Jessica Watson

My daughter is 17, almost 18 now, and has been part of the Special Olympics for nearly 10 years. She has an amazing heart, an unbreakable spirit and autism. As I think about the Special Olympics organization and what being a part of it has done for us, there is so much I want to say to them... but so much more I want to say to my daughter.
Dear Ashlyn,
Do you remember the day you decided you should not use a Cars lunchbox anymore? You were devastated and so was I. You were starting middle sch...

I took a risk and handed my phone to the teenager two rows in front of us. I wanted a better picture of the sign with her name on it.
“You know one of those kids?” the man standing next to me ask.
“I do. The one second from the coach? That’s my daughter.” I adjusted my coat a bit to make sure my team shirt was showing, as I yelled through my perma-grin over the crowd.
We were in a high school gym full of almost the entire student body. The cheerleaders were there and the dance team performed ...

The latest statistics collected from parents show that 1 in 50 children has a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder. But while the condition is common, it's often misunderstood.
Autism Shines, a project that aims to debunk negative myths about ASDs, collects photos and stories to show the world that when we talk about children with autism, we are talking about real kids. Aiden's favorite song is "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Lily loves to dance and she's afraid of thunder. Callum flaps for the ...

We've had a pet -- seriously, really, a live one -- for over three weeks now. And she's still a live one. The house plant comparison is so not true, and OMG there are so many bacon jokes out there.
I am still not used to people saying "your pig is cute," or "thanks for letting us pet your pig." It just doesn't roll off the tongue and land into the ears the same way sweet phrases about puppies and kittens do.
The kids have walked her and wiggled her into ridiculous costumes. My daughter has st...

The decision to homeschool is not an easy one. Homeschooling is a huge commitment that requires all kinds of time and patience. If you're on the fence as to whether it's the right thing to do for you and your family there are a few things you should consider before making a final decision.
We've been homeschooling for four years now but this is the first year I'm homeschooling the majority of my kids. It has been a huge undertaking and I'm still learning to relax and trust my instincts when i...

Since fall is in full swing it's time to take advantage of all those leaves and turning them into a learning opportunity. Take a hike with the kids or just head out into your yard to check out the fall colors then head back inside for one of these fun learning activities. No matter what age your kids are, you can use the falling leaves to enhance their learning. Here are a few fun ideas to get your kids into the season that require little to no prep work and simple supplies you have around th...

Kids who are struggling academically or socially in school can make huge gains from having a peer buddy. Creating a peer buddy system is an easy way to support students and grow a caring community within a school. So what is a peer buddy and how can you get one for your child?
Here's everything you need to know...
A peer buddy is a student chosen by you or someone at your child's school to help your child throughout their day. Usually a teacher will suggest someone who is a leader in the clas...

When your child has special needs, back to school preparation can be stressful for both of you. It may take a little more work, but adding a few extra steps to your back to school routine can pay off greatly in the long run.
Try these techniques to get the new school year off to a great start:
1. Ask to tour the classroom and meet the teacher with your child. Many kids with special needs have more anxiety about a new classroom and new teacher than other students. Getting a preview of the new ...

Nothing makes me crazier during the holidays than the greedy attitude my children tend to get when asking for presents. Every year I have to make a conscious effort to remind my kids to be giving during the holiday season and with a few easy steps you can too.
Something about sitting on Santa's lap and the twenty relatives asking my children what they want for Christmas turns them into greedy little elves. It takes a lot of redirection to remind my children they are already lucky to have what...

Parenting a child, and now an adult, with autism has been a rollercoaster of a ride. It has been a challenging road that I never could have imagined for myself. Despite the challenges, I have learned more about myself and the world around us than I ever could have imagined.
My oldest daughter is now 19. She was diagnosed with autism right around her 5th birthday, sending us on a journey of ups and downs that no one could prepare me for. Here are a few things raising a child with autism has ta...

Of course we want our kids to love Halloween but not all of them do. Halloween can be a little bit too scary for some of our little ones and even our big ones, adding unnecessary anxiety to their days. With a little preparation you can keep your kids from being scared off by Halloween horror.
Growing up a wimp made Halloween tough for me. I was terrified of masks and anyone in a remotely scary costume and can still clearly remember a classroom that I HATED walking into. Luckily, my kids have ...

Holidays have not been my favorite for the last six years or so. Hanging six stockings instead of seven and filling one less Easter basket is enough to make me want to sleep through the day all together. But I have four children who would not dare let me stay in bed during their waking hours so I have learned to face reality and scale holidays back to what I can handle. Since losing our daughter, I don't have it in me to manage the craziness of big parties and the hustle and bustle of all the...

I was complaining about the dishes. The sink is always full, the dishwasher never empty and those sippy cups? What a pain they are to dismantle. Tumbling cups and plastic bowls, they take up at least one shelf of every load.
Her face flashed a look of recognition as she remembered these days well. Trying to shake her head in understanding, her eyes told so much more.
She missed this.
A bulging sink, running the dishwasher twice a day, dinner with someone teetering on her lap. Piles of laundry...

I have sat with a daughter with no life left.
By Jessica Watson. Her face flashed a look of recognition as she remembered these days well.
By Jessica Watson. Since losing our daughter, I don't have it in me to manage the craziness of big parties and the hustle and bustle of all the holiday happenings that made up our life before.
Having spent so long raising one child with autism, the shock of typical development in my younger children was something this family was not prepared for.

When we found out we were expecting triplets, my husband and I knew we would need to be a two income household. I had one daughter already and doubling our family size within nine months time was going to put a strain on our finances to say the least.
I researched daycares and nannies and we even looked into au pair programs on the advice of several other triplet families. My dreams of being a stay-at-home mom had dissolved when the ultrasound tech found not one, not two, but three babies dev...