I just tweeted her @AnnCoulter R U really that insensitive? U should know better? My 14 y/o knows better, so y don't you? I am behind in so many things and recovering from bronchitis this week, but I will be glad to RT any and all of your posts.

Karen,
This is a beautiful post! I hope you get that one day. I really really do!

Karen,
You are very welcome!

Landon,
I just read it and I understand your position on not wanting children, and that is certainly a choice each individual has to make for themselves. I hope as a teacher, you also understand my other points.

Karen,
You write from your heart and as you made a point of saying this was your first post. I think as parents we can only write from the parent's view. You are a wonderful mother from what I have read and this post also reflects that.

Landon,
I see you point, believe me I do. As the mother of a teenager, who I encourage to tell her story, I try to read as much as I can from the point of view of the adults on the spectrum. However, I also have a responsibility to parent her and I will never apologize for doing my job or for loving and wanting to help my child as much as possible.

I wonder how many parent blogs you read regularly and could it be that your anger is misdirected and is really related to something you experienced previously?

All parents make mistakes. God knows I have. Yet, we are trying our best and if you really read parent blogs, you will see that, and when and if you become a parent one day, you will understand that while many of us are not exactly on the spectrum, we have some of the same quirks as our children and that good parents feel a deep pain when they see their children hurting from any cause, be it being misunderstood, being bullied, or just having a general feeling of having to fight to be heard.

It is okay to help educate us when you feel we get something wrong, but please do not verbally attack. You also need to remember something I am sure you already know, and that is that no two people are alike whether they are on the spectrum or not, so all of your experiences will not apply to every child.

I get how parents make mistakes from lack of understanding and poor advice. I do not get allowing your child to die when he can be saved or locking up your children rather than interacting with them.

This article is a prime example of why we need to get the positive stories of those on the spectrum into media's hands too. The more we educate others and help them to see the heart and souls of those on the spectrum the more likely we are to impact change.

Jean,
I think you are doing a great job, but I did lighten up on certain shows on television as my children grew. There were so many educational opportunities and watching with them allowed me to talk to them about the things they watched. Plus, banning all television shows would have made it harder for my child on the spectrum to interact with her "typical" peers at school.

Now that they are older neither one of them is addicted to T.V. or even to video games although we do still have to keep an eye on how long our "typical" son plays some of his XBox games and who he interacts with while playing.

Amanda,
I love your last paragraph! I am also so proud of Bella for taking that bold and brave step of starting her own blog to help others. You are doing an amazing job of raising an amazing young woman.

I found your blog through Jen's Blog Gems. I hope you were well for your actual blogaversary. Belated Happy Blogaversary!

I thought education was supposed to be a priority. The federal government expects states to improve their schools, yet many of the children they teach will not be prepared for school without access to head start? I thought we wanted more college educated citizens not less, so why are they cutting funding for college? What are they thinking or more accurately are they thinking? Surely, there are other places the cuts can be made.