ML Interest Tag: sentence

24 Games You Can Play in the Car on Your Next Road Trip

by Kate Loweth

Getting to your destination can be part of the adventure when you have this handy list of car games in your back pocket

If you’re heading out on a road trip soon and want to ensure that the trip will be spent making memories with the kids (screen-free fun in the car is possible!), then we’ve got a list of car games just for you. To make your journey as enjoyable as possible, you’ll want to print out this list of easy games to play in the car. They don’t require any special gear, there are no pieces to lose, and they’re actually fun for parents and kids alike. Be sure to check out our list of road trip hacks that’ll make the drive even easier. Win, win, win!

1. The Alphabet Game: Find all the letters of the alphabet on things you pass along the highway. Variation: limit your finds to license plates or road signs to make it harder.

2. I Spy: This road trip classic has players starting with a vague clue like, “I spy something that moves” and the other players guessing from there. Only yes or no questions are allowed. Tip: put a limit to the number of questions so the rounds don’t go on for eternity.

3. Would You Rather: This is a fun one to get the kids thinking, with great questions like: “Would you rather live in the desert or on a deserted island?” Another good one: “Would you rather be able to control the weather or talk to animals?” Check out our list of would you rather questions for kids and our list of would you rather questions for teens. We even have would you rather questions for adults!

4. Fortunately/Unfortunately: This story-creation car game for kids starts with a sentence like, “Mom came home with a chocolate cake.” The next person has to continue the story with fortunately like, “Fortunately, it had sprinkles on it.” Turn passes to the next person who uses unfortunately like, “Unfortunately, they were made of wax.” Hilarity ensues.

5. Story Volley: A similar game is story volley where you take turns creating a story back and forth between two (or more) players. This one can go on forever!

6. Open-ended Questions: Learn a little more about your car companions with this game where you can ask any question you like. Good ones to start with: What’s your favorite animal? What superpower do you wish you had? What TV character are you most like?

7. Alphabet Game (Version 2): The flow of this game is to use this phrase, “My name is ______ and I’m married to _______. We live in ______ and are shopping for ________.” All words have to start with the letter you are on like, “My name is Amy and I’m married to Al. We live in Arkansas and are shopping for apples.” Then you move on to B.

8. Letter, Word, or Sentence Guessing Game: For back seat players only, you have one kid draw a letter, word, or sentence (depending on age) on the other player’s back. Try to guess what was drawn.

9. License Plate Bingo: Using a little notebook to keep track, try and find all the state license plates. This game can carry over from road trip to road trip as who has ever seen a Hawaii plate outside of Hawaii? Parents should be ready to verify any rare sightings (to prevent cheating).

license plate bingo is a game you can play in the car
iStock

 

Related: 22 Creative Road Trip Activities (That Don’t Include Screens)

10. 20 Questions: This game has you thinking of an item while your opponent has to guess what it is. Limit your questions to 20 so you don’t go totally insane. This game knows how it is to travel with kids, clearly. For little kids, you can limit it even further to a category like animals.

11. The Name Game: Good for teens and tweens, this game has you name a celebrity like Oprah Winfrey and the next person has to take the first letter of that celebrity’s last name to start their turn and name another celebrity like Will Smith.

12. Hot Sauce or Chocolate: A variation on this or that, this game has you choose which item between two that you’d rather give up. Start with hot sauce or chocolate, choose one (clearly chocolate is the one to keep) and the next person has to add another to the pair like peanut butter so now you’re choosing between chocolate and peanut butter.

13. The Vacation Memory Game: This is a fun car game for kids! The first person starts with, “I’m going on a vacation and I’m going to bring . . . ” and then they choose an item like sunscreen. The second person starts, “I’m going on a vacation and I’m going to bring sunscreen and . . .” and chooses a second item like beach towels. The game continues until someone messes up the order and forgets an item. You can make it trickier by going in alphabetical order.

14. Count the Item: Choose an item like an American flag, tractor, or Starbucks sign and see how many your crew can find while on your journey.

