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Last week, my brother Teddy lost his educational placement. Without the sensory supports and accommodations he needs, school became a place where he could not regulate himself or truly show his abilities. Sadly, there are so many autistic children and adults who face life without the support they deserve. When I asked my mom what the saddest (not the hardest) part of Teddy losing his placement was, she said it was knowing he will no longer get on the school bus each morning. It may seem like a small thing, but for Teddy, riding the bus was something that made him like other children and my family and I were so proud to see him get on that bus every morning. Here is a picture of Teddy waiting for the bus as part of his morning routine. 

Our Caroling for a Cause event was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who caroled with us. We loved spreading holiday cheer

❤️🎶🎄

On December 22nd I am organizing a Caroling event in my community to sing for children of all different abilities! If anyone is interested in helping to support families and spread Christmas cheer please let me know. You know what they say, “The more… the merrier!”

Not many people like doctor visits, but doctor visits are especially hard for my autistic brother Teddy. It takes two people to take Teddy to the doctors because he struggles to participate in the doctor’s orders and he tends to be very upset. It is also challenging because when Teddy is sick most times we don’t know what is wrong. Our family is so proud of him for participating and for doing so well during his recent visit at the doctor’s!

School is back in session and it has not been much of a change for my brother Patrick and I. We are both at the same school that we were attending last year. A few of the same teachers and new classes but everything is very similar. However, this summer Teddy transitioned to a new school! We were really worried about the change because he has been at his old school since kindergarten and he often has a difficult time adapting to change. This summer Teddy did very well at his new school. The school was pretty empty with only a few special education classrooms in session. However, starting up in September was a very different experience. The quiet and relatively empty school Teddy was familiar with was now noisy and full of regular education students. For Teddy, these changes made it seem like he was starting over. My family is working on getting Teddy adjusted into his school routine and dealing with these changes. As a neurotypical student I take it for granted that I can filter out all of the commotion around me and still succeed. Hoping everyone (including Teddy) has a great school year!

Recently I had the once (or maybe twice if they invite me back next year) in a lifetime opportunity to rappel down the Seneca One building in Buffalo, NY in support of the Arc of Erie County! This experience would not have been possible without the respite staff that care for my brother, Teddy while my family and I are traveling or doing things he would not enjoy or tolerate. If you or anyone you know are living with someone with a developmental disability and would like more information about respite care my family and I are always happy to speak with you about our experiences and to answer any questions you may have! Special thanks to my brother’s respite aides! Your support is invaluable to us!

My family’s favorite summer activity is boating on the Great Sacandaga Lake. Besides it being super fun, boating is a special time because it is one of the few activities we can do as a family all together. Teddy loves boating! One of the hardest things about growing up with a sibling with a developmental disability is that we often have to leave Teddy home when we go out and do fun things. This is why boating is so special to us and we look forward to it every year!

What are some things that your family enjoys doing together in the summertime?

Last week my family and I had the honor of awarding the first ever “Life With Theodorable” Scholarship to a graduating senior. I can’t think of a better way to honor my brother Teddy and other autistic people and their families. This is what I presented at the ceremony:

The Life With Theodorable Scholarship was created in recognition of my brother Theodore Esler.  Theodore, whom we often refer to as “Teddy” is autistic and requires a variety of support from teachers, therapists, assistants, and aides in order to be successful.  These professionals play a crucial role in providing a better life for Teddy and my family.

This award’s purpose is to support the education of scholars pursuing a career in education or other related fields.  We used this award to recognize someone who has contributed positively to the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and plans to continue to do so.

We hope this award encourages scholars to pursue opportunities to work with children of all abilities and prioritize meeting the needs of diverse populations in their future work.  Congratulations AGAIN to the winner, Matthew Iorio!

This past weekend my family and I hosted a sensory softball game. Although my oldest brother has been playing at this field for years…my brother Teddy has not been able to attend a game here since he was about three because there has always been too much noise….too many people…he just couldn’t tolerate it! So, it was so awesome having the opportunity to finally be at this familiar place together as a family! It was great seeing my brother get the chance to play in a game. Through the years I have participated in many different sports and activities, but I can’t say the same for Teddy. Sometimes it’s hard not to focus on the things my brother misses out on because of autism. Every time my family and I grieve about something we feel is a loss we try and think of one blessing and it helps us stay positive and grateful!

Teddy struggles with maintaining a healthy weight for several reasons….The three main issues are that he has a limited diet with lots of processed foods (we are working on that), he takes medication that affects his metabolism, and participates in limited physical activities that other neurotypical kids his age are involved with. So, now that the weather is getting warmer my dad started taking Teddy on walks in hopes to improve his health. This is HUGE for Teddy not only because he’s getting exercise but because he is learning safety!! So proud of Teddy!