Autism and Thanksgiving

 With autism, Thanksgiving can be a bit overwhelming. To best prepare for the holiday, here's some helpful tips.

1. Take the day after Thanksgiving off work. I understand it's Black Friday, but you don't have to shop that day if you don't want to. But it can be a long time to recharge after the holiday if you're tired. It's important to set boundaries for the holiday so be prepared for certain conversations too.

2. Be prepared for changes in a schedule. As someone who's autistic, I struggle with changes in routine especially around the holidays. There might be changes in food options, guests in the home and access to certain personal belongings. Those changes could prove stressful and overwhelming for those on the spectrum.

3. People who are autistic might be picky eaters (guilty as charged). So have food you know you love, or let the host know that you're bringing your own food.

4. Plan ahead. Telling an autistic child that Thanksgiving will be different than a normal Thursday routine is an easy way to prepare for a change in routine. Bring different things from home to make them comfortable like a special interest, a calming item or a favorite piece of travel-sized furniture.

5. Pay close attention to how an autistic individual is feeling. If they feel uncomfortable, don't force them to stay in a certain room or do activities. If they need a break, let them have one. Don't put a time limit on how long an autistic individual or their family should spend with you. It's all about having fun with everyone.

Hope these tips are helpful! Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Halloween fun

 As someone who's autistic, Halloween can be fun but also overstimulating.

One of my friends from high school, Kayla, hosts a Halloween party at her house every year. There's music, treats, and games. It's an adult only party so some of the drinks they have are not for the kids. Kayla knows that I'm autistic and makes sure that if the music got too loud or if I'm overstimulated, I can just go outside to recoup. Kayla's friend Angel helps out with the parties and understands my autism too. She works for a company that provides services for autistic people.

Other Halloween parties can be a bit tamer for those who have special needs

Just this last Thursday, the coaches of the Special Olympics delegation that I'm in, Des Moines Metro Champions, hosted a party at Adria's house. Adria is the founder of the delegation. There was Halloween trivia, a costume contest and a fashion show. My best friend Katie and I were barefoot at the party.

I had a great time at both of those parties. And while there were times when I got a bit overwhelmed by some parts being too loud, everyone understood and let me have my breather space. Even though I portrayed Dracula, his sensitivity to sunlight, garlic, and of course the cross is nothing compared to how sensitive I am to loud noise. But I've gotten better with it over the years.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween.

Disability Employment Month

 October is not just spooky month, it's also Disability Employment Month. Unfortunately, not many people who have disabilities have jobs due to factors such as discrimination, stigma, and barriers to employment. In 2024, the employment ratio for those with disabilities was 22.7% compared to 65.5% for those without.

As someone who's autistic, I know that it can be hard to find places that are willing to hire people with disabilities. I'm fortunate to have worked for a company that values inclusion for the past ten years. A few other friends who have disabilities have jobs too whether it be full time or part time. If you're autistic or have any other special needs and are looking for a job, just know that other places are willing to hire you if you look hard enough, and if anyone discriminates you, stand up for yourself and have friend to back you up. I know it's not easy but I want to let you guys know that I believe in you.

And to those of you with disabilities who have jobs, I hope you guys inspire other people with disabilities that they can get that job they want too. If the world allows more people with disabilities to get hired for jobs, we can be on the way to a more inclusive world.

Barefoot and autism Halloween

 This blog post is all about both autism and being barefoot for Halloween.

If your looking for tips and tricks for Halloween for people on the autism spectrum, the best way to start is the teaching story All About Halloween to teach autistic children what to expect around Halloween. You can add pictures and text to the story to personalize it too. Scary things can be overwhelming to those with sensory needs. For costumes, be aware of special interests for costumes like their favorite characters. Be aware of sensory issues for the costumes as they might itch, smell, or be uncomfortable. Don't use costumes that are challenging for sensory experiences and try a larger sized costume so kids can wear their own clothes underneath. Explain that if a friend is wearing a mask or face paint, it's still their friend underneath.

For trick-or-treating, use teaching stories to explain what trick-or-treating involves. Use nonverbal trick-or-treat signs if your child is nonverbal. If your child doesn't want to go out at night, go earlier in the evening. And just like with other kids, trick-or-treat in your neighborhood, go with friends and neighbors, ask a grownup your know to go along, check out all treats before eating them, carry a flashlight if you go at night, and for autistic people use sensory toys, headphones, or ear plugs.

The next part is barefoot costumes at Halloween. If you love being barefoot and want to go barefoot with your costume, this YouTube link has ideas for barefoot costumes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWa-qXJcD0

Of course, some costumes are barefoot already like the Flintstones, Elsa from Frozen, or Tarzan. But if you want to have your costume be authentic and barefoot, use body paint to cover your feet so they'll go with your costume. For example, a skeleton can use grey paint to paint the bones on your feet, green paint for the Hulk, and so on. I'm going to be a barefoot vampire for this Halloween party fundraiser put on by Adria and Taylor of the Des Moines Metro Champions delegation for Special Olympics Iowa. There'll be a costume contest with prizes too so wish me luck. My best friend Katie's going to have a barefoot costume too.

Fall season

 The fall season is among us. That being said, it's been warm enough for me to go on barefoot walks still. I enjoy the feeling of fall leaves crunching under my bare feet. My best friend Katie and I went on a barefoot walk over the weekend after bowling and it was fun; it was a bit of practice for Special Olympics as well.  It was a short one because it was a hot day and I had a busy weekend.

That being said, if it's warm enough this fall where you're at, take advantage of getting outside while you can. Enjoy the bonfires, hikes, football, and fun time with the family.

What a week it's been...

 Autism has been featured in the news again, and I can tell you it's been a bit overwhelming for me and a lot of other people. People have said so many things about where autism comes from but don't have the facts to back it up. Some of the things that were said have hurt people in the autism community. I know it's rough, but the autism community will always bounce back. I have some friends in my corner who are there for me, and they have been extremely supportive. I can't do this alone so thank you to the autism community for having my back and take time for yourself. Have a bit of a mental break. That's exactly what I need right about now.

Barefoot Lifestyle Book

 For those of you who know, I have a few friends who live their lives completely barefoot. There's some groups online for people who live the barefoot lifestyle too, mainly the Society for Barefoot Living and Barefoot is Legal. Now there's a book about living the barefoot lifestyle called Barefoot Is Legal: Voice For The Barefoot Lifestyle written by Barefoot is Legal founder Dave Kelman

The description states: People by nature hate being forced to constantly wear shoes all the time. Most people think laws exist against going barefoot. There are zero laws in North America regarding driving a car, going to a store, or eating in public barefoot. Plus, there are health benefits to the barefoot lifestyle you were never told about. Flip-flops are the world's most worn shoe. Why? Because people want the freedom to not wear shoes, but they are afraid of public ridicule. Learn the reasons why we started a 501c3 non-profit and how going barefoot is completely normal.

I definitely recommend this book if you want to try living a barefoot lifestyle especially as I've gotten more comfortable being a barefooter. As of now, the book is available on the Barnes & Noble website and not in stores yet. But feel free to check this book out. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/barefoot-is-legal-david-kelman/1148145632