15. Yes-No-Black-White: In this car game for kids, one player is the questioner and one the answerer. The questioner asks a question, trying to get the answerer to say the words “yes, no, black or white.” The answerer needs to answer verbally and truthfully, without using the forbidden words.

16. The Animal Name Game: The first player picks an animal like a squirrel. The second player has to pick an animal that starts with the last letter of the prior animal, like “lion.” And on and on!

17. Skittles: In this game, you are looking for the holy grail: the yellow vehicle. See one and yell, “Skittles!” and get one point. You may have to set your own rules about whether yellow farm equipment and buses count or should be excluded (as a fleet of school buses could cause an early end to your gameplay).

kids enjoying games you can play in the car
iStock

 

Related: 16 Roadside Attractions You’ve Got to See to Believe

18. Cheers to the Governor (the kid version): This is a collaborative memory game you can play in the car to get to a certain number. So, if your goal is to get to 21, you start by counting one by one in order. You start with one rule, usually that 7 and 11 are switched (instead of saying 7 the person who is supposed to say 7 will say 11, and the person who should say 11 will say 7). If you make it through all the numbers, someone makes up a new rule (clap twice instead of saying three, make an animal noise instead of 15), and start counting back at 1 with the new rule. If someone misses a rule, you start back at one. The goal is to get to the point where all of the numbers are replaced with rules.

19. State Capitals: Good for all you geography fans, get the kids to list the state capitals. You can do it in alphabetical order or quiz style.

20. Cows and Graveyards: You get a point for every cow you spot on your side of the car. Spot a graveyard and lose all points.

21. Name That Tune: Play a snippet of a song from the radio and try and guess the song and artist.

22. Restaurant Race: Each player gets a restaurant like McDonalds, Taco Bell, or Burger King and players count how many of their restaurants they can find along the way.

23. Rock-Paper-Scissors: This is a classic hand game that’s a perfect game to play in the car. Two players shoot rock (fist), paper (flat hand), or scissors (the peace sign) on the count of 1,2,3… shoot! Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper. Try the best of three, or just keep playing down the road.

Our All-Time Favorite Games to Play in the Car

24. Off Limits: In this game, you choose words or phrases that are “off limits” like family member’s names, “hungry” or “are we there yet?” (Brilliant!)

25. The Quiet Game: The player who is quiet the longest wins! Save this one for when you are really desperate.

Related: 21 Clever TikTok Travel Hacks to Make Traveling with Kids a Breeze

 

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4 Creative Ways to Introduce Kids to Poetry

by Amber Guetebier

Think all poetry has to rhyme? These inventive ways to teach kids about poetry are all about the free verse. All you need is imagination, a sense of humor and a few craft supplies. Read on for our four ways to teach your little bohemian the fine art of poetry.

cut up method of poetry collage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

For the Baby Beatnik
Beat Generation writer William Burroughs’  “cut-up” method works strikingly well for the half-pint crowd. Think of it as a collage with words. Get out the safety scissors, grab some magazines and cut out words. You can also write words on paper and cut them out. Once you’ve got them cut up, toss them in the air. The order that they land in is the order you write down or recite.
Tip: Stick to words kids will recognize like animals and colors and don’t forget your articles (a, an, the) and conjunctions (and, but, if). Schoolhouse Rock flashbacks, anyone?

photo: Niall David Photography 

For the Nature Lover
If you prefer your poetry in the garden Emily Dickinson-style,  try rock art poetry. Using waterproof ink and stamps or paint or paint pens, write words or individual letters on smooth stones. Arrange the words into a simple verse. As an added bonus, you can rearrange it anytime.

kids books stack spine poetry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

For the Aspiring Avant Garde
Book spine poetry is about as simple as they get and a great intro for kids to poetry. Just stack books spine out and recite. For example:

