A Drive to Nowhere
Our little no-sleep warrior, averages between 3 – 6 hours of sleep a night. Sometimes it’s more, and occasionally, it’s less. I’m in my forties and don’t fare as well on so little sleep, but I have learned how to function despite it. I think all moms do! But there are days where I am […]
The Log Book
One of the things that my mom absolutely swore by, was having a night nanny to help out during the early days of motherhood. It’s a privilege few can afford, and most people don’t have, and she was incredibly fortunate to have when I was born. I had never considered it, and didn’t feel we’d […]
Sweet Dreams
One of my most favourite things ever, is cuddling Aidan to sleep. It’s our special time together as mother and son. Since he was a baby, it’s been my most cherished part of everyday. I think it’s because he’s always moving – crawling, pulling himself up, tip toe walking, running, climbing, hand leading, rushing, playing, […]
Sleepless in Cape Town
Our three-year-old son is diagnosed as moderate to severe on the autism spectrum. Many of his sensitivities, rigidities, and behavioural issues have led me to believe that he is profoundly impacted. Some people would describe their child’s autism as a “different ability”. I describe my son’s autism as a disability. It can hijack his central […]
Absolute Silence
Autumn is gusty in my part of the world. And the strong, Cape south-easter brings weather with it. As clouds rolled in this afternoon and the breeze stiffened, I felt a familiar pang of anxiety. Because wind disturbs Aidan’s sleep. A lot of autistic children struggle with sleep. As of yet, nobody knows why. But […]
Pillows!
What are your child’s comfort items? I love asking this question in online autism support groups, because the answers are sometimes very weird and wonderful! There are things that make sense, and a few that are pretty unusual – like pieces of fruit, stacks of coloured paper, or kitchen utensils! Aidan’s are not too odd, […]
The Cot
Aidan was a baby that needed contact to nap or sleep. He needed to feel the warmth of your body, and be able to hear your heartbeat at all times. Though we battled with this, we weren’t aware that anything was unusual about it, until other moms with bubs of a similar age, were transferring […]