Featuring Guest Blogger from Words and Dexterity

http://www.wordsanddexterity.com/

Bio - My name is T L Holliday. I have a huge mind that can sometimes get me in trouble, but I mostly use it to educate ignorance.

I totally recommend this awesome page. It speaks volumes. The words, the art, the photos. It is all there. This is the kind of stuff that needs to be spread around the internet like wildfire. It is food for the soul. Have a good time reading this guest blog post and when you have the chance, I recommend that you go on over to her website and experience the amazingness that is unleashed from a super creative soul. One who I love very much and am very proud of. Even if she was not my niece, I would say all of this because I totally mean it.

xo Namaste, Dany

Photo taken by Holliday (it is my son's hand and a puzzle piece he was playing with outside a few summers ago)

 

#CONTINUETOEDUCATE2015

Something that never fails to astound me is the lack of humanity in the world. Everyone is worried about who's doing what, who's doing who, who's getting what and how much of it. What does any of what other people do have to do with your life? Why do you care about how someone else identifies? They're not doing it to personally hurt you or to make you feel uncomfortable. SURPRISE! The reason they do anything has absolutely nothing to do with you. Stop judging people based on their race, sexual orientation, gender, religious beliefs, just stop judging people period.

There is no race except the human race. We are a species. We only have different skin tones to better suit the geographical areas we live in. Take animals for example; there are many different species and breeds of animals depending on where you are in the world. Some can survive easier in parts of the world that others cannot because they are born with the traits necessary for life in those regions. But they don't kill each other because of it, they use it to survive. So when someone is racist and violent towards another person that is literally telling you that they have more basic human rights than that person because their skin color differs.

I also don't understand the need to label everything. Why do you need to put me in a category? And then get upset if I tell you that I don't fit in that category? Everyone needs to understand that sexuality and gender is fluid. Being born with certain sexual organs does not determine what your gender is. Each individual person decides for themselves what gender they feel they are, not the gender roles forced upon them by society. Same thing with sexuality. As a human you are attracted or not attracted to someone based on the person they are, not about what's between their legs. Society teaches you to assume everyone is a cisgender heterosexual until told otherwise. We need to teach our kids to not assuming anyone is anything and to accept people for who they are.

Religion is another touchy subject, but I'll shed a little light on it. I have no problem with religion, the problem I have is, again, with the people who "practice" it. I say "practice" because religion is supposed to be personal, not displayed for the world to see and shoved down everyone's throat. And just like gender and sexuality, it is something you yourself decide what best fits how you feel. Religion is your personal relationship with whatever god(s) you believe in, not a love triangle between you, your god, and the rest of the world. There are many different religions and spiritual practices in the world, so it makes absolutely no sense when people try to enforce their religion onto other people as if their religion is the only religion. It also has no business being in law enforcement, but I'll save that for another day.

Being a human is like being an animal; we all look different, have different sets of skills, and were put on this earth unwillingly without a hand book. But for some reason animals have a better understanding of how to live, and they're so simple yet complex to us. How can the very things we call wild and unpredictable be more human and understanding of how life works than actual humans? How can they co-exist with so many other species and manage not to destroy each other or the earth? They stay in their lane, that's how! They take care of each other and their habitats, they don't shit where they sleep.

Just take a second and sit down. Zoom out of your own life right now and picture the world as a whole. All the different countries on different continents spread out in a big ball of ocean. Now zoom out of that image and picture all the planets in our solar system. Now zoom out of that. What do you see? Some people know what that actually looks like and others never even thought to imagine that such a thing exists. It does, and even beyond that exists. There are billions of other solar systems in billions of other galaxies. Just imagine what could be out there. How small does that make your life seem? Small enough to realize all the bullshit in your life? And that most of the things you do, say, and think are pointless because now you see that you were only doing those things because you're a product of society? If it did then you're one of the lucky ones who has the ability to broaden and take their minds to the next level. And if it didn't then hopefully one day it will.

So to end this post I'll just say,

Love yourself, love your neighbor, love your earth and you'll be happier for it I promise.