What am I?
My Father’s Dragon
Demolition
The Dark

For the Free-Lovin’ Free Verser
Elementary school teachers will tell you the secret to those adorable poems your kids bring home are based on this easy method known as cinquain (pronounced “sin-kane”). It’s a five-line poem, with a 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 sequence. There are variations on the method, but here’s one you can try with yours:

Line 1: one word, noun
Line 2: two words, adjectives to describe the noun in line 1
Line 3: three words, verbs that relate to line 1
Line 4: four words, feelings that relate to line 1 (make this one a complete sentence, e.g., “It makes me laugh.”)
Line 5: one word, noun/synonym for line 1

Example:

Rabbit
Fuzzy and white
Hopping, Sniffing, Hiding
How I Love You
Bunny

—Amber Guetebier; photos by Amber Guetebier except where noted.

Featured image: iStock 

RELATED STORIES:

Haiku for You: Simple Haiku Writing for Kids 

How to Write a Limerick with Your Kids

Fill-in-the-Blank Poetry Fun 

Beyond Mother Goose: Best Poets for Kids 

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6 New Ways to Embrace Creativity This Summer

By Nina Meehan

Photo: Nina Meehan

Summer is upon us! The evenings are longer, the weather is warmer and the days are slightly less hectic…maybe. Summer is a terrific time to embrace creativity as part of your family’s routine. During the school year, things tend to be more regimented, but the summer offers days with different rhythms. And while every day or week can feel chaotic, sometimes a little bit of chaos is the best way to help keep creative minds active. Creative thinking is often just about looking at the world around you in a different way, so here are a few ideas to help inspire your family as part of your family’s daily routine: 

  1. PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD: Take turns making different kinds of breakfast foods with faces. Can eggs be a beard? How about bacon eyebrows? What can you do with some blueberries, toast and a banana? Children of all ages can get involved with the fun of making their breakfast into a Mr. Potato Head game. BONUS: Take a picture of all the faces and make a collage of the photos at the end of the summer!
  2. COUNT YOUR RAINBOWS: You may have played “punch buggy” as a kid, well here is a less violent way to keep your eyes peeled on the outside world as you drive back and forth from camp or weekend getaways. Take turns finding rainbow colors in order. The first person that finds something that is red, the next orange, etc. through the entire rainbow, wins! BONUS: You can also play competitively with older kids, but they need to declare what they see “I see Red, on the Fire Truck!”
  3. ALPHABET STORIES: While enjoying a summertime sandwich, challenge your family to an Alphabet Story. The first person starts a story with a sentence beginning with the letter A, then the next person adds on with a sentence that starts with B, all the way until Z.  HINT: Name one of your characters Xavier, so when you get to X, you can easily start a sentence like, “Xavier left the castle and hiked up the Mountain.”
  4. MAKE A MAP: As a family, make up an imaginary world. Start with some group sketches. Does the world have a forest, deserts, castles, plateaus, mountains? Then with some poster board, glue, ripped up paper bags, paint and rocks and dirt from the garden create a 3D version of a map of your world. This can be a multi-day or multi-week project.  BONUS: Once the map is made, use it to create stories about things that happened in the different regions of the map. Everyone can take turns telling a story every night. 
  5. BRING A STORY TO LIFE: If your house is anything like mine, dress up is a daily occurrence, but I rarely remember to take the time to link dress up with story. Next time your little one finds a special outfit, use it as a springboard to make up a story together. Who is the person who wears this special outfit? Where do they live?  BONUS: Dedicate a breakfast, lunch or dinner to the story, so if it’s a princess, make a fancy tea, if it’s a superhero, find some “super-power foods” to enjoy!
  6. SEE CREATIVITY IN ACTION: Visit cultural institutions for inspiration! Visit your local museums, go to a craft fair and ask the artisan how things are made, listen to live music, see theatre!  

 

This post originally appeared on Piedmont Post.

Nina Meehan is CEO and Founder Bay Area Children's Theatre and the host of the Creative Parenting Podcast. An internationally recognized expert in youth development through the arts, Nina nurtures innovation by fostering creative thinking. She is mom to Toby (13), Robby (10) and Meadow (5).  

