Long time reader, coming out of the “blog closet” to tell you to hang in there. This is definitely a hard time of year, right after photography slow season and then BAM! taxes, sickness, etc…I get it. Have faith, you will be okay. Some days, I literally have to take it hour by hour. Just keep that beautiful smile on your face :o) Lots of hugs. BTW, my son always asks me to see “the bike kid” every single day. He loves watching Miles :o)

I think it’s inspiring that you put this out there and are so honest. This time of year is definitely hard. Hang in there!

I’m sorry Bets- It’s tough when it’s your babies.. 🙁 🙁 I totally understand, you become a lioness when someone says anything about your perfect baby! Keep your head held high, keep your heart towards God, and accept with grace…as hard as all of that really is… it sucks! and it’s ok to get mad, those are feeling …but after your get mad, and upset, remember your knowledge … that God will always take care of you and Miles…and the rest of the fam, don’t worry about the future, that isn’t ours to care about, just plan accordingly for the present. Miles is perfect in your eyes and in God’s eyes and whatever comes about in these red flags….those are only speed bumps along the way.

Betsy- my son had/has similar struggles- loves being with adults, but has trouble with peers- brilliant, creative, articulate, loving. Sensitive to sound, and a stickler for “rules”. Labels like Asperger’s and the autism spectrum and ADHD were thrown around, and I had to make medication decisions that I never thought I’d have to make. As a single mom, I just wanted to hide both my son and myself. It’s been rough. Sometimes it still is rough. Kindergarden was really hard, and first grade was not much better. He’s in third grade now, and though troubles still crop up from time to time, things are so much better. Public school can be tough- but the staff in Southwest FTW have been amazing. At the end of the day though, your Miles is funny and smart and handsome and caring and creative. Love the heck out of him, smooth the road as best you can, but please don’t beat yourself up over the issues. Our boys will become amazing men- there’s just some awkward childhood bumps in between here and there. Prayers for you- I know what this is like.

I hate to hear your struggles with Miles because it sounds so much like what we went through with our son, Haiden. At age three he was reading, doing basic math, playing the drums like a pro, singing with perfect pitch, and memorizing crazy sports information but he could care less about other children his age. If he tried to socialize it was like he got stuck. The best thing we did was get an autism (PDD-NOS) diagnoses but it was one of the hardest times in my life. I remember crying everyday. Today, he is 7, in a regular 1st grade classroom, an A and B student, and had 12 of his classmates show up for his birthday party. He has neighborhood friends who come over weekly and he loves to play with them. It has been a long, hard road and we had to teach him things that other kids just learn but he is the neatest kid in the world.

Struggles suck, financial ones are stressful, but nothing beats struggles with your kid and enduring others making comments and observations about your kid. You do what you need to do to make your child successful regardless of labels. The fact is that you have a healthy, smart, articulate little boy and you will do whatever you need to do to get him through life. It’s a roller coaster and a marathon – so hole up until you can take a deep breath and then come out and roll up your sleeves. That’s what us mom’s do. Hugs.

Budgeting? Yeah, not for me, and I have to, now that I’m a poor college kid and on my own funds now, not so fun. But with the Miles thing? Just remember every kid and every family is different and has their own struggles. Mine most definitely is, which I why I don’t talk about it. Even though it’s fairly complicated, with adopting my 3 cousins w/ varying disabilities & all, in the basic picture, we have 7 kids in my family, and have had ‘socializing’ issues of our own through the years, despite having so many kids around. I hated school at first, and would much rather just play at home with my siblings & cousins. I would scream and throw fits going to school, so much so my parents switched me to a class with my brother & cousin (it was a Montessori school, with 3 grades a class) because I was so, so shy. If my mom/dad left while I was at an ‘activity’ (like, basketball or something), I would freak out. My dad would pay me a dollar if I went to my Sunday school classes without a fit (Yeah, kinda defeats the whole purpose of Sunday school if you ask me). My youngest brother sat in the school office for the first month of school one year, even though one of our other brothers was in the same class with him. I guess I don’t really know the point of saying all of this, just that keep your head on straight, and don’t listen to everything everybody says. Sure, somethings will be hard, but figure out what works for you. Kids are all different, and if you feel you’re doing a good job, then you are, and from what I see & read on here, you most definitely are.

Yes, you have the hat over your face but you still have a huge, beautiful smile shinning through! The love you have for your family will get you through all these stresses!