It will get better by Amy Gravino.

Just wanted to share a video made by Amy, a survivor, a fighter, just the kind of person I want my son to grow up to be.

Dreaming and other wonderful things!

I have heard there is a funny side to Autism but I do believe there is a sweet side too. The sweet side is the side that keeps you going when things get ugly. I know this because I have had a chance to enjoy all of those sweet things my PDD-NOS child says to me; things that are so unique that keep me wondering about his world and how he looks at everyday, ordinary things. Lately, the new thing he says to me when he is sleepy and he wants to go to bed is: "mom, let's start dreaming" - this just sounds so wonderful to me...Every time he says this, I think of new possibilities, new beginnings, new opportunities and the chance to dream up a better tomorrow. The term he uses to define the action of "sleeping" takes everything to a whole new level...For Frankie it's not only about resting, it's about stating what he does while he is asleep: He dreams! I know he doesn't dream ALL the time when he is sleeping but just realizing that my kid has dreams is amazing to me. Because Frankie dreams, and he is aware of it, I know that life in the spectrum is not black and white and it's not simple at all - it's actually complicated and full of interesting terms to define a different kind of world.

In this world of Autism - the world of Frankie - life is defined in pictures, in specific terms that project the intangible. See, for Frankie I don't have white skin, I have "vanilla skin," he doesn't have brown hair, his hair is "chocolate hair," and of course, my fake red hair is not red but "fire hair." I know that all of these might seem irrelevant and not even worthy of a blog entry but it is, it's so worthy! These are the little things that encompass how special these kids are - Autistic children are unique and each one is like nobody else. I can't think of anyone I have known who calls things by such amazing names....the everyday becomes so special and the regular things take form in their attributes rather than in their definitions. It's amazing to realize that this same boy who understands things literately so often, can also perceive the world in such a creative way.

I tell you, it's all a bout the silver lining and the time you take to understand it, appreciate it and ultimately, cherish it.