T co-emceed his school’s holiday concert on Thursday evening and did a great job speaking and performing in front of 200 guests. His teacher let us know the week before of this role and we were thrilled for him! She said he was doing a great job and asked us to practice with him. HeContinue reading “A Moment to Shine”
Category Archives: FASD
Birds of a Feather
Humans, like other animals, naturally seek and thrive through social connection. A flock of birds, a school of fish, a pack of wolves, and so on – we’re created to be social beings born into a family and socialized into communities. I reflected on this during a brisk, late afternoon, bike ride with T toContinue reading “Birds of a Feather”
The Loving Hearts of Grandparents
T’s grandparents were in town to celebrate the hubby’s 45th birthday – and it was wonderful to spend family time together. They arrived Wednesday night and T was so excited to see them. Friday was a PA Day and the hubby and I took the day off work. We took Grammy and Grandad on theirContinue reading “The Loving Hearts of Grandparents”
Thriller Night
T enjoyed trick or treating with friends this year. Halloween fell on a Friday and we stayed up later without worry of school or work the next day. T dressed up as a child being abducted by an alien and I chuckled at his grandparents asking who the alien was when we sent them aContinue reading “Thriller Night”
A Strong Sense of Justice
At a parent-teacher interview a few years ago, T’s Grade 1 teacher said T has a strong sense of justice. Despite the challenges we navigate with T, his general sense of right and wrong, and doing the right thing and speaking up when he feels he or others are wronged, gives us hope he willContinue reading “A Strong Sense of Justice”
Living in a Virtual World: An Escape Room with a Twist
T had his first virtual reality experience, which ended with a meteor destroying Earth. On Saturday evening, we took T to check out VRCade and we tried their popular VR escape room: Space Station Tiberia. For the unfamiliar, here’s a primer: The hubby and I have previously tried VR and escape rooms separately but thisContinue reading “Living in a Virtual World: An Escape Room with a Twist”
Creating Space for Something New
“The park is fading away,” T said with sadness during a recent bedtime, as I was tucking him in. He said that several mulberry trees had been chopped off over the late summer. Earlier in the summer, the trees provided great enjoyment, after the hubby and T noticed a group of seniors picking wild mulberriesContinue reading “Creating Space for Something New”
Regrouping: Finding Resilience in the Caregiving Journey
A subtraction worksheet drove me into a meltdown with our neurodiverse 10-year-old. I had an early start to a typical Tuesday work day, followed by a two-hour evening meeting of a Family Advisory Council that I volunteer with. After the meeting, I was hungry, brain-dead and just wanted to crawl into bed. But math homeworkContinue reading “Regrouping: Finding Resilience in the Caregiving Journey”
From One Caregiver to Another on FASD Awareness Day
September 9 is recognized annually around the world as FASD Awareness Day and to raise awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. This year, I was honored to be part of Surrey Place’s FASD Day event this recent Sunday. The hubby and T also attended the event and T spent most of the event playing withContinue reading “From One Caregiver to Another on FASD Awareness Day”
Good Things Are Worth the Wait
2 siblings, 2 generations of cousins, and T’s 1st summer tall enough to go on the biggest of the big roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland. The hubby’s sister and her daughter, T’s beloved cousin, A, visited us over Labour Day weekend. They were in town from New Brunswick to watch the Dua Lipa concert onContinue reading “Good Things Are Worth the Wait”
Digital Detox: Letting Our Neurodiverse Son Enjoy a Screen-Free Vacation
As I showered before departing on our roadtrip, the hubby asked if we should reconsider not bringing T’s tablet with us. “Don’t you dare,” I said. “You create your own misery.” Like the time at the airport earlier this year when the hubby gave T his tablet to pass the time after I told himContinue reading “Digital Detox: Letting Our Neurodiverse Son Enjoy a Screen-Free Vacation”
Full Moon at the Bay
We celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary this weekend, halfway through our two-week visit to T’s grandparents in New Brunswick. It was peak full moon – sounds about right 🤣 – and we enjoyed a morning barefoot walk on sandbars during low tide. The breeze, cold salt water, soft sand and gentle waves were soothing. WeContinue reading “Full Moon at the Bay”
Sarang Kitchen: A Restaurant For Minds of All Kinds
Delicious Korean fried chicken with a side of inclusiveness for neurodiverse people and dogs. That was the impressive, yummy and heartwarming experience we enjoyed at Sarang Kitchen, the first social enterprise and restaurant in Toronto that welcomes and employs neurodiverse people, including autistic individuals. I’ve been wanting to visit this place since it opened inContinue reading “Sarang Kitchen: A Restaurant For Minds of All Kinds”
“Every Day is a Blessing”
T snuck up on me while I was reading on the couch and with a mischievous grin, he said earnestly, “Every day is a miracle.” I still chuckle at this exchange and I also see the wisdom, intended or not, in his innocent words. Yesterday morning, I attended the funeral of a family friend andContinue reading ““Every Day is a Blessing””
Exploring the Beauty of Lake Superior Provincial Park
For five years, I’ve thought about this beautiful drive through Lake Superior Provincial Park. This summer, we went back and explored. In 2020, we did an amazing roadtrip to Thunder Bay and I regretted that we only drove through Lake Superior; it was the middle stretch of a 14-hour return drive to Sudbury. 😝 ThisContinue reading “Exploring the Beauty of Lake Superior Provincial Park”
The Hours: Lessons from a Windswept Pine at Killbear
The windswept pine tree on sunset rocks at Killbear Provincial Park is beloved by visitors. Over 100 years old, standing on rocks over 2 billion years old, it has witnessed many untold moments. I’m thankful that we are a part of each others’ passage in time, from the hubby and my first visit before TContinue reading “The Hours: Lessons from a Windswept Pine at Killbear”
Canada Day Fireworks in Timmins
We kicked off T’s summer with our annual family roadtrip and headed back to Northern Ontario. I planned this 7-day trip in April. As the days grew closer, the excitement was palatable in our home. On our first day, on Monday, we drove 4 hours from Toronto to Sudbury, making a pitstop at Killarney. WeContinue reading “Canada Day Fireworks in Timmins”
Building a Child’s Confidence
With less than a handful of days of school left, I’m leaving with one key takeaway: confidence is built and nurtured. T’s Grade 4 year flew by. Many things clicked this year. With his CYW’s continued support, T has grown academically, personally and socially. Even daycare staff have noted how far he has come. ThereContinue reading “Building a Child’s Confidence”
Driving Mr. T
3,500+ car rides together. That was my best guess when I tried to quantify how many drives T and I have had in our 9 years as a family. We’re celebrating our 10th Fathers Day today. Nine years flew by. One minute, the hubby and I were meeting him for the first time at hisContinue reading “Driving Mr. T”
Teaching Kids Personal Life Management
My friends and I, now in our 40s, think fondly about a class that we took 30 years ago in Grade 9, which remains one of the most useful classes ever. “Personal Life Management,” or PLM for short, covered practical life skills, including financial literacy, through reflective discussions, journaling and assignments. I thought about PLMContinue reading “Teaching Kids Personal Life Management”
My Life With T 