Squinting In Darkness

What Keeps Me Up At Night

6/25/2021

I've always struggled to turn off my brain at night. It's practically impossible for me to do. I always have to be thinking about something. The thoughts I have can go on all day long but are often terrifying and depressing when it gets dark outside.

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Doing The Impossible

6/18/2021

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Many parents of children on the autism spectrum are told that their kids will never get anywhere in life. That they aren't ever going to speak, do chores, or be left alone for a few short minutes.

Today, I am here to tell you that there is hope. Don't let anyone say to you what can and can't be done. At the end of the day, no one really knows what the future holds.

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Are You My Friend?

2/26/2021

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By Clara H

Making friends has always been a challenge for me. Sometimes, I can't tell if a person is interested in being friends with me. Other times, I'm not sure if they want to continue hanging out with me or even be able to recognize if they were even my friend in the first place. Were they ever a true friend to me, or was I being taken advantage of? Was I the one mistreating them?

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Nothing But Grief

1/29/2021

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Back in March, I mentioned that I wasn't all that scared of the coronavirus. Since then, my views have changed. Now I'm terrified of the virus. My beliefs slowly started changing as we came further down in the pandemic. What really pushed me off the edge was when the virus went after my family. This article will not be about my views on the pandemic; it will be about grief and the relationship I had with the person I lost.

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I am Jealous of my Brother

12/31/2020

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By Clara H

This post is going to be focused on how my autism affects my relationship with my younger brother. I'm also going to be sharing some tips on how to explain autism to siblings based on my own experiences. Things that went well for us, and things that went poorly will be included.

Before I began, I want to share how awesome my brother is so the information shared will make more sense. My brother is a person who has a significant impact on why my story is the way it is. Who I am, has an effect on him as well, but you already know a lot about me, so I don't need to explain all that.

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Understanding Meltdowns

11/27/2020

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By Clara H

Meltdowns might be one of the most difficult things that caregivers of those on the spectrum have to deal with. They are for me too. They're just as confusing for the person who's having the meltdown. I know because I've been on both sides. Don't worry, I am here to provide you with as much guidance as I can. I'm not a professional, but none of us really are. If we come together as a community, we can make challenging moments a bit easier one step at a time.

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The Bright Side of Autism

10/23/2020

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By Clara H

Ever since I was young, most of the things I've heard about autism seemed to be negative. People are always reminding me of the things I struggle with instead of the great things. I thought now would be a good time to share some of my favorite things about being a part of the autism community because it seems like we all could use some happy thoughts in our lives right now. Many people don't realize that there is something good in everything even if it's difficult to find.

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The Walk I Never Hoped For

9/28/2020

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Recently, on the 26th of July, as the sun was going down, the grass was green, children were laughing, and I was taking my therapy poodle, Presto, on a walk. It seemed to be what a great evening would look like, but little did I know that I was about to be traumatized.

When I walked around the corner, there was another dog, Sophie, having fun playing fetch with her owner in a high school field. She was a big dog that was white and had some darker colored speckles on her. I'm guessing she was an American Bulldog or a mixed breed of some sort.