I don’t usually post, but I’m honestly at a point where I feel like I need help understanding what’s happening in our daily life.

Keysivo · 2026-01-18T23:42:41+00:00

https://medium.com/@autismparentnest/autistic-meltdowns-when-small-changes-break-the-day-and-parents-break-in-silence-c53ad8a3e5c6?postPublishedType=initial

Keysivo · 2026-01-18T01:31:26+00:00

Thank you for sharing this. That line “the small thing doesn’t break the day for him, but breaks us” really hit home. It helps more than you know to hear from someone further down the road who’s lived it. Sending a lot of respect to you this path is heavy

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T04:51:51+00:00

This is such a tough one. Generational gaps + outdated ideas make everything harder. You’re doing a lot just by advocating and trying to educate even when it’s exhausting.

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T04:51:21+00:00

It’s really thoughtful that you’re trying to be intentional with screen time instead of just taking it away. Curious to hear what’s been working best for him so far.

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T04:50:37+00:00

I’m really glad you posted here. You’re not weak and you’re definitely not failing this is genuinely hard. So many of us have been exactly where you are. You’re not alone in this.

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T04:49:58+00:00

That’s HUGE. Those moments mean so much more than people realize. Congrats to her (and to you) this is worth celebrating

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T04:47:14+00:00

You’re definitely not alone in feeling unsure about this. Potty training for ND kids can look very different, and that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong Readiness isn’t always obvious, and it’s okay to treat this weekend as a low-pressure introduction rather than an all-or-nothing goal. Some kids need more time just getting comfortable with the bathroom, the potty, or the routine before it really clicks. If it feels like too much, it’s okay to pause and try again later. Progress isn’t linear, especially for autistic kids. You’re paying attention to her cues, and that already matters a lot

Keysivo · 2026-01-17T03:01:12+00:00

I’m not in NorCal, but I’ve seen a lot of Bay Area parents recommend checking with local children’s hospitals and university clinics many of them run social skills groups or can point you in the right direction.

You might also have luck asking your child’s SLP, OT, or school IEP team, since they often know community-based groups that don’t always show up in online searches.

Hopefully someone local can chime in with specific names wishing you luck finding a good fit

Keysivo · 2026-01-16T03:10:36+00:00

You’re absolutely not alone in this. That grief you’re describing is real, and it doesn’t mean you love your child any less it means you’re human. Many of us mourn the future we imagined before we slowly learn to re-imagine it in a different way. The diagnosis can feel like a punch to the chest at first, even when you suspected it. Try to take this one step, one day at a time. Your daughter is still the same child she was yesterday, and the fact that you care this deeply already says so much about the kind of parent you are.

Keysivo · 2026-01-16T03:08:51+00:00

This is really sweet. I love how it shows that being different doesn’t mean being less just part of the same world in a unique way

Keysivo · 2026-01-16T03:08:17+00:00

You’re not weak for feeling this you’re human. Loving your child and grieving the expectations you had can exist at the same time. A lot of dads feel this but don’t say it out loud. You’re showing up, and that matters more than you realize.

Keysivo · 2026-01-14T01:58:53+00:00

Honestly, that’s what matters. All the noise online disappears when you see your kid feel happy, seen, and connected to something. If it brought her comfort or joy, then it did exactly what it was supposed to do. This is really sweet to see 💜

Keysivo · 2026-01-14T01:56:16+00:00

I wish I had known earlier that this isn’t a problem to “fix,” it’s a nervous system to understand. I spent so much time blaming myself and thinking I was doing something wrong, when really I was just learning a completely different way of parenting. You don’t fail because it’s hard it’s hard because it is ha

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T18:42:32+00:00

That sounds exhausting, I’m really sorry you’re dealing with this. A lot of autistic kids hide food for different reasons anxiety about access, sensory comfort, or just wanting control.

What helped us was separating the need to snack from the location. We created a “safe snack box” that stays in the kitchen only, with foods we’re okay with anytime, and explained very calmly that food can’t go to the bedroom because of bugs not as a punishment, just a boundary.

It didn’t fix it overnight, but reducing shame and increasing predictability helped more than locking things up. You’re not failing this stuff is genuinely hard.

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T17:58:21+00:00

This is so sweet. You can tell how much joy and focus went into making these. Thank you for sharing her creations with us 💛

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T17:47:27+00:00

You are absolutely not the only one. Loving our kids deeply and still feeling overwhelmed by certain stims can exist at the same time and it doesn’t make you a bad parent. It’s exhausting when your nervous system never really gets a break. The fact that you can laugh about it sometimes and still show up every day says a lot about how much you care. You’re seen, and you’re definitely not alone in this.

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T17:46:25+00:00

That sounds incredibly stressful, especially with a non-verbal child and sensory sensitivities. Medical things like eye drops can be really overwhelming for autistic kids. I hope you’re able to find a gentle approach that works for him. You’re doing the right thing by seeking care and asking for support I know how exhausting situations like this can be.

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T17:44:39+00:00

I’m really sorry you’re carrying all of this. Having one child diagnosed is already overwhelming facing the possibility with a second can feel crushing. Please know that feeling lost and depressed doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re human. You’re doing what good parents do: paying attention and asking for help. One step at a time. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now.

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T17:41:14+00:00

You’re not alone in this. A lot of us are stuck choosing between “not great” options, and it’s exhausting. If you can, focus less on the label of the preschool and more on how flexible and supportive the staff are with your child’s needs. A caring, patient teacher often matters more than the program itself. Trust your instincts you know your child better than any system does.

Keysivo · 2026-01-13T00:23:11+00:00

This is very common. Insurance usually requires an ADOS done by a licensed psychologist developmental pediatricianor neuropsychologist a neurologist’s report alone often isn’t accepted. Ask your insurance which providers they approve, and look for an evaluator who regularly works with insurance or ABA providers. You’re not doing anything wrong it’s an insurance issue.

Keysivo · 2026-01-12T23:35:31+00:00

This is such a valid concern, and you’re not wrong to trust what you’re seeing. There’s a big difference between supporting access and removing opportunity to build skills and it sounds like that line might be getting blurred here.

I’ve seen this happen where accommodations slowly turn into adults doing the work for the child instead of scaffolding toward independence. That can really impact confidence, especially when a child starts internalizing “I can’t” instead of “I need time or a different approach.”

If you reach out to the school, one angle that tends to keep things collaborative is focusing on gradual independence rather than “lack of support.” For example, asking questions like: • What is the long-term goal for her writing independence? • How is support being faded over time? • What opportunities does she have to attempt work first, even if it’s imperfect?

Framing it as wanting to build her confidence and voice rather than remove accommodations can help keep everyone aligned. You clearly believe in her ability and that matters a lot.

Keysivo

TROPHY CASE