Let me begin by saying that I didn’t even know what
babble.com was until I found this email from one of the many autism
organizations I subscribe to. This site in its self is a great source for any
parent. The site is listed being “for a new generation of parents.” It includes
information for all parents, not just those with special needs children. There
are so many links on this page for the whole family that I can’t even begin to
describe them. However, if you are looking for advice, self-help, or resources
for anything related to parenting you can probably find it here.
As I was looking through the list I realized that there were
many differences between these blogs and what I do each week. While I recently
started my own blog at http://pervasiveparenting.blogspot.com/,
I only use it to chronicle my weekly column and give my followers an easier way
to access the articles. The parents who are included in the top 30 list
basically open the window to their souls and speak out about everything that is
going on in their world. This is a venting session for many of them. The good,
bad, and ugly are shown on the pages of their blogs. Of course they are all
different, and some are research based, so that’s not completely true.
I’ve always viewed this as more of a way for me to share my
research and opinion while mixing in some anecdotes from my life with my son.
That being said, there were several that I liked. In fact, I
liked most, but some more than others.
“Adventures in Asperger’s” is a blog developed by a father
from Shawnee, Ok. While it has some interesting, and funny stories, it also is
nice to see a father’s perspective. It is also nice to have someone from
Oklahoma on the list. He shares his point-of-view on his children with special
needs.
“Adventures in Extreme Parenting” takes one mom’s obsession
with Ryan Gossling and uses it to give a funny twist to a stressful life. I
think every mother should check this one out, but every parent would get a kick
out of Sunday Stillwell’s sense of humor. Stillwell is also an Oklahoma native
hailing from Bartlesville, and leads us on a list of escapades with her sons
she dubbed the “Trouble Brothers”.
“Autism Army Mom” has another funny look at motherhood. This
woman holds nothing back as she explains the things she finds irritating about
the world of autism.
“Autism Daddy” is a blog from a father who has an
eight-year-old son with severe/classic autism. There is some great information
and advice for all parents, but especially those who have someone on the more
severe side of the spectrum.
Along the same lines; “Big Daddy Autism” is a funny look at
the world of parenting a child on the spectrum. The author of this one, F.
Lewis Stark, adds cartoons and hilarity to help explain his son’s quirks. One
of his latest blogs is a synopsis of why his son is like the beloved 80s
television character ALF.
“Laughing Through the Tears” is just what is says. It’s
another fun look at autism while trying to avoid the frustration of everyday
living. I particularly liked the blog about scouting. I don’t necessarily agree
with it, but it is a funny look at one family’s view of joining scouts.
There are some blogs that give you an inside view of autism
from those who are living with it directly. “Amy’s Tiny Corner of Existence”,
“Dude, I’m an Aspie”, “From Inside the Heart”, and “Aspie From Main” are two
example of this. They include stories of growing up with autism, and the
day-to-day dealings of two adults diagnosed with Asperger’s.
There are also several that include interviews with national
authors, doctors, and experts on autism. “Autism Radio UK”, “Autism Women’s
Network Podcast”, and “Hope Saves the Day”.
These are only a few blogs on the list. If you would like to
check out the list you can go to http://www.babble.com/baby/baby-development/top-autism-blog/.
I did notice that the blogs I enjoyed the most were the
funny ones. I think that’s because sometimes if we didn’t laugh we would cry…or
scream. We all need an outlet for our frustrations, and everyone wants to know
that they are not alone in their problems.
I hope everyone enjoys these.
Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming to be an expert. I’m
just a father who is trying to learn as much about Autism as I can to help my
child. I hope that you all can learn from me, and I from you. I ask anyone who
has questions or comments about something I have written, or autism, please
contact me at pervasiveparenting@hotmail.com.
I will try to answer questions as I have time, and if I find it interesting
enough I may touch on it in my column.
No comments:
Post a Comment