Hello!  Welcome to my site, BeingBrady.  Brady is my 11 year old son who inspires me to be my best self everyday.  He’s on the autism spectrum and also has a seizure disorder and ADHD.  The purpose of my blog writings is to show that kids like Brady can blossom in the most unexpected ways when they receive a lot of family and community support.  Acceptance and kindness from others goes a long way in making kids like Brady feel valued and loved for who they naturally are even if they are different from many of those around them.  Often times, special needs kids have a fragile sense of identity and look to parents and other adults to learn that they are much more than their disabilities.  In fact, they always have uniquely amazing abilities but need support and encouragement to let those talents really develop and flourish.

I’m passionate about instilling a sense of “CAN DO” into my little guy because I’ve noticed that he is far harder on himself than I could have anticipated.  I am his daily cheerleader, his never say never advocate, and his refuge when life gets overwhelming.

It’s TOUGH work to parent kids on the spectrum, even ones like Brady who are considered high functioning (yes, I get why parents don’t care for these labels).  Parenting children at young ages is exhausting and completely fulfilling at the same time, but with Brady I’ve learned when it’s best to step back into the forest a bit (let things simmer down and see what is revealed) and when to jump completely out of our comfort zones even if it seems super scary for both of us (try new things, raise the bar some).

It’s true – his brain is different than my other children’s.  It’s beautifully innocent, fearlessly unaware of dangers, shockingly hilarious, insightful, surprisingly reflective, maddening (anxiety and negative thoughts can take over quickly!), artistically expressive and so, so, so unpredictable.  I’ve learned to be SUPER flexible with my parenting styles and to keep on adapting as Brady grows and new challenges present themselves.

Who is Brady?  He’s an 11 year old who adores the outdoors whether at the beach or in his own backyard. He’s a creative fellow with an impulsive flair that keeps me on my toes.  I hope you enjoy my site as I ponder a range of topics related to my special guy and his 3 neurotypical siblings.