   

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Get the Lisa Frank Manicure of Your Dreams Thanks to a New ORLY Collection

by Sarah Shebek

Neon dolphins leaping to the sky, rainbow-hued unicorns frolicking and the cutest little leopards you ever did see. If the previous sentence reminded you of Lisa Frank and you suddenly started missing the design icon of the ’90s, you’re in luck. Now you can show your Lisa Frank love with the newest collection from ORLY, featuring a dazzling range of wraps and polish!

Your nails are in for a real treat. To get started, snag one of the two polish trios that come in collectible packaging. Choose your combo of Dancing Dolphins (magenta, yellow and orange) or Markie (cyan, purple and lime) for the ultimate 90’s vibe.

Of course, those hands need some extra pizazz. Fortunately you can also buy two new topcoats, Hits the Spot or Star Glaze. The former packs colorful confetti and the latter promises a glittery shine, perfect for layering on top of your neon nails.

Last but certainly not least, check out these nail wraps! Choose from unicorns, aliens, baby leopards or tigers, all in fantastic neon colorways. They’re non-damaging adhesive and safe for natural nails. At only $11.99 each, you might want to buy them all!

Your mani will definitely be the talk of the next book club or school drop off. All thanks to this nostalgic new collection from ORLY!

––Sarah Shebek

All photos courtesy of ORLY

 

RELATED STORIES

School Supplies from the ’80s & ’90s That You’ll Totally Remember

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Why Imaginative Play Is So Important

By Jonna Laster

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” —Maya Angelou  

In the picture book, Nutshell Regatta, a young girl and her beloved grandmother spend an afternoon exploring a pond and the many creatures and plants living in and around the water. Through their interaction, and using imaginative play, their experience transcends what most people might see when looking at a similar landscape. The animals take on unique roles, the plants play their special parts and the little girl and her grandmother transport themselves to a whole other world whereby they share a unique adventure and create their own story. This is imaginative play.

When we engage in imaginative play, we engage all of our senses. Observing a scene is very one-dimensional. Creating the scene, however, is multi-dimensional. All creative people and great problem solvers use imaginative play. At its core, imaginative play, is “thinking outside the box”. 

There are those who might worry they are not creative or don’t know how to start. The great thing about imaginative play is there is no wrong way to do it! Start with a simple plan. Next time you take a walk with a child, try to engage with your surroundings. 

  • Collect pebbles or leaves. Think about how you could arrange them in a vase or picture frame. 

  • Take a walk with a child in silence. When you get back home, take turns sharing what you saw, smelled, heard and felt.

The fun part is there is no wrong way to do this. Creativity really has no boundaries—you just need to start. In keeping with that vein, let children color outside the lines. Encourage creativity and story-telling. Keep as many supplies around as you can manage including empty boxes, old fabric, old costumes, catalogs, crayons, pencils, paint. All of these types of items are a treasure trove for imaginative play. And remember, it’s the process of imaginative play that’s important rather than what is created! 

Ideas for Imaginative Play:

  • Have one person start a story. Then, each family member or friend adds the next sentence or two. Round and round the story goes, often ending up in very unexpected places. This is a great boost for memory skills, and a source of delightful silliness for everyone!

  • Take out any board game. Collectively reinvent the rules. An example of this activity: A word tile game, like Scrabble, could expand to accept made-up words as a long as a pronunciation and a definition is given and the word is used in a sentence.

  • In this variation of charades, take out a stack of blank index cards. Each person draws or writes out instructions for whoever pulls one of their cards from a stack.

  • Create an entire new and zany rule book for a familiar game—this works well with strategy board games.

  • Flip the script. Rewrite or retell the endings of favorite shows or movies. To be able to deconstruct and reconstruct a familiar storyline is a prime example of imagination meets critical thinking skills.

The most important rule of imaginative play is…there really are no rules!

