Linked Local Network

“When you complement your children, praise them for inner qualities such as kindness, honesty and perseverance so they will strive to contribute to the world in meaningful ways.” – Toni Schutta   When my boys were younger they came to believe that their primary purpose in this world was to be a source of frustration for others. They spent so much time on the receiving end of correction that it was difficult to see themselves as more than a broken human being in constant need of repair. As they struggled with autism and all the difficulties it brings, all they were really trying to do was find the valuable part of themselves that the world would appreciate. I did a lot of traveling over the past week as I presented to various groups on the communication strategies I’ve learned over the years. It was an exchange with a mother during the final presentation of the week that stands out most in my mind. She has a young daughter on the spectrum with very low...

“Every composer knows the anguish and despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which one had no time to write down.” -  Hector Berlioz If you have a learning challenge that affects the way your brain processes information here is a truth that you MUST accept if you are ever to lead a full life. Ready? Your brain is unreliable. I’ve met countless of my fellow autism spectrumites who have fallen into the trap of immaculate perception – the belief that their perception is in some way infallible and everyone else is wrong. At one time I found myself in a similar trap and do you know where I ended up? Alone, that’s where. The fact is, no brain, whether its workings have a label or not sees everything. We miss things either when we’re stressed, tired, scattered or whatever the reason. For many of us (myself included) scattered is our default setting. We can either see ourselves as victims or see our circumstances as a miraculous opportunity ...