Navigating Autism Together Through Social Emotional Learning
Can I let you in on a secret? Luis and I have been working on something that started as a dream, became a conversation over dinner one night, and somehow turned into a book. Actually, our most exciting book yet. Adrián, Guillermo and us are going to London. 🇬🇧 And before you ask: yes, this […]
I have to tell you about a happy moment in our lives. It usually starts with a brightly colored invitation, held a little nervously by Adrián. “There’s a party,” he’ll say, his voice a mix of excitement and that familiar flutter of anxiety. I know that flutter so well. The questions swirling in his brilliant […]
I have a confession. I was scrolling through Instagram last week, mindlessly passing by vacation photos and recipes, when my feed stopped me cold. There she was. The new Autism Barbie. I read the caption, zoomed in on the photos, and right there on my kitchen floor, I was so happy. A yeiii scream came […]
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“Why does Adrián get to stay home from Grandma’s party, but I have to go?”
My neurotypical 3-year-old niece asked me this during a family gathering. And honestly? I didn’t have a good answer ready.
Because how do you explain to a child that their autistic cousin isn’t “getting away with” something, he’s protecting his nervous system from complete overwhelm?
How do you help cousins or even siblings understand autism in a way that builds empathy instead of resentment?
A good friend of Adrián told me at pick-up “Adrián, Is SO tired, but he was acting normal all day.”
“What do you mean, ‘acting normal’?” I asked..
“You know… making eye contact. Not stimming. Sitting still. Acting like other kids.”
My heart broke. Because I realized: my son was masking. And he was exhausted from it.
Five o’clock pickup. Every day.
I watch Adrián walk out of school, and I can see it, the weight he’s been carrying all day finally starting to show.
His shoulders are tense. His face is tight. His usual animated energy? Gone!
By the time we get to the car, he’s barely speaking. And by the time we get home? Full meltdown!