RELATED STORIES:
Let Your Kids Be Bored to Expand Their Imaginations
12 Pretend Play Ideas You Can Set Up in One Afternoon
18 Epic Indoor Forts You’ll Want to Live In
 

 

Jonna Laster's earliest recollections take place in an old canvas tent on her parent's Alaskan homestead. The stories told around the wood-stove filled her with wonder, and to this day remind Jonna of why she's always been a writer. Jonna lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

 

 

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5 Ways to Help Your Child Answer What They Did at School Today

By Janine Segner

As a speech-language pathologist, one of the most common concerns I hear from parents is that their child can’t tell them about their day. This is a hard question for so many kids. To be able to talk about their day, a child needs to be able to comprehend the qestion, recall events from the day, use storytelling language, use sequencing skills, and probably recognize and understand the emotions they felt through the day.

Unless there was an exciting assembly or new event that happened, in preschool “I played” is usually an OK response. As parents, we so desperately want to hear what happened during the day and share in their joy or support their tough times. But when all they say is, “I don’t know” “Nothing” or “I played” we understandably may feel a bit frustrated. If you want to help your child develop this skill, follow these 5 tips:

1. Make the question predictable. Ask every night at dinner. Many children may begin preparing their answers if they know the question is coming.

2. Model. Start with siblings and spouses first.

3. Include your daily routine in the retelling of your day. When you do this, your child can begin to build connections between what they observe and what you tell in your story. This helps them identify what is important and gives them ideas as to what they can include in their retell.

4. Practice with pictures. If you have a particularly exciting day, snap photos. Then, sit with them and your camera roll and help them scroll through and talk about each picture.

5. Ask specific rather than broad questions to guide their thinking. Instead of “Tell me about your day,” you can ask “Who did you sit with at lunch?” “What story did you read today?” Get information from teachers on your child’s day if you can to ask even more pointed questions, and then you can model responses if your child still comes up short.

If your child is struggling with vocabulary, sentence construction, or answering questions, they may not be ready for this skill yet or professional help might be needed.

Janine Segner is a credentialed speech therapist with a decade of experience in school, outpatient medical and private practice settings. She is licensed in Virgnia and Maryland and is the owner of Expressive Speech and Feeding, a pediatric speech therapy practice in Herndon, Virginia.

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I Wonder If She Knows

By Ali Flynn

Photo: Ali Flynn

I wonder if this mama knew how much these little girls loved her.

I wonder if she realized how much comfort they felt nuzzling into her arms and feeling her heartbeat.

I wonder if she ever knew how much they loved their daily dance parties.

I wonder if she knew, how each time she entered the room, they filled up with joy and peace washed over them.

Looking back now, there is so much I didn’t know.

There is so much I missed out on, thinking I wasn’t a good enough mama.

There is so much I second-guessed about my decisions and how I was parenting.

But one thing I did know, the love I had for them was magical.

I loved these girls fiercely.

I loved them with an intensity that even scared me sometimes.

I loved them with my full heart-piercing my soul.

And you know what, my friends, the love for these girls is still just as intense.

They may be teenagers now but some things will forever remain the same.

The bond and the love between a mother and a child rise above all else.

So as I lay in bed, attempting to fall asleep, I recall my daughter’s sweet words reassuring me of all I have done right in this world. A simple moment, a simple phrase, locked in my brain and one she probably wouldn’t think twice about.

A simple remark, “They don’t talk for hours like us, Mom.”

And with that one sentence, all of my worries and anxieties began to fall away and room was made for glorious dreams to swirl around in my head, rather than the nagging thoughts of all I need to improve upon.

So mamas, if we just listen to what our kiddos are saying each day, we are bound to find the little reassurances that our presence means the world to our children.

It may be simple.

It may be one sentence.

But let it fill you up and value their words, for their words are truth.

 

 

Ali Flynn Is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Mom  and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents and Her View From Home.

