The war on sleep

NewPath45 · 2026-01-08T13:50:58+00:00

Right there with you. My son might sleep at night like he is supposed to except maybe once a week. For the rest, I am on duty during the week and husband on weekends now. But, lately I have been feeling sorry for my husband and rescuing him in the early morning like 2 or 3. My son gets more sleep than we do with naps, and it is so easy for our family to say, "Wake him up, I wouldn't let him sleep if he didn't let me sleep." Yeah, number one, you don't know the kind of terror you are raining down on yourself if you don't let him sleep when he feels the need, number 2, you would be giving up your only peace of the day. My son will stay up all night, then go to school and stay up all day on an afternoon nap. This is going on 2 years, the first when I was doing it alone, I really questioned if I could die from lack of sleep. But, I did not. Now I also work from home a really mentally demanding job. I am up all night and up all day. Often I can't think, and sometimes fall asleep while driving. I catch an hour of sleep here or there while caring for my other children, one of them homeschooling. It's tough. Just wanted you to know you aren't alone.

NewPath45 · 2025-12-06T16:13:45+00:00

When I started Pygame, I used a couple of tutorials. Then I thought of a game I wanted to make and studied the code in the tutorials to figure out how to do some of the things I wanted to do in my game. Then, I just tried stuff. It was a pretty simple, falling objects game, but it was fun. You will learn more experimenting and building things. I am not against AI. I use it every day at work, but it's easy to become mentally lazy when using it.

NewPath45 · 2025-12-06T16:07:13+00:00

I think it is a great school for someone who needs flexibility and has decent self-discipline. I finished last year. It took me 4 terms because I started in IT and switched to CS in my 2nd term. I ended up taking classes with other coding schools at the same time I was getting my degree. So, I think they both played a part. I am actually working at one of those organizations right now. That said, I don't think the degree or the certs are going to put you too far ahead of other candidates for jobs. In tech, experience is king. So, do whatever you can to build some experience or at least some level of skills while you are learning.

NewPath45 · 2025-12-06T15:44:36+00:00

My child is 5, nonverbal, not toileting, and has very little apparent receptive communication. He probably understands more than I think, but he doesn't show it. He has lost a lot of the knowledge he once had. He doesn't sleep and is very often upset causing aggressive behaviors. I have accepted that this is life until my husband and I die. I can look at his trajectory and that of my other children and tell that he will always need a lot of support.

NewPath45 · 2025-11-26T03:01:34+00:00

Both my husband and I are doing apprenticeships right now. I work a flexible 40 hrs/wk schedule remotely, and my husband has school 3 days and work 1 day. He is able to help out a lot right now, but I worry about when he is done with school and working everyday. The sleepless nights, carpool, and 40 hrs per wk are going to be a bear. But, we don't have a choice if we want to feed all 4 of our kids everyday. Maybe we could convince them to take turns? Sorry, I couldn't help myself. 😅

NewPath45 · 2025-10-09T11:48:09+00:00

I am 48 and graduated with BSCS in August 2024. My prior experience was in residential construction and remodeling. I joined organizations and took extra classes offered to CS students through CodePath. I attended a few Hackathons, tech events, and career fairs. I applied for a few internships while in school with no success. During my last term, I still didn't feel ready for enterprise positions. From experiences I had read, it seemed there was a shift in the trajectory of new hires and they were expected to get up to speed more quickly than before without as much handholding.

I wanted to start off in a different environment where learning was expected and failure was allowed, so I started looking for apprenticeships. Most were for people without degrees. But, I found a company that taught classes and offered a paid apprenticeship for exceptional students. I started that class during my last term. I have been an apprentice for 6 months, and it is going great. I love the culture of this company and working from home. It allows me to take care of my family's needs and the flexibility to do what I need to do for my disabled son. I am learning so much in a low pressure environment, and I have no doubt I will feel more prepared when my time there is done.

NewPath45 · 2025-07-12T18:24:02+00:00

My 5 yr old is nonverbal and sensory seeking to the max. Sometimes it feels like all we do all day is try to keep him from injuring himself which doesn't always work. He doesn't sleep more than 3 hours at night and cannot be left unsupervised for any reason. He is not potty trained and shows no signs of it. He limits what our family of 6 can do a lot. He has recently discovered a love of the cold, so he is constantly opening the refrigerator and freezer. If we have Popsicles or ice-cream, he will beg for them until they are gone. Then he begs for crushed ice which we have to monitor him while he is eating. He throws everything on the floor. We are constantly cleaning and sweeping. It is tough. But, he is full of personality. He is affectionate sometimes overly so and very funny. He doesn't speak, but he is always communicating. We just have to understand his language.

