I first noticed that I was different in preschool when the other students had no problem working jigsaw problems, while I struggled with them. This surprised me because I was better than them at most activities. My Kindergarten report card noted that I still couldn’t tie my shoelaces. On the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, my answer for all of the rotated figure problems was “none of the above”. I always get lost easily. If I am by myself in an unknown area, I am helpless. Read More
People judge what they can see.
They see whether I have a job.
Whether I smile.
Whether I make eye contact.
Whether I appear calm.
Whether I “fit in.” Read More
Existing in an ableist world as a teenager with NVLD can be exhausting. Growing up, I often felt like an outsider looking in and struggled to find a sense of belonging. I didn’t quite fit into certain friend circles. I tended to heavily mask to survive the unwritten social code that existed within high school. I often felt like a fish out of water. I knew I was different, yet I didn’t quite understand why. Read More
Alright, good morning everybody. Happy Friday, or maybe it’s Saturday, depending on when you’re listening to this. I know it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve done an episode.
I was juggling a lot of things and couldn’t find time to do one, so I decided to do one today. You know what, instead of me just promoting Etsy verbally, I’m gonna go grab a couple of items from the shop so you guys can actually see them. I’ll be right back. So this is an example of one of them.
These are the little toys I’ve been knitting lately. This is another one,e and then this is another one. I know they don’t look perfect, but I don’t think anything really does look perfect in the end, and from me, knitting is a little challenging because of my NVLD and my other learning differences, so I just do the best I can whenever I knit something. Read More
Love isn’t just for the young. Yet for many mature neurodivergent adults—whether autistic, have ADHD, a learning disability, or another form of neurodivergence—dating can feel like competing in a marketplace that often rewards speed, charisma, and unwritten social rules rather than authenticity.
For those of us entering or re-entering the dating world later in life, the challenge isn’t simply finding someone. It’s finding someone who appreciates us for who we are. Read More
One of my biggest frustrations has always been how IEP teams don’t encourage students with an NVLD and similar disabilities, such as Autism and Dyspraxia, to join school or community sports teams. Sports can bring many challenges for individuals who have gross motor skills; however, I truly believe that the incredible benefits that can be gained far outweigh any negatives. Being part of a team leads to having incredible mentors and building strong friendships, given how you spend so much time working together during your athletic seasons. So in this piece I will discuss the remarkable positives of being part of a sports team and the how difficulties help you grow. Read More
In elementary school, chocolate milk was the ultimate reward. Whenever we did well on a test, the teacher would hand out those little packets of powder to mix into a small milk carton. My friends would rush, stirring their spoons with excitement, drinking this magic drink. I would just sit there, puzzled, staring at the milk. I would taste it, and it was awful—gritty, strange, earthy with clumps of undissolved powder floating at the top. I couldn’t understand what was going on. Why was everyone smiling? Read More
In my previous piece discuss the importance of having similar expectations and goals for all of your children. Now I will continue sharing the importance of this. In addition I will discuss how things won’t be exactly the same unfortunately but the end results will be very similar such as achieving your true potential and being able to have personal connections. Yes, it may seem hard but I highly believe it will help reduce tension within your family life.
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I am that mom who has had to go toe to toe with all persons interacting either my son who has NVLD. Read More
Growing up with an older sister who excelled in everything and held multiple leadership roles such as being a class officer made me inspired to overcome as much as I could as I wanted to be able to have some of the same experiences she did. This was largely influenced by our parents placing a strong value on us to always do our best and to be connected within our school and community, yet we’re fully aware that our overall results would be different. So in this piece I will discuss the importance of having similar expectations and goals for all of your children. While it may seem hard it will help reduce tension within your family life.
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