- T L Holliday

My Boy: Part 82

Field Day happened on Sunday. He really enjoyed it. JJ got to be with all of his karate friends. It was a blast despite a few mini meltdowns of wanting to go in a bouncy house and play games as well as waiting in line for registration. It was sunny and hot so the behavior was more understandable today. That day JJ ate a hamburger and a hotdog. I was so surprised because he has never eaten a hamburger from a cook out before. Ya know, it is the little things. Yeah and it was with organic ketchup. : )

We are working on going all organic for JJ. We have been seeing a difference especially when he takes his omega 3 supplements, multi - vitamins and his fish oil liquid. Going organic costs a lot more than traditional foods but it is so worth it especially when consuming organics helps calm and soothe the symptoms of ASD such as hand flapping and verbal stimming.

JJ participated in a few games and had fun throughout the time we were there playing with other children. It was great because he needed the social interactions with others as he has not been in school, Yes, he misses it. He has been telling me that lately. That is a great sign. I am proud of him. As a desire of mine is to have my son to love learning and embrace it.

My Boy: Part 54

We made it from Connecticut to Florida and back driving. We took a road trip to Disney World for Spring break. It was a 22 hour trip but really did not seem that long. Jorge Juan was awesome. He did very well. I was so surprised at how well he maintained himself. He slept. He kept busy. He played. He watched out the window. I was really proud of him. He made the trip easier. It is a long way for anyone especially a child and one who is on the spectrum at that. We stopped plenty of times to eat and take a break. Jorge Juan enjoyed it all along the way. He brought along his backpack of toys but did not need to take them all out. He was good with a few of them. He never once complained but did cry to sit all the way in the back. He did not want to sit in the middle. He insisted on being all the way back. So once he sat there, he was fine. Very surprised he lasted that ling. It still amazes me. I would have never imagined bringing him on a road trio a couple years ago. Even now we did not know what to expect but everything worked out because we had faith in it.






So we made it to Disney. We all loved it. By the end of the day we were super exhausted. Jorge lasted all day. We were there for about 11 hours walking around and such. He walked the entire time. Of course taking sitting breaks on the trolley and train but other than that Jorge Juan walked and walked without crying or complaining. We were so blessed. It was amazing. Not even once did we need to think of tenting a stroller. The excitement took over him. It was great. Very tiring but all worth it. I forgot, as many times I do, that my son is on the autism spectrum. It amazes me. There are days I do not even think about autism. There's always a bright side to it all. I wouldn't change my son for the world. What a difference early intervention and therapies make along with unwavering faith and determination. We will succeed. 






So he got to meet Woody and Jessie. Mickey!! We saw him too along with others. It was a very memorable experience that I wish all children can have. He asked a million questions there and back, lined up his toys at the vacation home, flapped here and there but that's just him. He is a boy first, autism is secondary and nothing will stop him. Going back a few years, I remember hearing silence. He wasn't soeaking yet. So, these questions upon questions are blessings in disguise and are very welcome even when we do not have the answers.






I love my piece of the puzzle. Everyday is a new experience and we learn so many valuable things from him. We do not know what we would do without Jorge Juan. We have seen many challenging days in the past. We have seen many appointments. We have seen many therapies, sessions, meetings, IEPs, sleepless nights, fidgeting, flapping, stunning and so on. But we made it through. As I look back, it made us stronger. When Jorge was not speaking, I did not know when he would be able to or if he would be able to properly but I just knew I had to hear his voice. As always, I will still be his voice. Spreading autism awareness. There's no discrimination. It is a whole spectrum. It is diverse. Education is key.

My Boy: Part 51

Jorge Juan is very excited that our family is here from Ecuador. He is super happy that he has his cousin, who is 7, to play with. They get along very well. Both of them have been taking good care of Jorge's guinea pigs. Jorge Juan is an only child so to have another kid in the house makes him excited. he has been flapping here and there and continuously jumping out of happiness. he almost had a sensory overload. He is becoming sensitive to sounds again. Loud yells and screams at karate class, he covers his ears. When flusing the toilet, he covers his ears. Now he has not been doing that for a very long time and it started up once again. When I use the Vitamix in the morning to make juice, he has to covers his ears and runs to the living room. Thank God he has not had any ear infections or any problems with his ears ever since he had the tubes put in his ears. Since then, they have fallen out. So far so good.