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4 Need-to-Know Ways to Develop Patient Parenting

By Jake Rubin

Photo: MamaZen

It is no secret that life suddenly starts throwing nothing but fastballs and curveballs when you become a parent. At least that’s how it feels most of the time, and most likely, you feel like you’re swinging at the pitches blindly. As parents, we get to the point where we’re so tired of trying to make one hit that we end up getting frustrated and burnt-out. Unfortunately, this stress ends up showing itself in negative ways, like our interactions with our children. The patient parenting approach strives to adapt the way we respond to our children, and in turn, we end up feeling better.

But, being a patient parent is sometimes easier said than done, like when you discover your toddler playing fashion designer with your new dress and some magic markers. However, with a little focus on these four key areas, you can develop a patient parenting technique that works for you and your kids.

1. Stay Calm 
Before you can be a more patient parent, you need to think about the basics; stay calm and breathe. Our kids have an incredible ability to push our buttons at all the wrong moments, but often, what really gets us worked up is our reaction. Although it’s challenging, focus on your response and try hard to take a breath before you react.

Whether your baby won’t go to bed, or your kid is having a meltdown in aisle three, or your toddler just won’t stop saying the word “why,” ask yourself, is this situation really the end-of-the-world? Is it worth you turning into a wild beast? Start to practice ways to help stay calm when these frustrating situations arise.

2. Relinquish Control
Many times, what tends to add to impatience is a sense that you’re losing control. When something doesn’t go as planned, yet you insist on trying to make it work, you likely end up getting even more aggravated and stressed. But, if you were able to give up the need to be in control and recognize that life will always throw you curveballs, you might be surprised to discover you don’t get as bent out of shape about the issue. Basically, you never know what might happen, so being able to roll with the punches can help you increase your patience in the long run.

3. Develop Empathy
You might already be working on teaching your child about empathy, but have you thought about your own sense of empathy? Sometimes, when you lose your cool with your kids, you might want to launch immediately into a lecture (or tirade), but what if you made the mindful decision to talk with your children instead of yell at them? Ask your child why he did what he did, what he was thinking, and try to see things from his perspective before you start to discuss the situation with him.

4. Practice Self-Care
It’s the absolute hardest thing for all moms to do, but it’s also the most important; take care of yourself. Think about it—if you’re tired, stressed, hungry, exhausted, and miserable, then how on earth can you have any hope of being patient? It’s no wonder you lose it if your kid even thinks about throwing her broccoli at the dog. As challenging as it is, self-care has to be a part of your life. Plus, if it helps, look at it as ultimately doing something for your kids because when you’re happy, they’re happy.

Indeed, patient and parenting are not often words you find in the same sentence when you’re a parent, but with a little focus and help from a resource like MamaZen, you can make patient parenting a way of life.

 

This post originally appeared on MamaZen.

Jake Y. Rubin, M.A, is a Board Certified Hypnotherapist, a former university professor of psychology, and a recognized expert in hypnosis and hypnotherapy with degrees in Psychology from UCLA and the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. He is the founder of the MamaZen app.

 

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It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

By Annie Smith

It’s okay, to not be okay.

I want you to close your eyes after reading this sentence and sit and ponder on it for a moment.

What if your child you dreamed of in your belly came out, learned everything that they should, and then one day stopped and went back to a baby cognitively?

Now really close your eyes and think about it. It could be your infant, 5-year-old, 16-year-old, or even your grandchild. Just imagine it.

This is called regression.

Now, stay with me.

One day I woke up and my beautiful son changed, like a switch of a light, to a person I didn’t know. He went from being an 18-month-old toddler back to a 6-month-old baby.

I know you’re thinking how can a child just change overnight? How do they go from saying da-da and looking into your eyes and answering to their name to being a statue of a person they once were?

Every day since then, I can see the light from the goodness of God through my son’s eyes. I can’t see him in his eyes and he can’t see me in mine. But I can see God. I can see and hear angels playing beautiful music through his eyes into mine.

