Since 1996, when my oldest son initially lost his ability to speak, I became a case manager of sorts: monitoring, linking, and ensuring that Aaron has what he needs to be happy and productive. When I became pregnant for the second time, I prayed for a “normal” child, one that would not experience so many…
Tag: children and autism
Ham Steaks and Independence- Life Inside A Spectrum Family
I walked by my kitchen sink Thursday morning and spotted the usual item lying within it: a frozen ham steak. I smiled and kept walking. A little later I went back and snapped a pic. While many may look at this piece of meat and see just that, a piece of delicious pork, I see…
Continue reading ➞ Ham Steaks and Independence- Life Inside A Spectrum Family
Confessions of a Mom of an Adult With Autism
A couple of weeks ago, I went shopping with one of my best friends. We have known each other for at least 30 years. We were college roommates our entire time in school. We got married days apart and had our first sons only months apart. My friend Tamala and I, as adults (top) and…
Continue reading ➞ Confessions of a Mom of an Adult With Autism
Autism, ADHD, and Us
The other day, my youngest son, Bryant, and I were talking. Out of the blue, he asked me, “Ma, did you ever think you would ever have 2 neurodiverse kids?” Neurodiverse is defined as a “ variation in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, and other mental functions.” My oldest son, Aaron, has Aspergers,…
IEP Whisperer
Are you a parent, teacher, mental health professional or other interested party who feels anxious when you hear the term “IEP”? Would you benefit from someone sharing IEP wisdom or reviewing your child’s/client’s/student’s IEP? Trust me. I understand your angst. As the mom of a son on the autism spectrum, IEP/IEP meetings were not my…
Special Needs Parent Appreciation Month
August is Special Needs Parent Appreciation Month. I would like to take this opportunity to shout out my hubby Paul Pruden Jr for being a great special needs parent. He’s not a perfect guy or a perfect parent. That’s not what this post is about. Team Pruden has had to contend with 2 issues, autism…
Structure in an Autism Family
Upon first glance, this looks like any shelf you may see in any laundry room. But if you look closer, there is an order here that works for Team Pruden. Early on, we learned that in order for Aaron to live a more peaceful environment, life had to be predictable. I know, life has surprises.…
Create Your Village and Go!
I often refer to my family as a team. People have wondered aloud to me, “I don’t see you guys socialize with a lot of folks.” If I surmise that the inquiring person is not being sarcastic (because sometimes people are), I explain our decision. Early on in Aaron’s life, while we were met with…
Find Your Village
For fellow autism parents with more than one child…. Most folks know the story, but for those that don’t… My second son, Moo, is my faith baby. I was scared to death when I found out I was pregnant with him. I didn’t think I would be able to give him the attention he needed…
Celebrate Every Victory
Paul and I saw this building in downtown Norfolk, Va, this past weekend. I looked at him and asked, “Isn’t this Spaghetti Warehouse?” Paul smiled and replied, “Yes it is.” Travel down memory lane with me 🕰…. Its the late 90s. My younger brother Dexter recently graduated from THE Elizabeth City State University and was…
KP's WORLD 