My daughter was 10. She was super excited to get tested. Initially we thought we were dealing with giftedness and she was pumped to do the assessment and the tests and still asks if she can do it again. After the assessments finished we sat her down and told her. She just shrugged and said ok. I also got her a book: the teens give to pda and she's learning so much about herself and shares little tidbits with me. When she melts down and has a hard day she also doesn't usually have the words for it and I know she feels bad. She will come at the end of the day for a snuggle to tell me she's had a hard day. And that's enough.

@Katie Lents at peace parents is where I learned this. I think she's great. I follow a few more but I can't remember what they are at the moment.

@Mona Mjøen McKiernan Cool! Norways is on my bucket list to visit -- looks absolutely beautiful!

Right now i had to send them to my in laws for a few days as both my spouse and I are gone and it's so not what my autistic daughter needed at the moment. I hate it.

@Katie Lents Luckily they actually had a great time being away for the 4 days. My in-lwas were really good at giving them a stress free experience -- no demands. So they came home ahppy and getting along. I am grateful.

@Katie Lents great resource! Just fyi the circles on some of the pages seem to be in random places, as if they shifted. I wish I had realized my kiddo was autistic when she was a toddler so I could have made the world more manageable for her.

This is so true. And it's the one thing I have worked on so much for myself and the difference is immediately palpable. I REALLY struggle with being late. So if a meltdown starts before we need to be somewhere, that's when my chest tightens and I start sweating. That will be the next trigger on my tapping to do list. It's one of the ones that still pops up daily.

@Katie Lents Yes it is typically the school arrival that is so stressful. We have to get to work on time as well and it's just stressful. I am starting to be ok with being late elsewhere because it just is the way it is. Pressuring my daughter only makes it take way longer.