Restive Pain
My emotions flicker like a tired eyelid. At the oddest moments, say in the middle of a soft cruise down a flat side street on my bike, my heart flips over. Just like that, sun behind a cloud, lights out. I’m sorry Nat. I wait for tears but they are just stuck.
Or there are the not-at-all-odd moments, like 3 in the morning, when I imagine the horror. Did someone hold him down and punch him, kick him? Was there actually a crack, a crunch as his ribs broke? Or was it some sudden, frightening fall, crash, face-down? Did he make a sound? He hasn’t cried in maybe a decade — but did he then? And no one knew? No ...
Source: Susan's Blog - July 22, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
First Time Writing About It
I have to talk about it. Now. I am on the plane going home from the Autism Society of America Conference. There I presented a breakout workshop on Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life.
But I had to tell them. The end of my book is not written yet, after all.
On July 3 we were headed to a friend’s holiday party and I called Nat upstairs to come put on a new, festive shirt. He pulled his shirt off and there, screaming at me from his thin white chest, was a big yellow bruise. Fist-sized. I screamed for Ned. I don’t know how I formed the words but I did. “Someone has hurt Nat,”...
Source: Susan's Blog - July 16, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Not a ‘ Feel-Sorry, ’ It ’ s a ‘ Feel-Good. ’
How do you fill 168 hours of meaningful activity after graduation???
It was a good question that Rob Resnik, of Phoenix, Arizona asked the audience at Autism Society of America conference today. Several years ago this was a heavy dark problem for Rob’s son Matt, who is around my son Nat’s age and has a similar degree of autism — a lot. Back when Matt was entering adulthood, he could tolerate about “6 minutes” of work, according to Rob, who is an attorney. What were they going to do to foster independence in their son, and a satisfying adult life?
Rob and his wife Denise, a public relations dir...
Source: Susan's Blog - July 15, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Not a ‘Feel-Sorry,’ It’s a ‘Feel-Good.’
How do you fill 168 hours of meaningful activity after graduation???
It was a good question that Rob Resnick, of Phoenix, Arizona asked the audience at Autism Society of America conference today. Several years ago this was a heavy dark problem for Rob’s son Matt, who is around my son Nat’s age and has a similar degree of autism — a lot. Back when Matt was entering adulthood, he could tolerate about “6 minutes” of work, according to Rob, who is an attorney. What were they going to do to foster independence in their son, and a satisfying adult life?
Rob and his wife Denise, a public relations di...
Source: Susan's Blog - July 15, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
What Happened?
Long yellow phantom fingers slide over your shoulders
Ghostly mouths cry from your arms
Ribs are slivered, silvered, glinting, teeth inside white skin
Seething with each breath, searing you
But you are silent
Or did you try to tell us
In those days so still. Stiff arms, stuck legs
Didn’t I know, though?
And then there’s the laughter to consider
Was there someone, red-angry, sucked dry — a human scab — held you down, bashed your chest
While a hundred blind eyes turned back to their Day
(Source: Susan's Blog)
Source: Susan's Blog - July 11, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Keys to the Universe
It’s been a while since I wrote a Keys to the Universe post, but I realize I have some new ones! For those who don’t know, the Keys are ten things or acts that always do just what they’re supposed to do, they are just as good as you think they’ll be, they’re perfect for a particular purpose, right when I need ‘em.
1) Sweet hot cherry peppers — like candy but a vegetable
2) Nat’s new rock band — he does percussion
3) My screened-in porch — it’s newly painted gray and white and perfect with yellow cushioned furniture
4) Reverse Arabic releve step in bellydance...
Source: Susan's Blog - June 17, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Questions Without Answers
How can I stop being sad/worried about Nat? I feel like I’m not supposed to be. I’m so well-versed in autism acceptance that I know I should not assume I understand what he is going through. I do not know what he is feeling if he does not express himself in a neurotypical way. Yet, I need to be vigilant in terms of his health, safety, and happiness. He is a dependent person. He is disabled.
