Celebrate Yourselves this Father's Day
Autism Dadvocate invites Dads to celebrate the small and big wins of their amazing kids this Sunday ……….and to celebrate themselves. As I...
pacarroll99
- Apr 1
- 3 min
2022 Autism Awareness Day
Last year on Autism Awareness Day 2021, I spoke more broadly about issues in our community. This year, having cultivated a deeper...
pacarroll99
- Dec 8, 2021
- 3 min
Why You Should Be Taking Better Care of Yourself as a Special Needs Parent
by Gwen Payne Finding the time for self-care when most of your time, energy, and focus is caught up in taking care of your child with...
pacarroll99
- Aug 1, 2021
- 5 min
The Six Most Common Misconceptions about Autism
Recently, I’ve spent quite a bit of time counseling Dads who either suspect their child is autistic or has recently been diagnosed as...
pacarroll99
- Apr 4, 2021
- 4 min
Thoughts on Autism on Autism Awareness Day
Today is World Autism Awareness Day - April 2. On Sunday, many Christians will celebrate Easter, a holiday whose core themes are of...
pacarroll99
- Jan 30, 2021
- 5 min
Responding to Autism: A Law Enforcement Approach
Recently, on the local news, there was a success story of a Michigan Police Dept locating a wandering child with autism. As fathers of...
pacarroll99
- Dec 29, 2020
- 2 min
The Power of (Incremental) Progress
I stand in amazement at how much you teach me about the power of incremental progress How step by step, we move forward with glacial...
pacarroll99
- Nov 14, 2020
- 2 min
Guest Blog: One Father's Journey, Eric J
In 2012, I was widowed. I was far from prepared to become a single father, much less the single dad of a child with disabilities. I...
pacarroll99
- Sep 14, 2020
- 2 min
I see all you amazing Dads
I see all you amazing Dads and all the amazing things you do………... I see you when you play the same video game with your son over and...
pacarroll99
- Aug 15, 2020
- 3 min
Guest Blog: Kim Evensen
Autismdadvocate members - I received a lot of interesting emails from you based on my “Epidemic of Loneliness in North America” blog post....
pacarroll99
- Jul 30, 2020
- 6 min
Lunch..followed by his meltdown....followed by my meltdown
“DADDY!...........” Vaughn’s voice booms sonorously down the stairs. Even though I am in the kitchen, idly paging through Twitter on my...
pacarroll99
- May 19, 2020
- 6 min
The Epidemic of Loneliness in North America
Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General from 2014-2017 has cited that the epidemic of loneliness, particularly amongst American men, is a major...
pacarroll99
- May 3, 2020
- 5 min
An Open Letter to My Son (5 Years too soon)
While watching the local news, I saw a story about our town’s high school having a “virtual” graduation ceremony due to the Corona...
pacarroll99
- Feb 16, 2020
- 4 min
Insomnia
I roll over onto my right side and gaze at the clock. The bright orange numbers from the new Zen sunrise clock Jen bought me for...
pacarroll99
- Jan 28, 2020
- 5 min
To all the armchair commentators in the bleachers
Lately, I’ve been riding the adrenalin of reading everything Brene Brown has written. I’ve just finished my 4th book written by her,...
pacarroll99
- Jan 5, 2020
- 1 min
A Poem to my Autistic Son - The Window
I wish I knew how it is That you open and close the window With the weight and texture of your hands The everyness you see in the...
pacarroll99
- Dec 26, 2019
- 4 min
2020 Guidelines For Dads With Autistic Children
Become a Better Parent to Your Autistic Child As the year draws to a close, it’s a great time to reflect back on the past year, priming...
pacarroll99
- Dec 15, 2019
- 1 min
The Power of Neurodiversity
The Extraordinary Abilities of my son with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder This morning, I was reminded of the extraordinary abilities of...
pacarroll99
- Oct 2, 2019
- 3 min
What I Learned from my Irritation With my Autistic Son's Tics
My Irritation with Myself (and not my son's tics) “Vaughn, can you please keep it down?” I hate it when I utter this phrase, even though...
pacarroll99
- Aug 12, 2019
- 1 min
A Poem to my Autistic Son - When I Return from the Business Trip to Arizona
When I return from the business trip to Arizona, I stealth through the house and to bed Discovered – A rustle, footsteps, the door yawns...