Project Management, Leadership, and Autism advocate Lonnie Pacelli talks about how Dads need to check their parenting style with an autistic child.
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Project Management, Leadership, and Autism advocate Lonnie Pacelli talks about how people with autism need their alone time.
by Lonnie Pacelli
In December 2015 our son Trevor, who was diagnosed with autism at age 5, graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Film and Media Studies. Despite the challenges and all of the change Trevor endured in his college experience, he graduated with a 3.5 GPA with very little assistance. He also experienced living by himself, living with nice and not-so-nice roommates, internships, and a summer job as a photographer at a boys camp in North Carolina. He gained a tremendous amount of life experience and learned a ton about himself as a person. His graduation in December put an exclamation point on a very rich college experience. But college is only one race in the marathon called life; his next race - employment - was yet to start.
By Patty Pacelli
How to Dance in Ohio follows a group of young people on the autism spectrum who experience nervousness and excitement in planning a spring formal dance. In the new HBO documentary, director Alexandra Shiva said she wanted to show similarities rather than differences of the teens and young adults highlighted in her film, and hoped the audience would feel a connection to the characters, whether on the autism spectrum or not. I believe they accomplished this goal in a unique and heartfelt way that portrays the characters with dignity and honesty.
By Tracey Cohen
Although she wavered between “I got this,” and “No way, what the heck was I thinking?”, and hurt like she had never hurt before, on September 11, 2015, Tracey Cohen, a woman diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at age 39, and author of Six-Word Lessons on Female Asperger Syndrome, ran and finished the Woodstock Hallucination 100 mile ultra marathon at Hell Creek Ranch in Pinckney, Michigan. The race started at 4 p.m. on September 11, 2015 and had a 30 hour time limit. Tracey finished the race in 29 hours, 23 minutes and 57.6 seconds. She finished 85th out of the 91 runners who started. I asked Tracey about how she accomplished this incredible feat.
by Tracey Cohen
Originally published in Michigan Runner Magazine, July/August 2015. We met in 1983, Northville, an hour (pre-Interstate 696) by car, a lifetime for my preteen self, removed from the only home I'd ever known, in Oak Park, Michigan. Institutionalized at age 12 in a psychiatric unit for what proved a neurological disorder, I likely would have lost my marbles if not for the rare intuitive compassion of one staff person among the many providing 24/7 supervision under lock and key.
By Trevor Pacelli
As of yesterday, I moved into my new apartment at Arizona State University, which will be my first time living with other roommates I did not know before. So far I am very anxious to see how it’s all going to benefit my social communication skills. The good thing is that I already have experience living by myself in a dorm, so I am already comfortable being away from my parents.
By Trevor Pacelli
It’s a habit for everybody- hop into the car, turn on the radio, and listen to Star 101.5. Study for a test coming up the next day, turn on some music as background noise to get your mind working. Go to the gym, take your iPod with you for mental entertainment. Many people have simply acquired this habit, my family included. My mom always listens to music as she cooks dinner, my dad switches on the radio on in the car, and my sister listens to music as she studies for a class. But as for me, I do not do any of these things. In fact, I almost never listen to music at all.
By Patty Pacelli
Our son Trevor was diagnosed with a high functioning form of autism in kindergarten. From very early on, we noticed some things about Trevor that were not typical in other children his age. His ability to focus on tasks was extraordinary. He was (and still is) very schedule-oriented. His reliability in doing household chores without being reminded was a thing most parents only dream of. Now a junior in college, Trevor continues to learn to leverage his strengths to help him build relationships, get good grades, and prepare himself as a functioning member of society. |
Inspiration for Life with AutismThis blog has a variety of articles about people living life with autism, and topics and ideas that can help in the journey. Guest bloggers are welcome. Inspired by Trevor, a young adult film critic, photographer and college graduate on the autism spectrum. Categories
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