Surfers Healing Dates Posted For 2012

Surfers Healing has just posted the dates for their 2012 free Surf Camps for autistic children and their families. Although dates are up you won't be able to sign up yet so keep checking back to find out when to reserve your spot. There are only 4 dates in California this year and going by past years these dates will fill up fast.

If you've never been to a Surfers Healing event you definitely don't want to miss out, Surfers Healing's one day camps are an awesome way to spend a day at the beach with your autistic child. No one stares at you when your kid starts flapping his hands or has a meltdown. Why would they? Everyone there either works with autistic children or has a child with autism. It's one of the only places that I've truly felt comfortable and that my son was accepted for who he was.

Not sure your child will even get on a surfboard? I wasn't either and it was a battle to get my son on. I think some of the surfers had a few scratches before we finally managed to get him on a board and headed out to sea. Once the board got moving he stopped fussing and scratching and began to enjoy the experience. Our first time at Surfers Healing it took a really long time to catch a wave. Imagine my surprise to see my impatient son patiently sitting on a board waiting 20 minutes for a wave to bring him back in. And when it finally did, what a great sight to see! My laughing son was being held in a standing position, on top of a surfboard that was zipping across the waves headed toward the beach where myself and a bunch of other cheering parents waited.


If you're worried about safety, Surfers Healing takes plenty of precautions, each child wears a life vest and surfs with an expert surfer, sometimes even a pro surfer. In addition, there are several people in the water and on boards that can assist should a problem arise.

After your child has had a chance to catch a few waves the folks at Surfers Healing treat the families to a bbq lunch right on the beach. It's a great chance to mingle with the surfers and get to know some of the other parents at the event.

For more information on Surfer's Healing or to register for a camp date see their website.

Surfs up dude! Hope to see you there!

No Regrets...

When my son was first diagnosed with autism I felt like it was the end of the world. I spent hours pouring over the internet and medical books trying to prove that whatever he had was anything but autism. That was back when he was three, he's now 15 and I have to say that because of my his autism I have had the chance to meet some truly wonderful people that I would never had the opportunity to meet if autism wasn't a part of my life.

From other parents that I've met and connected with either in person or on the internet, to therapists, teachers and individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of children with autism, virtual strangers who've helped me get items that I needed for my son such as camp, a special bike and an iPad to true celebrities who've used their status to raise awareness of autism and provide comfort to my family and thousands of others.

Don't get me wrong , there isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish my son was able to communicate in the way that you and I do and didn't face the challenges that he does. However now that we've traveled on the autism road for a number of years I am able to appreciate the scenery and the wonderful individuals we've met during our journey. So next time your travels seems rocky or you have a blow out take a minute to think about where you've been and the people you've met and I guarantee you'll head down the road feeling just a little bit lighter.

Humor In Autism? How Can It Be?

As the mom of a fifteen year old autistic child over the years I've had my share of struggles, tears, frustration and just plain old anger. Who wouldn't? Autism is one of the most puzzling of all the disorders. No one knows what causes it, there is no known cure and what works for one child won't work for another. The one thing that is certain is that as parents of autistic children we are all in this together and sometimes it helps to find the humor in the often uncomfortable and weird situations we find ourselves in due to our child's behavior. If you're a parent of a child who has recently been diagnosed you might not think that there is anything remotely funny about autism, believe me you're wrong. Over the years I've discovered there is humor even in autism you just need to look for it.

I wrote this article about the humorous situations either I have experienced with my own son or friends who have autistic children have shared with me. I hope you enjoy it and are able to look at your own situation and find some humor too. Without further adieu I give you, You Might Be The Parent of An Autistic Child If...

Welcome To My Blog!

This is my first attempt at blogging so please bear with me as I learn the ins and outs. I'm the mom of a 15 year old son Jamie, who is autistic and non verbal. My son regressed, lost his language and was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old. Over the years I've learned a lot about living with autism, how to locate resources and activities available to kids with autism in Southern California. I started this blog to hopefully share what I've learned with other families who are also living with autism and to hopefully make their journey a little easier. Until next time I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes that seems to apply to those with autism even though it was written many years prior to the first documented case. While the goal of every parent is to improve their child's life as much as possible we also need to cherish the things that make our children so special and unique.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away."
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862