He had a trip to the dentist the other day. Words cannot describe how proud my husband and I are. There are really no words to describe it. Jorge did an amazing job. Smiling and laughing the whole way through. He even wanted to get x rays of his teeth. he did not need them so the hygienist took an x ray of his finger. he loved it so much. At the end, he got not one, but three toys for doing an amazing job. It was his first real dental cleaning and it was a true success. We are really blessed. He cannot wait to go back again. That day, he had a great day the whole way through and it started from him picking out his clothes for school since he did not have to wear his uniform. He was happy about that and even stated that he was different.

Days like that I forget that he has autism. Usually I do not even think of it any more. To me he is just a kid. He is my child and he is the best he can be in my eyes and i would never want to change hi for the world. Autism is a blessing in disguise. It was not always so but I thank God for Jorge Juan every day. He can see, hear, walk, play and is healthy. What more can I ask for?

My Boy: Part 50

Wow!! 50, I can not believe it. I never would have thought to be sharing Jorge Juan's journey in so many parts. I never thought I would have a blog in the first place either. It is amazing for all of the support. Thank you for reading. It really means a lot.

Jorge Juan was so tired this morning and he did not want to go to school. We woke up 20 minutes late but got ready in time for the school bus to pick hi up. All the while he was saying he wanted to sleep and rest. Usually he is sleeping by 8:30 but he stayed up later than that last night. there was supposed to be a huge snow storm, so I thought no school and he could stay up later to pig out on some frozen pops we made at home (shared on www.facebook.com/loorducation) as well as popcorn all while watching The Lion King. Although he fell asleep halfway into the movie, he was sleepy and needed more rest in the morning. He had a long day yesterday playing, moving and shaking the whole day through while having fun. He did not want to go to school but I can say that I am blessed because he is a morning person after all and did not give too much trouble at all getting ready. He cheerfully greeted his bus driver and was excited that the bis monitor was finally back from maternity leave.He got to wear red and white today to honor Dr. Seuss and is excited for tomorrow which is crazy hat day.

He did his homework very well today. I can see that his fine motor skills have developed a lot. His coloring is getting so much better along with his writing. He is doing it with ease now as before it would be frustrating for him. He is showing great interest in homework. He loves to read his take home book and impressed me today after he completed a book. He was able to retell the whole story to me, in his own words using great details. He is enjoying making up his own sentences as he practices his letter board words. This makes me very happy and proud. I love that he is developing such a great love for learning. His vocabulary is expanding and when he speaks, he uses such descriptive language that leaves me in awe. He is a great kid. He loves life so much. We can learn a lot from him. He gives some lessons that are harder than any EDU class. Every step is worth it. With love, hope, dedication and faith, my child is progressing and so can yours. Never, ever give up. Give anything, but up!! You can do it, look at Jorge Juan, he is doing it. Greater days are coming. Thank God for today.

Autism is a journey and not a life sentence. Many, many days I "forget" that Jorge Juan has autism. I see him stim, I smile. the day goes on.

My Boy: Part 47

Jorge Juan finally is back in school after have a super long weekend. The children had no school last Thursday or Friday and also no school Monday or Tuesday. He was happy to be going back although he has enjoyed his lazy days in the house. He played a lot, watched some TV, cared for his pets, colored, worked on projects and played some games. He also had so much fun playing with children at the playground in the mall and at my mother;s house when she was babysitting. He loves the interactions and enjoys the company very much. He brought his Valentine cards to school and is hoping to still have a party seeing that school was canceled due to the snow. Anyway, I hope he does. After school I have some fun in the snow planned for him. Our backyard is covered and untouched, so I am sure he will be thrilled to play outside. He has been doing very well. He has this new thing now with mimicking everything that we are saying. I do not know where that came from. Other than that he has been taking his vitamins and fish oil and has been very calm and relaxed.His symptoms are not visible. I always wonder where has Autism gone? He stims once and a while but NOTHING like before in the previous years or even months. We always keep faith and never give up hope, ever. His report card was super. He is doing very well academically and reaching all points set on his IEP. He is a great kid with a spectacular imagination. Love him to pieces!!!

