Your blog is just amazing! What a wonderful little boy. What a keepsake, this is better than scrap booking. You go girl… I am amazed t your strength, humor and intelligence. You are a wonderful person.
Amy your writing is beautiful. I am deeply moved. I was unaware of how things have been going for you guys. I hope you all get the help and care you need and deserve.
This is one of the most evocative blogs I have ever read having stumbled upon it quite accidentally. I am moved by your writing, experiences (to date), and honesty. Without pity, I wish you and your son the very best this world can offer.
I’ve caught some of your blogs since finding your article in our local Spotlight. (I now live in Glenmont, near Delmar) Your blogs are engaging and lovingly written. It cannot be easy raising a son with undeniably difficult behavioral issues.
Keep up the writing and entertain the thoughts of compiling a book of your experiences with Jonah. He’s a lucky boy to have you as a mother…
Hi Amy read your article in the Parent pages and had to find your blog. read most and totally understand alot of what you have been through. I too have a special needs child, I too had to go the residential route and though as you have said is painful to consider was the best thing I could have done for me and my daughter. we found a great program for her in Rhinebeck (not sure if it is the same one you looked into or not) My daughter has anger issues and was as violent as many of the outburst I have read you write about. My daughter is Bipolar among other things. A lot of her behaviors are very similar to that of a child on the autism spectrum yet also very different. I applaud you for all you struggle to do and please do the residential without feeling you are failing you are not – take it from one who was there (is there)
I’m a good friend of your mother-in-law Jane Krebs. She gave me a link to this blog about a year ago. I’ve gotten caught up in the saga of Jonah. I wish there was something I cd do to help you all. The one thing I can tell you with certainty is that writing about one’s daily life gives one a grip on it that non-writers don’t have. But you know that!
I had a retail sales job once that I didn’t like very much, so I started writing poems about my encounters with customers. This had the effect of making me wonder, even as I dealt with them, how I would write about it that evening. I wd find myself smiling even as the customer did something that wd otherwise have irritated me.
Whatever happens about Jonah’s placement, just keep writing. It’s the best road to achieving mental balance. And perhaps there’s a book to be made of all these blog entries, eventually.
Amy, your blog is great! I’m so glad I found it as I also struggle with a very violent and aggressive ASD child….he is different from your Jonah as he is verbal and he is also very high functioning and smart, going into the 3rd grade this year, however he has always been a very difficult child….bringing me to tears at least once a day usually….socially, emotionally and behaviorally he is too much for me most times….he is more like a 2yr old than an 8yr old….I have to watch him constantly, care for all of his needs and cater to his demands all day everyday….I have lost myself and the worst part of it is I have not been able to get very much support or help in my community….I’m trying but there’s just not much out there for kids like him….good luck to you and your son as he goes away…I’m sure you are doing the right thing for him….and it is out of love, the thought of having to one day send my son away has crossed my mind and is too much to bear….it’s a hard decision for sure! Take care…..Angie
Amy,
I am thinking about your coming weeks as you prepare yourself emotionally and physically for the placement of Jonah. I haven’t forgotten the bond we forged last December at Four Winds, and still read your blog and think of you daily. I will be wishing good things for you, and sending you virtual hugs, and a shoulder to cry on…until we can meet in person. I love you!
I just found your blog yesterday and I think I read it all. My son, Josh, is also autistic, non verbal and has a smile that is so sweet and beautiful, my heart fills with joy every time I see it. His laugh …its magical. Josh is 6 and truly a sweet, happy little boy who can charm absolutely anyone. His OT even listed affectionate as a strength and weakness, because he tries to snuggle to avoid his work.
We have had two incidents of aggression (when he attacked with a appalling determination and violence) at home and maybe five at school. He was on meds and it disappeared when we stopped them, thank God. Most people just can’t understand the horror of having your sweet boy rage against you. How even as you protect yourself (and/or others) from your child …your baby; your heart is shredded by his pain and anger. And still, moments later, a smile or new ability can fill you with blinding hope. I don’t know if I will walk your path in the future, but I feel like I have a long hard look down it. It helps to know that we aren’t alone. Thank you for generously sharing your story.
Hi Amy,
I love your blog. I can only imagine what you are going through…you are such a strong person. I will continue to pray for your strength through all of this. You are truly amazing and Jonah is so lucky to have you for a Mom.
It sounds like he is doing so well in his new surroundings.
Take care and God Bless you,
Kerry (Zanello) Endres
Hi Amy,
Your blog is wonderfully written. I have a 12 year old son with Autism and right now he’s having difficult behavioral issues. I know at some point I’ll have to place him. Your blog provides comfort, thanks for sharing your story.