You see, my boy isn’t like your boy and he never will. He’s trapped in a body with zero communication, no understanding of the world around him. He has low functioning Autism. My son cannot feed himself or change his clothes, point to anything. He doesn’t even know what the word momma is.

He’s never said momma. Will he ever say it to me? I pray every day I don’t have to wait until heaven to hear it. I try to understand this and how this happened but I can’t and I know there is a reason why Jameson was made this way. I will be asking God as soon as I meet him, you can bet on that.

Most days I can find the happiness and the joy and watch him be happy and stim to his favorite shows. When I see his nose crinkle from belly laughter as his daddy is tickling him.

That is most days.

Today isn’t that day. And a person in my life told me something recently that I will never forget. This life is hard. It brings you to your knees and knocks the wind out of you hard most days. But it’s okay, to not be okay.

We don’t have to pretend it’s a joy to have a child who bangs their head on the wall or screams non stop just because they like the way it feels on their vocal cords. ITS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY! I refuse to pretend and paint a picture that every day I find the joy. I can’t and I won’t.

I have accepted that this is my forever. I will always fight for my son and his quality of life and I will be happy when we have our victories, but man, some nights when he goes to bed, I can cry and ask why and cry some more.

But I get up the next day and carry on.

But please special needs parents remember this, it’s okay to not be okay.

I'm a stay at home mom to 3 young children. Blakely, our daughter, is 4. We have twin 3 year old boys named Lucas and Jameson. I've been married to my husband Logan for 6 years. Both of our boys have special needs. 

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When It Comes to Autism, These Are My 7 Wishes

By BriAnna Olson

1. I wish someone, somewhere on the famous “Google” would put “this is not a death sentence.” I know it sounds so wacky and probably over the top to some, but anytime some kind of diagnosis is presented, it’s just natural for parents to worry about the long term effects it could bring! I’ve mentioned it here before, but I myself, was uneducated about the world of ASD before we were catapulted in, like one of those pumpkin launchers at a pumpkin patch. And instantly worried that it somehow immediately changed his life expectancy. Don’t fall into this false narrative. And your child’s life is not “less than” because they have a diagnosis delivered.

2. I wish diagnosis came with a big mandatory packet of “this is what the hell you do next” inside it. After all those evaluations, and after the 500 fights to be really seen, there is no “next step.” There’s no pamphlet, or hand-out to instruct you on obtaining services for your child to help them excel. There’s no one holding a sign that says “Need assistance with funding all the incoming therapies and appointments necessary? We can help.” Not a one. There’s no, “Call (insert generic name) over at (whatever place) and they’ll answer any questions you have.” No one is there waiting around to see if you have questions. And trust me when I say, you’ll have hundreds. And that’s normal! Never be afraid to ask. Knowledge is power.

3. I wish there was no such thing as needing the “label” before any kind of assistance is “awarded” (often times it is even DENIED). *Sigh*  Facts are facts. Help is help. And while there are so many, many things I wish I could change about the system itself, the main changes are ones I wish I could simply make in others. But not my boy.

4. I wish all persons were taught how to love like my Beckett. With no plan, no predisposition, no conditions. Just pure love.

5. I wish no one saw disabilities or differences first (or at all) and would simply see a person for how they treat others. For how they present themselves to the world through emotion. Just like my littlest love. Whether you can communicate with words, or use your body to speak, kindness is the easiest thing in the world to give and costs nothing.

6. I wish we could all let loose. Be silly, and giggly, and adventurous, long after childhood comes to a close. Just like my Beckett will.

7. And I wish everyone could find the joy in even the little things, like watching the dancing rain through the sunshine. Just like our boy.

This post originally appeared on To Infinity & Beyond Words.

BriAnna is a stay-at-home mom to her Disney loving, son Beckett (5), and wife to her Navy  Veteran husband, Cameron. Beckett is Autistic and non-verbal, so BriAnna created her page, "To Infinity & Beyond Words" to shine a light of love on their world of special needs. Their family of three call Nebraska home, and call themselves blessed. 

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