My Boy: Part 46

Jorge Juan loves doing his homework lately. He is really into it. It is math. He has always loved numbers and been very good at counting. He uses foam blocks and dominos to count. I am really impressed at a wonderful job that he is doing and the improvements that he is making. He is comfortable holding a pencil with the correct tripod grip. His writing, in general, is more controlled and very neat and understandable. He is having fun and enjoying the learning process with less frustration and meltdowns. He is excited when he is doing hand son projects and sensory activities. The point for me is to make a strong connection between fun and learning. I want Jorge Juan to grow up loving to learn. I have been blessed that he really loves school and loves books. I read to him when he was in the womb. I would always go to the library and pick up books to read to him. I really believe in this.From before he could speak as a baby and toddler, he loved to read and look at words from a book. Also, when I was pregnant with Jorge Juan, I did Sudoku puzzles, so many of those Sudoku puzzles every day, in a book and on Nintendo DS. This is also a part why I believe he is good with numbers and enjoys math. I believe that him being on the Autism Spectrum is  a huge blessing. It took a lot to get use to but I would not ever change him for the world. My husband and I are blessed as parents and very proud of the achievements that he has made in his 5 years of life. He started his first year of Pre K without speaking and in diapers. He was in diapers for the whole year of first year Pre K. He went to pull ups and eventually out of diapers towards the middle to end of second year Pre K. The toilet training was a battle in which we overcame. Never give up.

He is loving, caring and empathetic. He is curious and loves to be creative. He loves God. he loves babies, animals and people. He is healthy. He is learning. He can see, walk, talk...why would i ever want to change that? Autism is just a label, that is all. Never give up. If you go back and read the start of Jorge Juan's journey, you will see what he has been through, overcame and made it out the other side. It can happen. Never give up.

 

My Boy: Part 44

Jorge is at Occupational Therapy today. I decided to take him back because he still foes not have a dominant hand. He uses both. He's comfortable with both but it seems as though he has more control with his left hand. His writing is neater. So I thought he would benefit from the one on one help from his therapist. He enjoys it and it gets him out of the house to play and socialize with other children while we are waiting.He has been reading and writing and really enjoying cutting too. His grips have gotten so good.






He likes to do arts and crafts. He's super excited about the Martin Luther King Jr. Project that we are going to create for school. He'll get to use glue, stickers and more art supplies to make it unique. He looks forward to creating which makes me proud. We always have arts and crafts on hand.






Who is this child that doctors diagnosed with autism? The signs are just diminishing and barely viable at times. He has come a long way. It wasn't always like this. Do not ever lose hope. Ever. I'll never give up on Jorge Juan
He amazes us everyday. He has been taking Omega 3 chewables and recently just starting taking liquid fish oil. This stuff really is beneficial.it works. Once he's been taking it long enough I will share mate results. Thanks for reading.






Teach your child to never say "I can't"...encourage them to always try and never give up.

My Boy: Part 41 (Special)

I my eyes, my son is perfect. Although he did not start talking until he was 3 and a half. Although he was not fully potty trained until he was 4 and a half, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he is on the autism spectrum, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he is very sensitive to loud noises and sounds and covers his ears,in my eyes he is perfect. Although he always has to have a little toy in his hand and never wore shoes for the first year of his life, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he has speech therapy and occupational therapy, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he asks many questions multiple times for reassurance, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he has an IEP and is in specialized instruction Kindergarten, in my eyes he is perfect. Although he did not start eating independently until the age of 5, he is perfect in my eyes. Although he watches the same shows, same episodes in the same order when he gets to watch TV, he is perfect in my eyes. He can see. He can hear. He can walk. He can play. He is perfect in my eyes. He can do things for himself. He goes to school, interacts and has friends. He even told me yesterday that his school i snot new anymore because when he started he did not know anybody and know he has a lot of friends. Although he has obsessions, he is perfect in my eyes. Although he has to sleep with toys and I find small toys hidden in socks all the time, he is perfect in my eyes. Autism is his super power. He is unique. He loves to read, to play, to discover and most of all he loves God. He is a strong willed young boy who is wise beyond his years. A true gift from up above. I would not change him for the world. He is just awesome.

In 2008 God blessed us with Jorge Juan.My husband and I waited a long time for him. We have been married since 2001. Many times I have heard that I will not be able to have children or it would be very difficult to have children. That I can share with you all at another time. For now, enjoy life.
As always comments are always welcome.
Join us on Facebook- www.facebook.com/loorducation
Come say hello!!! Lots of awesome things going on. Share with me. What would you like to see next?

