Interview: Autism Parenting Is Not a Tragic Battle

Marj Hatzell thedgoddess.com A recent conversation with Marj about rejecting autism and autism parenting as a “tragic battle” evolved into this interview. If you don’t know Marj already, she is a proud SAHM two two boys with autism, ADHD, OCD and a variety of other acronyms. Eleven-year-old Luke is obsessed with all things Star Wars, the Titanic, catastrophic weather events and electronics. Ian is nine, nonverbal and was a fish in a former life. Marj lives vicariously through her computer, is the Queen of Procrastination and goes to Eleven. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your kids. I am 39, a SAHM of two boys and have a degree in special educations, even doing my student teaching in a school for autism. When my boys were born I decided to stay home for a few years because I knew the time was short. I saw signs early on…

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This One Goes to Eleven

The Domestic Goddess thedgoddess.com There are days when I’m a bit arrogant and a know-it-all and I’m all, “Autism? Expert!” and things run smoothly and calmly and we almost feel normal around here. Normal. Whatever that is. Then there are days like the last two. It’s like being caught in a tennis match, except the ball moves faster than the speed of light and I get a bit dizzy. Bugaboo is fast, y’all. See, here’s the thing about autism: When you’ve met one child with autism you’ve met one child with autism. It’s like snowflakes, no two are alike. My two couldn’t be further apart in terms of functioning. You know, like onions. Onions have layers (name that movie for five points. Six if you name the character who says it). And children with autism? Are very complex. They have many layers, many colors, many idiosyncrasies. Many things that make…