Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.

So much is going well for our family right now, from Wyatt's progress with spelling to communicate to the work I'm doing, but I still catch myself feeling frustrated, comparing our lives to other families, and wondering why some things have to be so hard. I want to be real about that side of autism parenting, because being productive, having faith, and loving my kids with everything I've got doesn't mean I never have a bad day or get stuck in my own head. In this episode, I'm sharing how prayer, time in God's Word, getting my body moving, and taking one small action help me shift away from negative self-talk instead of sitting in the things I can't control. And I'm digging into one simple change that's made a difference for me, replacing "I have to" with "I get to," because I want us to remember the blessings we still have, even when life feels overwhelming.

• Even when life is going well, I still struggle with frustration, comparison, and difficult emotions. Mental strength is something I have to keep working on.
• I've learned to shift my thinking from "Why is this happening to me?" to "What can I actually do about this?" Taking action on something I can control helps me move forward.
• Prayer, reading God's Word, physical movement, and breathing exercises are some of the tools I use to work through anxiety and negative thoughts.
• Changing "I have to" into "I get to" has helped me see my responsibilities, relationships, and everyday opportunities as blessings rather than burdens.
• I want you to remember that having difficult thoughts doesn't define who you are. What matters is how you respond, and you don't have to face those struggles alone.

If something I shared today hit home, I hope you'll pass this episode along to someone who might need a little encouragement. I'm continuing to share my experiences with autism parenting, mindset, faith, and personal growth at spectrumincamouflage.com. I'd love to hear your story, your struggles, or what's helping you move forward. You can always reach me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com.

• tiktok.com/@spectrum_in_camouflage
• facebook.com/groups/4002769846662357
• instagram.com/spectrum_in_camouflage

Together, we can create a community to support autistic kids and their families.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to share your journey, email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com.

Let's learn, grow, and make a difference, one step, one piece of the puzzle, one child at a time.

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.

Tonight, Kailee is back with me, and we're talking about something that's brought fresh hope into our home: Wyatt's first several weeks of Spelling to Communicate. I've watched Kailee pour so much into helping our son, and hearing about the words he's beginning to spell, even on the tough days, reminds me why we keep looking for ways to help him express himself. We're also opening up about what we've learned about motor planning, full-body apraxia, and the difference between a child being happy and becoming overstimulated, because those moments can look awfully similar from the outside. As parents, we're not chasing big accomplishments nearly as much as we're hoping Wyatt can tell us when he's hungry, thirsty, frustrated, or needs something, and have more independence in everyday life. I don't know exactly where this path will lead, but I want to share the hope, the hard work, and the faith that's helping us take the next step.

• Our Spelling to Communicate journey: We're about seven weeks into Wyatt's spelling sessions, and we're encouraged by the progress we're seeing, both with his practitioner and at home.

• Understanding full-body apraxia: We're learning how motor planning challenges can affect Wyatt's ability to follow through on what we're asking, even when he understands us.

• Recognizing overstimulation: We've learned to watch for the subtle differences between Wyatt being genuinely happy and becoming overstimulated, especially when certain activities or favorite shows create repetitive loops.

• Building independence through autism parenting: Our goal isn't perfection or extraordinary achievements. We want Wyatt to communicate his needs, express his feelings, and develop greater independence.

• Finding courage through faith: I'm reminded that some of the greatest opportunities come with uncertainty and discomfort. Through prayer, patience, and a willingness to try something new, we're continuing to move forward.

I hope this conversation encourages you to keep looking for opportunities for your child, even when the next step feels uncomfortable. If you're navigating autism parenting, exploring communication options, or just need somebody who understands, I'd love to hear from you. Visit spectrumincamouflage.com or email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com. We're all learning as we go, and none of us has to do this alone.

• tiktok.com/@spectrum_in_camouflage
• facebook.com/groups/4002769846662357
• instagram.com/spectrum_in_camouflage

Together, we can create a community to support autistic kids and their families.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to share your journey, email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com.

Let's learn, grow, and make a difference, one step, one piece of the puzzle, one child at a time.

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy.

This week, I want to talk honestly about one of the hardest and most controversial questions many parents in the autism community wrestle with: what factors may be affecting our children's health, development, and future, and are we willing to keep asking questions even when the answers are uncomfortable? I'm looking at claims surrounding a vaccinated-versus-unvaccinated Henry Ford study, the criticism of that study, and what I found when I tried to work through the numbers and competing arguments for myself. I'm not a doctor and I'm not here to tell you what decision to make; I'm a dad raising a son with profound autism, and I believe autism parenting requires curiosity, humility, and the courage to look at everything from medical choices to food, sleep, stress, screens, and our own habits. More than anything, I hope this conversation reminds you that thoughtful parenting is not about having every answer, but about staying engaged, asking better questions, and doing the best we can with the information we have.

• I'm not trying to prove that vaccines caused autism or that not vaccinating is the answer. I want us to stay willing to ask questions and look honestly at the information available to us.
• I walk through claims surrounding the Henry Ford vaccinated-versus-unvaccinated data and some of the criticism of it, including differences in doctor visits and how long the two groups were followed.
• My experience watching Wyatt regress makes this deeply personal for me, but I also know my family's experience does not automatically provide the answer for every family.
• I believe our responsibility as parents goes beyond one issue. I want to look at food, sleep, stress, screen time, medical choices, and the example I'm setting with my own habits.
• If you're carrying guilt over decisions you've made for your child, I want you to remember that we make choices using the best information we have at the time. I can't change yesterday, but I can keep learning and moving forward.

If this episode gets you thinking, I'd love for you to keep the conversation going with me. Visit spectrumincamouflage.com for more from the podcast, and if you have a question, experience, or perspective you want to share, email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com. I don't want to leave you with fear or guilt. I want to leave you curious, engaged, and willing to keep looking for ways to help our kids reach the highest level of life they're capable of living. God bless you, guys.

• tiktok.com/@spectrum_in_camouflage
• facebook.com/groups/4002769846662357
• instagram.com/spectrum_in_camouflage

Together, we can create a community to support autistic kids and their families.

If you have questions, ideas, or want to share your journey, email me at tommy@spectrumincamouflage.com.

Let's learn, grow, and make a difference, one step, one piece of the puzzle, one child at a time.