My Boy: Part 37

Happy New Year from Jorge Juan!!! He is very exciting. He tells everyone, Happy Old Year because he knows it makes them laugh. He was a really good boy for the holiday. We went to family's house very late last night and he cooperated very well. He did not take a nap all day and was up until 3 am. We got home around 4am and he stayed sleeping through the taking off coat, hat, etc. He woke up very happy. He has been playing with his new toys and watching some TV today. He also took care of his guinea pigs whom he loves so much. He is very sweet and each day he learns more manners and things that really matter. Pleases and thank yous all day. He always prays and is very thankful that God has given him a great family, pets, friends and all that good stuff. He is really over powering this Autism. He took many pictures of himself yesterday. He loves to make all different faces and take pics of them then he likes to go back and check them out. He really misses school and is super excited to return tomorrow. He is doing very well and I know this year is going to be even better for him and many other children who are on the spectrum. It is all about faith, hope and love. I know Jorge will achieve many things. He has already overcome so much. I hope that he inspires others. He knows it is 2014 and is becoming more aware of his surroundings. He asks any inquisitive questions and tries really hard with discipline and self control.

For a five year old boy, he is wise beyond his years and I am so proud to be his mommy.

All questions and comments are welcome.

www.facebook.com/loorducation

Come check us out!!!!

www.twitter.com/loorducation

Questions about Autism? Children in general? I will be more than happy to help you!!

Cheers-

Dany, B.S. Child Studies, MEd candidate 2014

My Boy: Part 25

"I love to do this Mommy (shaking/flapping hands vigorously), it makes me happy." That is what my son says to me sometimes. When he actually does flap his hands, he let us know it is because he is excited and happy abouit something.

Well, yesterday at karate, he had a wonderful class. He did a complete split and was able to put his head down on the mat at the same time. He was the only Tiny Tiger who was able to do it. He is super flexible and always has been.

He has been doing well at school. He really enjoys it from the bus ride to and from to all the specials that they have. He is always busy. Next week is report conferences and I will be there with my husband.I can not wait to hear of the successes and improvements of our son. He is such a a blessing.

I never thought I would be on a part 25 story about my son. Just to think it all started with one post after a visit from the neurologist. We are determined to assist our son reaching his full potential. He has come a long way and we are proud of him. Autism does not stop him. What a huge difference dedication and faith make. I would not have it any other way. It was a blessing in disguise. A super ability. The point is to improve and not to stay on that same level of the spectrum as the doctor stated. That is a starting point awaiting enhancement and betterment.

If no one knows where Autism came from the no one can tell me that it does not have a cure. If Autism is a life long happening, so be it, I will take that as well because I do not see my son any different from a typical child.

God bless.

Thank you,

Dany

My Boy: Part 23

I remember when Jorge would watch Toy Story 3 over and over again. Not just in one day, but day after day and week after week. That was his obsession for a while. I remember when he likes to wear the same pajamas night after night and watch the same cartoons. We have Hulu Plus and each day he will pick the same kind of shows with the exact episodes that he has recently viewed. He remembers the names of the episodes and asks to play each one. He likes the tags ripped off all of his stuffed animals and clothes. He likes to use the green crayon most often. If he falls asleep with a  certain T shirt on, he will want to wear it in the morning. He became obsessed with Ninja Turtles after giving up Buzz Lightyear which I never thought he would. He used to be extremely scared of flushing toilets and the sound of the hand dryer in public restrooms. The bright lights and strong sun are not his favorite things. Even though it is cold, he insists on waiting for the school bus outside. He switches between right and left hand when he does his homework and art work. He is becoming a karate master and insists that we "box". He talks. Yes, we waited years to hear his voice but he talks and he read..He loves to read. He loves books and he reads a lot. He has been reading for a very long time now. I am so proud of him. When he was three years old, he was said to be in the middle of the Autism Spectrum but from then and until forever he is in my heart.

He is high functioning. I thank God everyday for the blessings. Just because he was once in the middle does not mean that is where he was bound to stay. It is a spectrum for a reason. He has improved and continues to improve each day. It is important to keep going forward. Never giving up. Where there is Faith, there are great things. Dedication is a key factor. I am not trying to change my son at all. I do not wish Autism away. It is his super ability. I just work with him all the time to ensure that he will lead the best life possible with all the capabilities necessary. Going from non verbal to non stop talking in a couple years is a great window of opportunity of hope, that with Love and first and foremost God..All things are possible.

Thank you.

Comments and Questions are always welcome here.

Dany <3