, and making it easier for them to understand. Repetition may also be part of what you do when talking to someone with autism, which comes naturally for me anyway since I’m a mom. I recognize that I must exercise patience with Trey when it comes to completing tasks. He is not going to get it just based on context clues. It’s very laborious “spoon-feeding” words and acceptable responses to him but the autistic brain works differently and that’s a fact. I cannot expect him to just understand things the way me, my husband, and my other son do because we are neurotypical. Trey struggles with receptive and expressive language that just comes naturally to us. Every day he struggles a little less and the progress he makes is what I hold onto.

You also must be an advocate for your child/children with autism. NO ONE can do it like you can. From my experience, the school system will only do as little as you allow them to. Meaning that if you want them to do more, you have to be in constant communication with them. I speak to Trey’s teacher and speech therapist weekly. For me, those are the two most important professional supports in his life right now and I have to make sure that they have Trey’s best interest at heart and that they are working together. We communicate over email, and I have met with them at school. Don’t just wait to meet or communicate with these professional supports at the annual IEP meeting. Your children are in school 185 days a year (if they are in NC) and you want your intentions made clear to your child’s IEP team all 185 days. You need to maximize as many of those days as possible to help your child reach his or her potential.

I cannot speak about anyone else’s experience, but I’ve learned a thing or two from my own and I truly believe that autism does get better with time. As the child grows and matures, they overcome old challenges but then are faced with new ones. As an autism mom, I feel more confident in confronting those new challenges. I do admit that I come from a place of privilege in that I’m educated, financially secure, and have the support of a two-parent household. This of course helps A LOT. However, I do think that anyone is capable of being a fierce advocate for their autistic child and being sure that they get their child’s needs met. It’s always possible if you put your mind to it and you have the potential to remove any barriers your child faces.  

I could go on and on, but I have kept you long enough and I hope that you find value in my story and experience. I am only an email away so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We are all at a different part of our journey so if I’m further along than you, reach out for resources and know that I’m always willing to help. I am also open to resources from those who are dealing with the challenges of having an autistic teen like mine.

Be good to yourself and others and take care!

I know it’s been a while. I haven’t been in the mood to blog recently nor had the time but knew it was important to get one in during Autism Awareness month. Being an autism mom is a BIG part of my identity and I didn’t think it would be right to go all month without blogging once. So, get ready for a transparent post about my experience thus far as an autism mom with 11 years under my belt.

It has been a journey, to say the least…every time I feel like I got a handle on it, something just comes out of left field and takes me through a loop. Let’s start off with the good. Trey has come a loooooooooooong way! I mean a really long way. He is talking which he didn’t until he was 6. He can do some math, read, and can type or write full sentences. However, he is still socially and developmentally delayed. Trey is 11 but acts more like 6. He is VERY immature and doesn’t really do two way-communication and does inappropriate things like laughing at serious situations, humping, and playing with his privates in public. Yes, he is now entering puberty, so these things are going to come up. Just this past Friday, I got a note from the teacher about this type of behavior in the classroom. We (my husband and I) decided that due to the severity of his actions, we would put him on punishment this weekend which consisted of no electronics. Devices are his thing, so he has been forced to do things he normally doesn’t such as play with his keyboard or read books. We did this to reinforce the lesson that these types of behaviors are not appropriate or acceptable and we reiterate to him every chance we get why he can’t use his phone or laptop. Autism requires lots of repetition but in short phrases or sentences so that they can process and retain what is being said. Trey is well aware about why he is on punishment as evidenced by him hiding his face or turning away in shame when we address his behavior. Despite Trey being autistic, he does know the difference between right and wrong.

Trey, although fully aware of the wrongness of his actions, has a tough time making the right choice when we are not around. We have decided that to address this issue, we are going to give him more freedom. You might be feeling that this should be the opposite of what we should do. Let me explain further. Trey is coming of age. He is now less than 7 years from 18 and I will probably seek guardianship before he becomes an adult. However, Trey needs to learn how to independently make good choices for himself without us always telling him what to do. We need to allow him the opportunity to safely make the wrong choice with us watching him deal with the consequences from a distance. Now of course we wouldn’t let him do anything dangerous but here is our plan: starting this summer, we are going to allow him to take on more responsibility such as preparing his own food, washing his clothes, and putting them away, taking care of his hygiene, etc. Basically, his daily living skills. If he decides to do something playful like put too much seasoning in his food to be funny or not wash himself correctly, he will have to deal with what you call natural consequences. When met with natural consequences for his poor choices, he will hopefully learn to make different decisions. I feel that by allowing him to have some independence, we are preparing him for adulthood. We don’t want Trey to be too dependent on us or his brother as an adult because if we were to pass away unexpectedly, we would not want him to be a burden to his little brother. We also want him to live a full life that involves him pursuing his own passion and independently doing some things for himself. A sense of autonomy is what gives people a feeling of accomplishment and general life satisfaction. We want Trey to have the opportunity to be all he can be with us safely watching him grow and develop into that from a distance.

I’m not a young parent and neither is my husband. There will come a time when we are unable to care for Trey because of our old age and deteriorating health. Unless you come from a big and supportive family that can step in when you can’t, you have to give your autistic child a chance and opportunity to become the person they are meant to be, which may not be what you had imagined. Now of course there are varying degrees of autism so if they are severely autistic, you may not be able to give much freedom. But I believe that to some degree or level, all children despite their disability, can learn to achieve something on their own without their parents or caregiver always hovering over them. Imagine if you spent your whole life with a hovering parent or caregiver and how nerve wracking and disabling that would be because you never felt confident to make a decision for yourself. Everyone deserves the opportunity to make a choice, even if it is as small as picking what they want to eat off a menu or deciding what shirt they want to wear that day.

Anyway, I hope you found something informative or enlightening about this blog. I am big on takeaways so comment below about what you took away from this post. If there is an area that you want me to cover that I did not, comment below. I am open to feedback and serving my audience the best way I can.

Take good care!

Kira