This book is about the process and unique challenges that parents of autistic children inevitably go through. In these pages, I have described the enigma of trying to understand the thought processes of my child and the bewildering behaviors that made this necessary. Here are chronicled many anecdotes, a slice of our family life that is true in spirit and details, that have shaped my relationship with my name's sake, James W. Strode, or our Jimmy.

"The voices here confirm what I've always suspected: everyone is part of one large continuum, and the approaches and insights recounted here can help any parent, any educator, any person deal with any child—or, for that matter, any other person—more effectively and with more compassion. I only wish I'd encountered earlier this cadre of experienced and caring individuals whose humor and resourcefulness represent clearly how best to love and nurture a child."—Cynthia Nitz Ris, J.D., Ph.D., University of Cincinnati Through sensitive, sometimes humorous, experienced-based writing from teachers, clinicians, and parent activists in the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community, this book will help educators and others to better understand the world inhabited by ASD children. The stories contained in the book will inspire and inform readers who are working day-to-day with children in the autism spectrum, providing valuable insights into what makes these kids tick and useful information on how they communicate, learn, and succeed. Robert Parish (Cincinnati, OH) is an award-winning journalist with four nationally broadcast public TV documentaries about Autism Spectrum Disorders to his credit, as well as more than 100 digital video projects about ASD for the educational market.

Internationally acclaimed life coach, Dr. Claire Jack, draws on her extensive experience of working with women with autism, in addition to her personal experience as a woman with autism, to help you shape the life you deserve. This book takes you through the stages you might encounter in coming to terms with your autism - from fear to relief, shame to self-validation, confusion to excitement - so that you can lead a life which respects and celebrates your unique needs. Do you want to continue living a life which is just ok? Or do you deserve to live a life which allows you to embrace your true self? If "ok" isn't enough any more, this book will support you in creating the changes you desire. So many women with autism spend their lives masking, or camouflaging, their autistic symptoms that they lose their sense of self. This book helps you accept yourself, as you are, and move towards a point of authenticity. After a lifetime of feeling confused, emotionally overwhelmed, socially awkward and being considered "odd" by others, many women become so good at camouflaging that they forget who they are and what they need from life. They may suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and self-sabotaging coping mechanisms. Masking seems like a common sense approach to pass as "normal", but the cost is huge. This book explores what it is to live in a world where you stop trying to be that square peg fitting into a round hole, and explore how you can make the hole fit your needs instead. From mundane everyday decisions to life changing choices, you'll learn how to create a world in which you and others value you. This book takes you on a journey, from exploring how and why you might choose to seek out a diagnosis, to how to nurture your unique autistic brain with passions and interests, to how to create healthy social boundaries and develop emotional regulation strategies. You're provided with exercises which encourage you to think about what autism means to you and how you can practically apply what you've learned. Throughout, you're provided with insights into the experiences of the many inspirational women I have worked with who, like you, have faced considerable challenges in their lives and who have been determined to turning their lives around.

Getting an autism diagnosis for your child can be life-changing, but it doesn't have to be life-ending... With Embracing Autism, you can discover a new way of thinking about autism as autistic self-advocate and mom of five, including one autistic child, Kaylene George holds your hand and guides you step by step through your journey from an autism-parent to a true autism advocate. There's a divide in the autism community between parents and autistic self-advocates, and since she's both, Kaylene can help you navigate the waters with grace. Discover how to understand your child's meltdowns. Find out how to advocate for your child's needs. And discover the true joy that autism brings to so many families every day.

Some wise person once said, "If you know one child with autism, you know one child with autism." In Embracing Mrs. Mommy, Living with, Learning from and Loving Someone with Autism, Rocky Bowers Parra provides snapshots of daily life with Matthew, her youngest child. Diagnosed on the autism spectrum at three years old, Matthew positively impacts Rocky and her family in ways they never imagined. Rocky and her family began advocating for autism acceptance and awareness soon after his diagnosis. Five years ago she began to write about their experiences as a way to promote awareness. It grew into something more. By sharing their experience, Rocky hopes to help other families and individuals impacted by autism find the good in their situations, celebrate their successes (big or small) and most importantly, feel the love of someone who has walked before them. Special needs parenting and family life can sometimes feel lonely and isolated, this book will let families know they are not alone. The road is bumpy and not without the occasional detour, but there is a way forward, you just have to follow the path and embrace it.

Based on the award-winning Autism Friendly Training Program, created by the non-profit organization STARS for Autism, this book empowers the everyday professional to a better understanding and skill in working with, interacting with, serving, and teaching children and adults who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After a thorough explanation of ASD and how it affects children, adults, families, and communities, this guide describes the Autism Friendly Training Program and gives the reader insight into what it means to become autism friendly and to be an autism friendly training presenter. This text will enable those who are neurotypical to gain insight into the person, the stories, and the lives of those with ASD. It is a guide to understanding autism at a deeper level to enable relationship and support processes that define being autism friendly. Providing the needed information, tools, and confidence to be autism friendly, this book will be beneficial to any and all businesses, organizations, groups, communities, families, and individuals who work with, serve, interact with, teach, parent, and experience life with an autistic person.