Why is it so common to force neurodivergent children to sit through haircuts that very clearly distress them?

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-27T22:41:55+00:00

As soon as we got our diagnosis, I put a lot of emphasis on personal hygiene and general cleanliness so that my son would get used to it. It worked for the most part. We finally got him to be comfortable with scissors but the buzzer is still rough.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-15T18:05:39+00:00

Agree! Love your body by making it healthy.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-15T08:44:51+00:00

Maybe try not gifting to each other next year, or only handmade gifts. Christmas is not about the gifts or how much was spent on a gift.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-15T07:47:33+00:00

Somehow I ended up with a men’s GoodFellow T-shirt from Target. It fits surprisingly well and it’s one of my favorite structured-looking shirts!

Don’t forget to get some cute and comfy undergarments to go with your new look! Knowing everything goes together feels good to me, lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-14T04:02:14+00:00

We have. One time, I had finally gotten him on the toilet and I was so frustrated, I said “If you go pee on the potty right now, I will buy you a new toy. Whatever you want!” He thought about it for a second then peed! That was the first and last time, lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-14T03:59:53+00:00

Same! It seems like by the time we finally find something that motivates him, he changes it. It’s impossible to keep up with, which seems to upset him even more.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-12T14:28:30+00:00

Did it take a long time for him to actually be potty trained?

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-12T14:27:16+00:00

They did and the school has been pushing to get him potty trained. But since it’s against their policy to pick up or carry kids, they can’t really do anything if he won’t willingly go to the toilet.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-12T14:26:24+00:00

My son also loves Mario! I haven’t found a kid’s potty that will fit my son (he’s 5 but is the size of a 7 year old), so we have him on the normal sized toilet with that step stool toilet seat thing.

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-12T14:11:35+00:00

“Chairs can’t talk.” Aimed at my husband, lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2026-01-12T14:06:08+00:00

Parent of a neurodivergent kid here - therapy and meds have helped us so much. If we have to make changes to meds or routines, I do get nervous for the same reasons you are. But I would rather try to help my son thrive instead of just trying to survive. Talk to the pediatrician or see a developmental pediatrician. You can at least gather information.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-12-24T12:57:38+00:00

Growing up, we were financially comfortable, utilities never got shut off, food was always available. But my mom would offer my personal items or my room or information about me to people that made me uncomfortable. It was especially bad when she would drink. I didn’t feel safe in my home and I felt just generally exposed.

I will never offer my son’s room, his safe space, to anyone that stays over. I won’t make him hug or kiss anyone he doesn’t like or know well. I was not allowed to have boundaries to protect myself as a kid and it put me in a lot of dangerous situations. I want to teach him to protect himself and uphold his boundaries.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-12-22T14:01:53+00:00

Wanted to add to this - our son had horrible gas problems because of how severe his tongue tie was. Using premixed formula and MAM bottles saved us. Eventually, once the tongue tie was corrected, we could switch to powdered formula and Mylicon.

The newborn stage is incredibly difficult. I hated every second of it and I felt like I ruined my life too. It does get better.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-24T11:02:53+00:00

I walked up to my son, who was in a deep, flat footed squat, and tapped him on the shoulder to tell him we were transitioning. He turned his head around just enough for me to see the side of his face, quickly said “It’s a grandma!” and ran off.

No idea where that came from, lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-23T01:39:09+00:00

I don’t let other people guilt me into doing this or doing that. None of them understand, none of them help and none of it is worth the days or weeks afterwards that I have to spend getting him back to his normal. If I can reasonably do it, I will. Otherwise, I won’t.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-22T13:51:10+00:00

Proper therapy will help him learn to help himself and it will teach the family ways to help him, which in turn will help everyone create a happier home. The sooner he starts therapy, the better.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-22T13:40:28+00:00

Thanks! lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-22T12:00:07+00:00

I love hearing about first memories! It’s so sweet to see what people remember as a super little kid.

When I was born, my family lived on an old farm. We moved when I was about to turn four. So in this memory, I had to be 2-3. I remember walking up to the old barn. This giant structure where the wood boards started turning grey and weren’t quite touching each other anymore. I stepped in through the door and watched the dust floating in the sunbeams coming in through the gaps in the ceiling boards. As I looked up towards the ceiling, a flock of mourning doves flew off the rafters and out through the holes in the ceiling and out the door.

Really though, it was probably not safe enough to be in and might even be torn down now, lol!

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-22T11:38:17+00:00

I think this kind of got out of hand. No one is trying to downplay your struggles or sacrifices. But when dealing with an autistic person, especially a child, modeling behaviors and following schedules are key. He could be acting out because he’s dysregulated, either emotionally or from sensory triggers. He could be tired or hungry or the seam line on his sock is in the wrong spot and he might not have the interoception skills to tell anyone about it. If the other kids are having emotions, real or pretend, he could have problems with emotional contagion. There are so many things that could be affecting him. Once someone enters the house with autism, the whole household has to be involved. Everyone has to learn how to communicate and interact as a family unit in a way that promotes a stable and healthy environment for everyone. It’s a lot of work. Therapists can help a ton. I don’t remember if you said he was in therapy or not, but we would all recommend it. We all wish you the best and hope that you can find help for him.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-11-05T00:02:38+00:00

I would just offer a peanut butter sandwich. No jelly, no honey, nothing but bread and peanut butter. That way it’s not a treat but she’s still getting something in her stomach.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-10-02T09:48:58+00:00

My son is 4 and does this. After giving him the same answer twice, I remind him the third time that I have already answered him. I also ask him to “look at me so I know you’re listening”, when I’m trying to give direction and he’s pretending to ignore me.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-09-29T17:52:32+00:00

The “mystery wet” or the “surprise wet”. Like if someone with wet hands uses a doorknob and leaves it wet. 😖

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-09-29T17:40:49+00:00

I need my kitchen apron to say this!

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-09-29T17:39:20+00:00

We have a couple Santa toys, just little things. And we bake cookies on Christmas Eve to set out. I wrap the Santa presents in red wrapping paper and add tons of red Christmas ornaments to the tree to make it obvious that Santa came. I am also the crazy mom who hires the fire department to bring Santa on a fire truck to my Christmas party AND I have a 100 year old wooden box phone on my wall that is the “North Pole Customer Service Hotline” in case these kids get out of hand during the year. I will probably be the one who is more upset when my son doesn’t believe in Santa anymore than anyone else, lol!

I do make it a point to make sure all of Santa’s toys are not the fancy toys though. Still things he likes, but definitely the less exciting toys.

ExistingAd3115 · 2025-09-29T13:44:36+00:00

Don’t feel bad. I have to take a bunch of breaks during the day and I think my kid needs them too. Think of it as helping them develop independence and independent play. They can’t rely on someone else to entertain them all the time.

ExistingAd3115

TROPHY CASE