As the single parent to two boys on the autism spectrum I peruse a lot of sites to find out what two parent families are doing with their child. I want to learn of new resources and what is available around the country. I am interested in learning what makes a difference in the lives of families with a child on the Autism Spectrum.

These six blog sites are ones I have visited often to follow families with various diagnoses to compare our lifestyle and therapies pursued. It helps to read other perspectives and to see what I might have missed or not afforded, and how the therapy panned out for those that did explore it.

I have a hard time keeping up on a daily basis with blogs since I forget to check them that frequently, but I do enjoy reading the comments left on them and following along with the links that show resources and data that is helpful to save for future reference. I would love to get a newsletter with the highlights of the prior week’s blogs, but that does not seem to be an option.

I also stay away from sites that have music blaring as this slows down my computer and connection. I am not on the computer to listen to music or watch video segments. As a single parent my computer time is limited so the less distractions while there the better.

Families.com Special Needs Blog by Kristyn Crow. Kristyn has a teenage son on the Autism Spectrum, as well as two sons with Juvenile Diabetes. The blog's are categorized for each month with the title and link for easy access. The special needs blog includes articles on Muscular Dystrophy, Rett Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Dyslexia, speech and language delays and childhood disintegrative disorder. Readers will also follow the family on their vacation adventures and daily escapades.

AutismVox by Kristina Chew. Kristina is a very detail-oriented writer sharing stories about daily living with her son Charlie, her husband and in-laws. They reside in my home state of New Jersey and I like reading about the resources available in that state. Her blogs are numbered with witty titles and photos that depict their family life. Kristina shares strategies utilized in Charlie’s learning with helpful links to sites to purchase materials. Her site is a wealth of information and so organized.

Parenting your complex child by Peggy Lou Morgan. Peggy shares about her adult son Billy Ray and what life is like for him. It is good to learn about the obstacles those with disabilities face as they approach adulthood. Peggy keeps detailed notes and compiles lists for parents to utilize in keeping track of things and schedules. There are plenty of photographs showcasing Billy Ray doing his daily chores and living life to the fullest. Billy Ray has some medical issues that Peggy Lou keeps readers apprised of. Plus Peggy is busy on tour for her first book and doing interviews. It is nice to follow Peggy as she promotes her book, as this gives us parents who might want to pen a book about our family insights into juggling it all. Readers will learn what supports are available and programs for young adults. Peggy is the author of Parenting your complex child.

Dr Chris Teach Town by a licensed psychologist and board certified behavior analyst specializing in autism and related disorders. This blog site covers ABA, positive behavior supports, teaching resources and techniques and lots of helpful resources along with photos to highlight the current topic. This is a professionally organized blog with data at your fingertips to find a consultant and other professionals.

Susan Senator’s Blog shares the trials and tribulations of teenage son Nate and his siblings. Susan shares about writing her book on autism and publishing other stories on the subject in major newspapers. A portion of the blog is on parenting a child on the autism spectrum and the family dynamics and other relationships. Susan is the author of Making Peace with Autism

Special Ed Law Blog by Charles Fox. Charles is a lawyer as well as the parent of a child with special needs. He shares his insights from both experiences with advice on dealing with the schools, meetings and how to advocate effectively for your child. Read from a father’s point of view and gain knowledge to tackle future IEP meetings. There are plenty of articles to reference along with legal cases to peruse. The titles for the blogs are very clever.

There is another site I have recently learned of and started an autism group there. This site Autism Families at Gather.com gives users points to be redeemed for gift cards and if you have enough points in a given month you can qualify for cash through paypal.

With the holidays a few months away this is a good place to spend free time to gain some points toward a gift card. Members write articles, rate articles, post comments and upload images, rate and comment on images. Feel free to join my group and share about your family member.

National Family Caregivers Association

Educational Autism Tips for Families 71 page resourceful ebook for families entering the school system with a recent autism diagnosis. Find out what issues take place over the course of a school day and meet these challenges head on.



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