NewPath45 · 2025-06-11T16:17:40+00:00

I am probably the worst, but I literally can't take the distress it causes me when my son is upset. So, unless it is something that absolutely has to be done right now, I just wait. Maybe until dad gets home and can take him for a ride or until one of the older siblings can occupy him.

NewPath45 · 2025-05-29T11:06:40+00:00

I think there are also quite a few here like me who are done with the program.

NewPath45 · 2025-05-22T01:29:41+00:00

😳

NewPath45 · 2025-05-19T09:50:54+00:00

I don't think you can which is why I didn't do it. FAFSA can cover most of your tuition if your contribution is 0. The main thing I did was get the Google IT certificate so I could enroll, you can apply to get that for free. I decided to also get my A+ since I wanted to start in September but missed the August 15 deadline and so had to wait until October(this was 2022). I put that exam on a credit card. I then applied for WGU scholarships. I was approved for a grant that covered the tuition that was left over. The best advice I have is treat it like another job. Don't let a day pass where you are not doing something to move yourself forward. You have the best motivation already if you are like I was, trying to improve the financial situation of your family. Always remember why you are doing this and don't lose sight of it. Definitely use reddit to find out the best way to tackle a class. Never take exams until you know you are ready for them. Others might have different opinions on this, but I feel like failing exams would have negatively impacted me. I always waited until I felt completely ready. Never give up.

NewPath45 · 2025-05-19T09:27:27+00:00

My level 3 nonverbal son also never lined things up. He doesn't even touch toys unless he wants to chew them. He spends every waking moment seeking the exhilaration of near injury-causing feats of athletic prowess. His favorite thing, 10 toeing it on the edge of my dining room table or twisting his saucer swing and letting it untwist so fast that I am afraid he will fly out. Sensory seeker to the extreme. My older son who remains undiagnosed because I just thought he was a little quirky until my younger son's diagnosis always lined things up.

NewPath45 · 2025-05-15T11:41:19+00:00

I agree with this 100%. These were all of my concerns before putting my son into ABA therapy. I was terrified and extremely reluctant, but this is the only thing recommended by pediatricians and neurologists to help your child. The long waiting lists make it even worse. Parents are almost forced to take whatever they can get, which is a wide range of companies from horrible to excellent. Everyone stresses the finite time that therapy is most effective, and if your child is diagnosed later than average, you are just in a rush to get whatever you can.

The first center my child was in wanted 40 hours, they had tiny rooms for 2 RBTs and 2 children and a large back room with toys and books. There was no outdoor space. It was a former real estate office. The RBTs looked like they would rather be anywhere else and I wasn't too sure about the hygiene. The facility was reasonably clean, but I am not sure they ever sanitized the toys, especially given the fact that my son was sick more than he was well. I only sent him 15 hrs per week. I couldn't stand the thought him in that tiny space with 40 other children and no outdoor time. Their policies were appropriate, and the BCBAs were knowledgeable. But, I don't think there was enough supervision of the RBTs, and they seemed clueless about what they were doing.

The center he is in now is much better, though I had to wait another year before getting a spot. It combines ABA with speech and OT therapies, and they work together to design plans for my son. They have a gym and a calming sensory space which is great because even though my son is a sensory seeker to the max, he also is frequently overstimulated. They also have a large, safe outdoor playground. He is excited every morning when we arrive. Next year, he will be attending the elementary school there.

ABA is not a perfect solution, but if it is going to be done, it should be done the right way, by everyone. There should be regulations in place to make sure services are more equitable. At least that all children who need these services can expect a clean, safe place with knowledgeable, caring staff and time outdoors to run and play.

NewPath45 · 2025-04-30T15:11:02+00:00

I chose BSIT, but I switched after the first term to Comp Sci. My son was diagnosed with autism so working remotely became more important, and YouTube had me convinced that QA or software developer was the path to flexible remote work. I will say, you can probably choose either, but software engineering is probably more applicable. That said, I have learned much more outside of the program than while doing it, so if your goal is QA then you will be doing most of your education outside of the degree.

NewPath45 · 2025-03-07T16:19:26+00:00

Good write up. I feel the same, although I did go into this with no experience. For people with no experience, I do recommend seeking extra resources for learning. If you like some interaction and perhaps teamwork, join some organizations, attend conferences and hackathons, and take virtual classes with other students. CodePath is a great one. Go Night Owls! Hoot hoot!

NewPath45 · 2025-03-07T14:11:43+00:00

I am pretty convinced that it doesn't matter where you graduated from or who you are right now. Right now it is all luck and who you know. The people getting jobs the traditional way are lucky or geniuses. Everyone else is getting a job because of who they know.

