Tips on Tuesday: Support Team N.A.T.H.A.N.

Normally, I try to give pearls of wisdom from myself and others on Tuesday. This week, I'm taking time to be selfish and use my platform to promote my son and his participation in the Autism Puzzle Walk.


Nathan is our officially diagnosed Twice Exceptional (2E) child. Don't get me wrong, watching the other two, I think they are probably also 2E, but able to mask it with better social skills. For more info on 2E, please check out my other site http://www.coolestchildren.com/.


Nathan is gifted off the charts...and he has autism. He's at the very high functioning end of the spectrum, but it is still there. I used to try to hide this from him, but remember when I said he's gifted? He figured it out on his own. And a short year ago, we were floundering in a sea of figuring out IEP meetings, trying to find out all his areas of deficit and how to help him overcome. We've spent the last 12-18 months getting him classified with the school and then in private therapy to augment what the school does.


We wouldn't have made it without the support, encouragement and information we received from our new friends at the Autism Society. We met a couple people at an Autism Society fundraiser that I found out about by chance. They told us about the support group meetings at the local 'bounce house' and we decided to go.

At first, my motivation was to meet a few people...but mainly it was to allow my kids to jump at a greatly reduced cost. The local business donates their staff and evening to the support group and we pay a very nominal fee (about the cost of one child) for all three of ours (and sometimes a babysitter for Rebekah) to jump.

What I found were other dads and moms struggling with the many questions and very few answers that we have. I found a place where people just accepted me and my kids for who they were. They understood that my kids cry if it gets too loud for them. I got information, tips, but most of all, acceptance.


Through our participation in the Autism Society, we have been able to do a lot of great things with our kids. When we go to movies or museums or outings with our group, we do so to practice how to behave and what to expect. It has been incredible to watch Nathan get more comfortable with situations that would have knocked him for a loop in the past.


And now, here is my plea...
Our family has benefited so much this past year from the Autism Society. We want to give back. The Autism Society is holding it's annual Puzzle Walk and we want to be a big part of that. We created Team N.A.T.H.A.N. which stands for Nathan's Awesome Team Helps Autism Network. We set a big goal for Team N.A.T.H.A.N. and we need your help. We are hoping to raise $2000 for the Autism Society. You can either click here to donate or click on the box on the top right of my homepage.


If you would like to join our team, you can become a Team Member by going to our donation page and clicking where it says Team Name: Nathan's Awesome Team Helps Autism Network. A virtual walker is free, but you receive a Tshirt mailed to you if you raise $25 or more. If you can join us at the walk, the cost is $10 per adult and $5 per child and your shirt will be given to you the day of the walk. Email me for more details or information.

I'm happy to say that 100% of the money raised will stay in our state to help kids here. We've discovered that other groups don't give very much back to the state after a big fundraiser.


Thank you in advance for supporting Team NATHAN in this worthy cause.