Hello Amy.
This was a great blog to stumble upon. I have a few dear friends with autistic children and it’s truly an amazing and humbling situation to behold. As someone who chose not to have children, being around kids is a novel experience for me at best. One of my closest friends was recently in a situation where he had to drive his 8 year old son from Wisconsin to New York city to have his annual evaluation to stay on a particular treatment plan for his gut issues. He and his wife had just added a newborn to the the family and couldn’t imagine a family trip. Being that I was off work preparing to leave the state he asked if I would help.
This would forever cement my friend as one of the greatest fathers I know. Throughout the trip there and back, not a cross word of complaint or harried attitude. Changing diapers, giving meds, keeping peace. We drove straight through, got a few hours of sleep, saw the doc. Aside from a trip to the ER because of a fall he took at the office, we were back on the road for the return.
I watched this boy go from a toddler with all the expected action and curiosity up until two years old. Then, to no longer wanting to play with m glasses and crawl up my leg and ceasing to vocalize. As audiophiles and musicians we found that the kid can do things with electronics that I’m sure the inventors never considered. He’s an amazing little man. They too will have to place him someday, they think, but are hell bent for leather until that day comes. Thanks so much for the level-headed yet inspirational writing you do.
Hey Amy… Just got your message from TU blog. Thanks so much for the heads up on writing.com. Please shoot me an email when you get a chance. Would love to discuss.
Our goal is to provide autistic kids laptops with special apps, I Phones with special apps, instruments, other equipment for communication devices and anything we can help these families with autistic children. We also want to be able to find their niches and what they are good at. We would like to provide adaptive services for these kids to learn and communicate better. It would be great to find out what these kids are good at. We are looking to go further than providing that kind of help. The more money we raise, the more we can help these children and families.
My name is Jasper. I am the founder of the charity and I am autistic myself. I am 23 years old and I did not get all the care I needed when I needed it. So because of this I made a decision to provide help because I am able to understand what most of the kids are going through and I want to be able to tell them that I care. I want to support and help them as much as I can. I am going to also share advertising revenue as well to help. I am a game creator and I build websites as a living as well. What gave me the idea is, because like I said, there is not much in VA but I would like to give the gift of technology read more
Hi Amy,
Your blog is just amazing! What a wonderful little boy. What a keepsake, this is better than scrap booking. You go girl… I am amazed t your strength, humor and intelligence. You are a wonderful person.
Val Schulman
Thanks Val! I appreciate that. You rock.
Amy your writing is beautiful. I am deeply moved. I was unaware of how things have been going for you guys. I hope you all get the help and care you need and deserve.
Bryan Beckman
This is one of the most evocative blogs I have ever read having stumbled upon it quite accidentally. I am moved by your writing, experiences (to date), and honesty. Without pity, I wish you and your son the very best this world can offer.
Hi Amy,
I’ve caught some of your blogs since finding your article in our local Spotlight. (I now live in Glenmont, near Delmar) Your blogs are engaging and lovingly written. It cannot be easy raising a son with undeniably difficult behavioral issues.
Keep up the writing and entertain the thoughts of compiling a book of your experiences with Jonah. He’s a lucky boy to have you as a mother…
Love, Emily
Hi Amy read your article in the Parent pages and had to find your blog. read most and totally understand alot of what you have been through. I too have a special needs child, I too had to go the residential route and though as you have said is painful to consider was the best thing I could have done for me and my daughter. we found a great program for her in Rhinebeck (not sure if it is the same one you looked into or not) My daughter has anger issues and was as violent as many of the outburst I have read you write about. My daughter is Bipolar among other things. A lot of her behaviors are very similar to that of a child on the autism spectrum yet also very different. I applaud you for all you struggle to do and please do the residential without feeling you are failing you are not – take it from one who was there (is there)
Hi, Amy,
I’m a good friend of your mother-in-law Jane Krebs. She gave me a link to this blog about a year ago. I’ve gotten caught up in the saga of Jonah. I wish there was something I cd do to help you all. The one thing I can tell you with certainty is that writing about one’s daily life gives one a grip on it that non-writers don’t have. But you know that!
I had a retail sales job once that I didn’t like very much, so I started writing poems about my encounters with customers. This had the effect of making me wonder, even as I dealt with them, how I would write about it that evening. I wd find myself smiling even as the customer did something that wd otherwise have irritated me.
Whatever happens about Jonah’s placement, just keep writing. It’s the best road to achieving mental balance. And perhaps there’s a book to be made of all these blog entries, eventually.
