Sometimes dads feel left out of many of the important aspects of raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. They may not get to attend all of the doctor/therapy appointments and teacher conferences they’d like or go to workshops and conferences as frequently as moms do…and sometimes because of this they may not have many opportunities to network with other dads who “get it.”
That’s why the National Autism Association of North Texas is hosting a Dads Panel with AutismSpot’s own Founder, Kent Potter, on Sept. 6th at 7pm in Plano, Texas. Kent has participated in the Dads Panel at the Autism Society of America National Conference, so he's a pro! This event is for dads only; men are welcome to come, share experiences with other dads (or listen quietly) and learn from each other.

Last night I went to bed around 9pm. That’s unusual for me – I’m a night owl and often work or watch TV after Ethan is asleep. But, I knew I needed to go to bed early because I felt lousy. Even though I’ve been gluten-free for well over a decade, there are times I get food (either from stores or restaurants) that has been cross-contaminated and it wreaks havoc on my body. Last night was one of those nights…
That also means that this morning was one of those mornings…I awoke at 7am still feeling the effects of a migraine,

I’ve just returned from an intense 5 days in Chicago at the Autism One 2011 conference. Let me just say: it was amazing. I learned so much in the tremendous sessions and connected with many of the phenomenal speakers. I can hardly wait to report on some new insights gained at A1 over the coming months. But today, I'm excited to share something that caught me by surprise; a blessing that blossomed at home in my absence…
Since we’ve worked so hard over the past four years utilizing special diets, biomedical interventions and traditional therapies to help Ethan heal and develop, he has made some excellent progress. Knowing that he’s in a good place made it easier to leave him for 5 days for a big event like A1. But, as Ethan’s primary caregiver, he and I spend a great deal of time together. We’re both accustomed to "our time" and he thrives on many of our set weekly routines. (Like most kids on the Autism Spectrum, Ethan relies on routines to feel safe and confident in his varied environments.) Ethan and my husband, Greg, have a very close relationship, but they just don’t get a bunch of one-on-one time without me around – especially for 5 days at a time.
While I was in Chicago, Greg worked to fill Ethan’s days with some pretty fun outings and events. They went bowling, played arcade games and spent an entire afternoon/evening with my in-laws. And, they attended a Texas Rangers game together on Friday night and had an outstanding time. When I called Saturday morning to check in, Greg shared a story that brought me to tears in Chicago (and then made me laugh out loud). I’ll paraphrase their conversation while driving home late at night:

In case you’re not aware, in honor of Autism Awareness Month, PBS has been running a series called “Autism Now” during the highly-regarded NewsHour program. Robert MacNeil, who co-founded the series with Jim Lehrer, has a 6-year-old grandson in Massachusetts who lives with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For this reason, “Autism Now” kicked off with a very personal episode about MacNeil’s daughter, Alison, and her family, (including MacNeil’s son-in-law, his neurotypical 10-year-old granddaughter and grandson, Nick, who lives with ASD).
When I first heard about this series, I was cautiously optimistic; you see, I often feel sorely disappointed in the way our news programs and talk shows cover this very complicated disorder for several reasons:

Have you ever played "Best Super Hero Ability" with your child?  It's a fun game for the car or while hanging out.  It goes like this.
Dad:   What's the best super hero ability?
Sam:  Invisibility
Dad:   Why?
Sam:  Because I can hide from you when you want me to brush my teeth and get ready for bed.
Dad:   Want to know my favorite super hero ability?
Sam:  Dad, what is your favorite super hero ability?
Dad:   Super Vision
Sam:  What is "super vision"?
Dad:   The ability to see things that are invisible to others

Shock + Fear = News?
A few weeks ago I was honored to play a role on a Fatherhood Panel at the 41st National ASA Conference. The gentlemen that participated were extraordinary. Fathers. Sons. Fathers and Sons. It was a very special time for all of us. Each panel member had the floor for a short bit and shared their personal story about the relationship with their father, what is was like raising a child on the Autism Spectrum, and what it was like having Autism. Each participant played one or multiple of those roles and this gave the panel a great deal of depth in my opinion.

The Potter family recently went through some renovations. An expansion has been underway for the past nine months and was completed with the birth of Olivia on May 18th.
Am I glowing? Can you see the rays of sunshine coming from your computer screen? Put on some sunscreen because we are all beaming with excitement. Olivia is perfection wrapped in a bundle of pink. Her brothers shower her with kisses, they fight over who will hold her, she is loved beyond all imagination. It's probably totally absurd how much she is loved and I like it that way.

There is joy in the world and we only have to open our hearts to see it. Sometimes, it is a challenge to deal with the daily issues that come with parenting a child on the Autism Spectrum. Over time, I have learned there is also an incredible amount of joy in our family because we live with Autism.
A few years ago I wrote two different articles about JOY!: "Music Can Be The Bridge" and "6 Hour EEG"

The twisted joy of watching America's Funniest Home Videos, the new Bobb'e show, and the genius of despair.com brings viewers back time and time again. Is it sharing in the universal language of "suffering caused by stupidity" at someone's expense, is it the calm we get from thanking our lucky stars it was not us caught on tape doing the same thing, or is it just plain fun to enjoy a good laugh now and then that brings us back?

It's the question we have all asked ourselves and rarely are willing to talk about openly. It may haunt you while trying to fall asleep at night or it flashes across your mind like an out of control strobe light when someone cuts you off on the highway. What if today is that day?