So how do I make sure all is well in his life? What are the markers I’m to look for?
I have several tools at my disposal. I have my own education in social signs, which I use when evaluating what I’m feeling and ...
Source: Susan's Blog - May 3, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
How I Got Here
It’s been a really long time since I wrote just to write. For me, not with an eye towards publication somewhere other than here. I’ve been doing so much promotional work and now presentations for the Autism Adulthood book that I am feeling the need for a different thing to focus on. The thing I do when I want to get away from writing is to write. The thing I want to write about when I’m not writing about autism and my family is autism and my family.
Yeah, I’m not that original. For the last 26 years my whole life’s purpose has been to be a mother. This was not what I was raised to be. I was ...
Source: Susan's Blog - May 2, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Helping Nat Register to Vote
I had an oped in today’s Washington Post, about helping Nat register to vote. You can read it here. (Source: Susan's Blog)
Source: Susan's Blog - March 15, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Parents Magazine Dives Into Autism Adulthood
This article from Parents Magazine uses some of the research I did on autism adulthood statistics (costs, limited resources, day program/Medicaid info) as well as a brief Nat story and reference to my book. Keep in mind this is a mainstream media venue, serving people who generally know very little about autism, especially in terms of adulthood issues. Parents wanted it to be a call to arms, so its tone is a bit panicky. Still, I believe we need to shock the world into caring and doing something for our guys in adulthood. (Source: Susan's Blog)
Source: Susan's Blog - March 11, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized autism Parents Magazine Source Type: blogs
Library Journal: Thumbs Up
Library Journal highly recommends my book!
Susan Senator (Making Peace with Autism) hits the nail on the head once again with this work that shares her continuing journey as the parent of an adult with autism. Parents often worry about who will care for their children should they no longer be able, but that concern lessens once children are grown and out on their own. Parents of children with autism, however, must address their fears and seek answers to such a scenario before and into their child’s adulthood. Senator tells her experience helping her son, Nat, find a living situation that will support his needs and allow ...
Source: Susan's Blog - March 7, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Publicity Material – Please Forward
CONTACT: Ashley Vanicek
(212) 643-6816 x 288
avanicek@skyhorsepublishing.com
“In this book, like her others, the wonderful Susan Senator gives voice to those who are too often voiceless—folks with ASD who seek what they deserve—lives of purpose and possibilities.” —Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author of Life Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism.
Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life
By Susan Senator
Foreword by John Elder Robison — author of Look Me In The Eye, (Crown, 2007) and the newly published Switched On, a Memoir of Brain...
Source: Susan's Blog - March 6, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Publicity Material–Please Forward
CONTACT: Ashley Vanicek
(212) 643-6816 x 288
avanicek@skyhorsepublishing.com
“In this book, like her others, the wonderful Susan Senator gives voice to those who are too often voiceless—folks with ASD who seek what they deserve—lives of purpose and possibilities.” —Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author of Life Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism.
Autism Adulthood: Strategies and Insights for a Fulfilling Life
By Susan Senator
Foreword by John Elder Robison — author of Look Me In The Eye, (Crown, 2007) and the newly published Switched On, a Memoir of Brain...
Source: Susan's Blog - March 6, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Book Excerpt: People First Or Autism Pride?
People First or Autism Pride?
You will find in reading this book that I interchange the terms “people with autism,” with “autistic people.” I am well aware of and respect the People First movement—the widespread effort to avoid defining someone by their disability (as in the latter example). A few of the people I interviewed specified that they preferred People First language, and I made sure I wrote their section with that in mind. However, I also know of many people on the autism spectrum who prefer being referred to as “autistic.” This group feels that they are indeed defined by their autism, that their pe...
Source: Susan's Blog - March 4, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
My Son, The Athlete
Here is something I wrote for MariaShriver.com, about one of my favorite organizations, Special Olympics, and one of my favorite people: Nat. (Source: Susan's Blog)
Source: Susan's Blog - March 3, 2016 Category: Child Development Authors: Susan Senator Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