Good luck & love,
Patsy Sweeney
Amy, your blog is great! I’m so glad I found it as I also struggle with a very violent and aggressive ASD child….he is different from your Jonah as he is verbal and he is also very high functioning and smart, going into the 3rd grade this year, however he has always been a very difficult child….bringing me to tears at least once a day usually….socially, emotionally and behaviorally he is too much for me most times….he is more like a 2yr old than an 8yr old….I have to watch him constantly, care for all of his needs and cater to his demands all day everyday….I have lost myself and the worst part of it is I have not been able to get very much support or help in my community….I’m trying but there’s just not much out there for kids like him….good luck to you and your son as he goes away…I’m sure you are doing the right thing for him….and it is out of love, the thought of having to one day send my son away has crossed my mind and is too much to bear….it’s a hard decision for sure! Take care…..Angie
Amy,
I am thinking about your coming weeks as you prepare yourself emotionally and physically for the placement of Jonah. I haven’t forgotten the bond we forged last December at Four Winds, and still read your blog and think of you daily. I will be wishing good things for you, and sending you virtual hugs, and a shoulder to cry on…until we can meet in person. I love you!
Amy,
I just found your blog yesterday and I think I read it all. My son, Josh, is also autistic, non verbal and has a smile that is so sweet and beautiful, my heart fills with joy every time I see it. His laugh …its magical. Josh is 6 and truly a sweet, happy little boy who can charm absolutely anyone. His OT even listed affectionate as a strength and weakness, because he tries to snuggle to avoid his work.
We have had two incidents of aggression (when he attacked with a appalling determination and violence) at home and maybe five at school. He was on meds and it disappeared when we stopped them, thank God. Most people just can’t understand the horror of having your sweet boy rage against you. How even as you protect yourself (and/or others) from your child …your baby; your heart is shredded by his pain and anger. And still, moments later, a smile or new ability can fill you with blinding hope. I don’t know if I will walk your path in the future, but I feel like I have a long hard look down it. It helps to know that we aren’t alone. Thank you for generously sharing your story.
Debbie
Hi Amy,
I love your blog. I can only imagine what you are going through…you are such a strong person. I will continue to pray for your strength through all of this. You are truly amazing and Jonah is so lucky to have you for a Mom.
It sounds like he is doing so well in his new surroundings.
Take care and God Bless you,
Kerry (Zanello) Endres
Hi Amy,
Your blog is wonderfully written. I have a 12 year old son with Autism and right now he’s having difficult behavioral issues. I know at some point I’ll have to place him. Your blog provides comfort, thanks for sharing your story.
Erin
Hello Amy.
This was a great blog to stumble upon. I have a few dear friends with autistic children and it’s truly an amazing and humbling situation to behold. As someone who chose not to have children, being around kids is a novel experience for me at best. One of my closest friends was recently in a situation where he had to drive his 8 year old son from Wisconsin to New York city to have his annual evaluation to stay on a particular treatment plan for his gut issues. He and his wife had just added a newborn to the the family and couldn’t imagine a family trip. Being that I was off work preparing to leave the state he asked if I would help.
This would forever cement my friend as one of the greatest fathers I know. Throughout the trip there and back, not a cross word of complaint or harried attitude. Changing diapers, giving meds, keeping peace. We drove straight through, got a few hours of sleep, saw the doc. Aside from a trip to the ER because of a fall he took at the office, we were back on the road for the return.
I watched this boy go from a toddler with all the expected action and curiosity up until two years old. Then, to no longer wanting to play with m glasses and crawl up my leg and ceasing to vocalize. As audiophiles and musicians we found that the kid can do things with electronics that I’m sure the inventors never considered. He’s an amazing little man. They too will have to place him someday, they think, but are hell bent for leather until that day comes. Thanks so much for the level-headed yet inspirational writing you do.
Hey Amy… Just got your message from TU blog. Thanks so much for the heads up on writing.com. Please shoot me an email when you get a chance. Would love to discuss.
Our goal is to provide autistic kids laptops with special apps, I Phones with special apps, instruments, other equipment for communication devices and anything we can help these families with autistic children. We also want to be able to find their niches and what they are good at. We would like to provide adaptive services for these kids to learn and communicate better. It would be great to find out what these kids are good at. We are looking to go further than providing that kind of help. The more money we raise, the more we can help these children and families.
My name is Jasper. I am the founder of the charity and I am autistic myself. I am 23 years old and I did not get all the care I needed when I needed it. So because of this I made a decision to provide help because I am able to understand what most of the kids are going through and I want to be able to tell them that I care. I want to support and help them as much as I can. I am going to also share advertising revenue as well to help. I am a game creator and I build websites as a living as well. What gave me the idea is, because like I said, there is not much in VA but I would like to give the gift of technology read more