February 2011 - The Joy of Autism

Learning Spaces

When we have that right space, that corner, whatever it is that we can claim for ourselves, we can loosen up, be creative and explore. It’s the same for children. The world is different. Therefore, learning should be different, and it is certain...

Published Mon, Feb 28 2011 2:45 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Inclusion

Bosch Junior

Adam brought home a large scale drawing he made with his teacher — about 3×3 feet. He loves animals and started drawing them. Then he starting adding features. He shared the coloured pens, asking his teacher to draw things, using all his own...

Published Sat, Feb 26 2011 8:02 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam, Autism and Learning, Art

The “Severely Autistic” Go To College

Ralph James Savarese, Professor of English at Grinnell College and author of Reasonable People: A Memoir of Autism and Adoption, writes The Silver Trumpet of Freedom in The Huffington Post. It’s about his autistic son D.J. and how he communicates...

Published Fri, Feb 25 2011 11:38 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Activism, Autism and Learning, Inclusion, Acceptance

What Ritalin Told Me (So Far)

Adam went on a short trial of Ritalin last week, not for autism but for the ADHD he now apparently “has.” Please, I’m not trying to be cynical. I just believe in a healthy dose of skepticism for the sake of getting things right for my...

Published Wed, Feb 23 2011 6:19 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Autism and Learning, Acceptance, Pharma

A Correction for the Today’s Parent Article

I was featured in the March 2011 issue of Today’s Parent. The interviewer was gracious and overall, felt it was an interesting article. It focussed a lot on me, and I hope it conveyed the work that I believe is not about me, but about all of our...

Published Wed, Feb 16 2011 7:18 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Acceptance

In Praise of Support Workers

I am very sad this evening. It is the sadness of knowing that someone who was part of your daily life has meant so much to you — who has been the centre of our lives. This person is Adam’s aide. She has never wanted to be named but is in the...

Published Tue, Feb 15 2011 4:37 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Transitions

Creative Behaviour

I’m thinking a lot about behaviour today. I don’t often re-post the articles of others, but in my search, I came across this blog: Forward: FWD (feminists with disabilities) For A Way Forward. A study recently released in Delaware found that...

Published Wed, Feb 09 2011 9:08 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Autism and Learning, Art, autism, Inspiration

Parenting An Autistic Child

We’ve been peaceful around here. This morning Adam picked up my guitar that I’m learning (really slowly), and he played it himself, strumming and enjoying the reverberating sound. I guess watching me and other people has inspired him. He already...

Published Tue, Feb 08 2011 6:06 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Autism and Learning, Acceptance, Parenting, Inspiration

“I Had A Feeling That I Belonged”

Everyone who goes through a divorce will attest, after a significant chunk of time, you can feel cast out, a little lost. It will be a year since Adam and I moved into our new home on February 14, ironically, Valentine’s Day. As I prepared the house...

Published Mon, Feb 07 2011 6:03 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Family, Single Parenthood, Joy, Inspiration

Snow in Toronto

Last week, The Weather Network announced that we were about to get a huge storm. The city prepared, remembering several years ago, when the army was called in. Last week, everyone prepared. Schools were shut down. I received an email from Adam’s...

Published Sun, Feb 06 2011 8:09 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam, Writing, Acceptance, Inspiration

New Behaviour

We talk often in autism about a dissonance of skills and “uneven learning.” It’s an easy thing to notice or say, but it doesn’t seem that easy to accommodate. Not easy, because we still have the expectation that an autisitic person...

Published Fri, Feb 04 2011 6:12 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam, Autism and Learning, Inclusion, Sensory Differences, Transitions, Sleep, Behaviours

A Skeptic’s Snowday

Just as I thought. The news made a big hoopla about a big storm. As I predicted, we never got the snow they predicted. In fact, Adam and I are about to go out for a walk. Seems the news is full of hype on all counts, whether it be about autism or the...

Published Wed, Feb 02 2011 8:50 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Estee

The State of Education for Autistic Children (as I see it)

Big snowstorm’s coming. It starts tonight in Toronto and is supposed to continue into tomorrow. Adam will be at home. He’ll work on his computer, I on mine. We’ll play piano and a few games. I still haven’t had time to complete...

Published Tue, Feb 01 2011 6:59 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Activism, Autism and Learning, Acceptance