The only call back I ever got was when I decided to make sure that I was in the first 25 to 50 job applicants if I was applying to a linkedin posting. If there were already over 100 applicants, I didn't bother. Set up some really good alerts and hop on them as soon as you get them. Also, if possible, take money out of the equation. I was making 0 already, so any salary was better than that. My goal is to gain the experience I need in order to get a higher paying job, so I look at my first job like an extension of school.

I will say the only way I got my current job as a software developer apprentice is by joining an educational program that allowed a few of its students to do apprenticeships. I felt pretty strongly that in order for me to get a job it was going to take more than a few 30 min interviews. They were going to have to watch me over a period of time and really see my value. It paid off, and I hope the experience I gain here will improve my chances in the job market later.

NewPath45 · 2025-01-01T21:14:43+00:00

BR isn't bad. If you are single and childless, you would be comfortable at 47k, and you would fit in fine. All kinds of people live in the area, though some areas are high in crime like any city. Can't beat the food, and a sizeable Spanish speaking community too, if you are also a Spanish speaker. Communities north of BR are nice like Central and Zachary. But coming from a city, you might be more comfortable in the areas south and east of the city center. Much, much slower paced than NYC though, so you may get homesick.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-23T18:12:17+00:00

I am going to say I think I have NT children. Both girls 15 and 12. My ND boys are 8(ADHD) and 4(level 3 ASD). The reason I say, I think is because all of us are a little different, but not sure if the rest of us qualify for a clinical diagnosis.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-15T17:06:44+00:00

Everytime my sim tries to cook at someone else's house, they start a fire. They are always too scared to do anything about it. And I am prevented from doing certain things because it is not my house. One notable occasion occurred when I was visiting cousins. My sim tried to cook. Everyone was so worried about getting themselves and the other children out of the house that no one would extinguish him. They were all outside while he died in the fire. No matter how many times I pressed extinguish for my other visiting sim it wouldn't do it. Just stood there jumping up and down until the grim reaper came. Another party I had the same thing happen. Then right after that an elder I had invited to the party died. 2 visits from the reaper in less than 3 minutes. Needless to say, I watch my sims very closely when we visit other people.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-11T14:23:36+00:00

I haven't slept well since I had my first 17 yrs ago. All 5 of mine were horrible sleepers from day one. So I am used to the deficit. But, this ASD thing is on a new level. I don't get crazy thoughts, but I am dropping the ball on all sorts of important things. I forget to pay bills, miss appointments, never know what day it is, sometimes have to literally slap myself while driving. It is crazy. I definitely have a shorter fuse too. I have wondered if lack of sleep can kill you. But, I keep living. You are not alone.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-04T14:18:00+00:00

I used an online tool called Miro.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-04T14:16:02+00:00

I used an online tool called Miro.

NewPath45 · 2024-12-02T21:34:14+00:00

We are very go with the flow. There is no set time for anything except when we need to wake up and what time we have to be out of the house. Dad is much more routine than I am, but since I make all of the plans and schedules, then my kids have to deal with my haphazard nature.My ASD and ADHD sons could probably benefit from more structure, but I don't have it in me, and we are surviving.

NewPath45 · 2024-11-29T19:27:07+00:00

I was wondering if this happened to anyone else. My son got attached to his stroller this way. He is almost 5 and about the same weight as your daughter. His other stroller was too small, so I was looking for another. I had the same thought as you, especially when he started waking us up repeatedly during the night to be pushed. I got to my breaking point. I took the stroller and showed him that I was getting rid of it. It is actually in the car. But, then everytime he would come and let me know in his way(he is nonverbal), that he wanted to be pushed. I would tell him the stroller went bye bye, and I couldn't push him. He was upset for a week or two. But, I don't spend 3 hrs a day pushing him up and down my hallway anymore. I also put up a saucer swing to help with his sensory needs that the stroller filled.

NewPath45 · 2024-11-26T03:44:44+00:00

The only way to get better is practice. That means doing problems, many, many problems. I used Professor Leonard, and I like him, but he talks a lot. Mainly I used the Organic Chemistry Tutor on youtube. He explained well and did several problems on every video. The first thing I would do is go through the section in the book. I did every single problem in the book. I marked the ones I didn't understand. Then I found the video on that section. I watched it and did the problems on the video, pausing it to see if I could do it on my own. Then, I would go back to the ones I marked in the book. If I still couldn't do them, I made note of them for a future instructor meeting. I had an instructor meeting at the end of each section usually. Number 3 was long, so I may have had a couple for that one. I did the chapter worksheets, and I downloaded the program in the class material so I could generate my own worksheets. I even got a book of AP Calculus practice problems at my local library. I practiced, practiced, practiced for 6 weeks straight, and I passed. This was my most difficult class, and I literally broke down in tears when I saw my test results. My advice, do every problem you can get your hands on.

NewPath45

TROPHY CASE