Raising Jimmy, celebrating milestones, navigating school systems—and all the heart it takes. Honest reflections from the messy middle.
When Coffee Comes With a Side of Sass: Jimmy, His AAC, and a McMessage Loud and Clear Some kids write essays.Some give speeches.Mine makes his point with a cheeseburger button — and only when he feels like it. Let me paint the picture. It was early evening, and I decided to slip out for a…
Splash Pads, Communication, and a Little Bit of Inclusion Magic I’ve been thinking.(Dangerous, I know.) Every summer, our local splash pads fill with laughter, chaos, and soaked kids running wild — just as they should. But while most children shout, laugh, and yell “MY TURN!”… there are others who can’t. Not because they don’t want…
Dust Bunnies, Guilt, and the Great Summer Floor Crisis Let’s just put it out there: housekeeping has never been my strong suit. Sure, I can do it. I know how to sweep, mop, scrub, and organize. But when a new idea hits me — like launching a blog, designing a printable, or mapping out a…
When Sleep Is Optional (Apparently) Little Wins with Jimmy – Monday Edition Jimmy’s a pretty predictable guy when it comes to sleep.Bedtime? 7:45 PM — like clockwork.Wake-up? Somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00 AM.He grabs his buddy, marches up the stairs, and settles in like a pro. No fuss, no drama. I know how lucky I…
Playground Wins: A Free Printable Toolkit for Real-Life Families Some days, the goal is simple: just get to the playground. But when you’re parenting a neurodiverse child, “simple” often comes with a whole list of steps, emotions, and real-life detours. That’s exactly why I created this toolkit. The Playground Wins Toolkit is a free visual…
Before the Toolkit: A Real-Life Playground Test with Jimmy There’s been this idea sitting in the back of my brain since the first nice day of spring: Take Jimmy to the playground. That’s it. That’s the whole thought. But if you’re raising a neurodiverse kid, you already know it’s never just the playground. It’s planning,…
When Spaghetti Makes You Cry (and Not Because of the Oven) Today? Rough. I’m trying to launch Little Wins with Jimmy — a project that means the world to me — but snag after snag has tested every ounce of my patience. I’ve been short-tempered, annoyed, and teetering on the edge of burn-it-all-down mode. It’s…
When Your Day Starts with Poop Water and Just Keeps on Giving Because sometimes blogging is cheaper than therapy 😅☕💩 It’s currently 1:15 p.m. (ish), and I’ve had a day. Not a “where’s my other sock?” kind of day—more like a “there’s poop and water everywhere and my brain is leaking out of my ears”…
The Day the Door Opened A Backyard Adventure Through Jimmy’s Eyes Some stories don’t need to be made up.Some find you in five silent, terrifying minutes.And sometimes, those stories are better told from the heart of a child who sees the world a little differently. This is Jimmy’s story—told through the wonder of his eyes,…
An Introduction to Jimmy and me Parenting is a journey — full of surprises, detours, and deep, messy love.This blog is where I share my map. Hi, I’m Karen. And this is Jimmy — my youngest son, my heart, my teacher, and the spark behind nearly everything I do. Meet Jimmy Jimmy is six years…