Today I was welcomed into my son’s 3rd grade class (in public school) to read a picture book called “Understanding Sam and Asperger Syndrome” (by van Niekerk and Venter) and share some important information with the students. My husband and I requested this opportunity about a month ago because Ethan has been having some pretty huge challenges with classmates regarding friendship and social issues and we want to do everything possible to give Ethan (and his classmates) the tools they need to be successful in working through these complications. We are very open with Ethan about his diagnosis and the reason for many of his struggles and as a result he is also very open with others in his life so we felt this was a natural next step. During the pre-planning meeting with school staff held to discuss today’s visit, I was also told that we could send a letter home with the kids to help inform parents! I’ve been really excited as I have prepared for this opportunity and I absolutely loved spending 20 minutes with the children today.
For reasons not conveyed to me, the school staff chose not to send my full letter home with the students and decided instead to send an abbreviated version. While the abbreviated version listed some important information (and is of course a good start – for which I am appreciative), it didn’t convey a large portion of what we felt was significantly important...
With that stated, I hope that my letter in its entirety might help some of our readers here. It is printed below.

Our Heroes & Temper Tantrums
By Julie Hornok
I was watching a Dallas Cowboys game with my husband while scrapbooking, and I happened to glance up at the TV just in time to witness the most bizarre event.
Something had happened in the football game that had caused the football player to have a temper tantrum right there on the field over a call the ref made. Not only was I shocked that his behavior was unprofessional, but I was shocked that the crowd seemed to think his actions were justified! I could not believe this man was considered an American hero.
Just imagine you are sitting with friends around the kitchen table playing a deeply competitive game of Monopoly. Your friend, Tom, rolls the dice. It is an 8, but he needed a 10 to get onto Boardwalk. He goes ballistic! He jumps up from the table, throws the dice across the room and slams his Monopoly money to the floor. “It’s not fair!” he screams. “It was a bad roll! Those dice have been making bad rolls against me the whole game!!!”

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.

Remember how I told you about my vow to be a better Dad at night, to encourage Isabella to interact with me during the book-reading and story-telling? I was going to do better; we were going to have an inspiring bonding experience, then Isabella was going to float off to sleep on a cloud of pink cotton candy with a vision her daddy sporting dainty angel wings and a shiny halo flitting through her mind. Yeah. So how did I do? I’ll tell you.
I made Isabella cry.

For a time we wondered if Isabella would ever talk. I can remember thinking how great it would be if only she could tell us what was going through her mind. Now we sometimes wonder if she’ll ever stop talking, though it’s still hard to get her to tell us what she’s really thinking about.

Ingredients:
2 excited little boys
1 favorite babysitter home from college
1 teacher
1 bag of M&M's
1 bag of Fruit Snacks
1 small Fruit Punch
1 small Sprite
1 very large elephant and a bunch of WHO's
1 trip to Brookstone to look at hairdryers
1 relaxed mom
Mix together with a bunch of love and a pinch of patience for a memorable afternoon.
Pictures say it all!

Sam had his first rock climbing class at Lifetime Fitness tonight. I was not able to attend but he gave me the full overview.
"Hey Dad".....I hear as I walk in the door.
Sam: I had rock climbing class tonight at Liiiiiiifetime. (He likes to say the name funny with a little smile.)
Dad: Oh yeah, how was it?
Sam: Good
Dad: So what did you do.
Sam: I had rock wtzbyure.... (he trails off where I can't hear or understand him. He is now looking at a book that is a few feet away.)
Dad: So did you climb the rock wall.