“Motherhood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you’d have. It’s about understanding he is exactly the person he is supposed to be. And, if you’re lucky, he might be the teacher who turns you into the person you’re supposed to be.”
~The Water Giver
Autism Will Touch Your Life
So often we avoid talking about the tough stuff. When someone is going through a difficult or emotional time, many people respond by backing away. They fear offending the person or getting it wrong or not having all the best advice or ability to “fix” the situation. I am guilty of this, even with my…
It isn’t enough to know that autistic people exist.
As we enter World Autism Month, I am excited to share more about my boy with you. He is the reason our little shop, Little Rebels with a Cause exists, and he is a constant reminder that every single person I encounter is so much more than meets the eye, and maybe he will remind…
You Can Help Me Teach Them
“People are staring at him because they think he is weird.” My seven-year-old daughter has always loved and accepted her big brother, who is nine years old and autistic, exactly for who he is: a fun, loving, and unique human who just happens to move through this world a little differently than most. We had…
Let’s Get {Re}Acquainted!
I’m Lauren, the owner/operator/coordinator-of-chaos over here at Wilson’s Climb & Little Rebels with a Cause. I started this blog & clothing brand with our curious nine-year-old son in mind. He was diagnosed with autism when he was three years old and has always been my constant reminder that EVERYONE is going through so much more…
Simple Inclusion. It Matters.
For the first time, Wilson is participating in Show-and-Tell at school today. I told him to pick just one toy to bring to school and show his friends and assured him it would go right back home where it belongs after school. His wonderful teachers had us write up some information about the toy to…
Nothing Comes without Hard Work.
Nothing comes to this boy without hard work. Wilson is nine years old and autistic, and procedures like this used to rock. our. world. Anxiety, communication breakdowns, new environments, sensory processing overload coupled with every-other-unknown that would come our way. So, when Wilson’s doctor ordered a routine EKG for him, I felt all of the…
Dear Santa
Dear Santa, Thank you for being so kind to our boy today. Wilson is nine years old and autistic, and these kinds of activities are not always possible for him, as crowded malls and long lines often lead to anxiety and sensory overload. But today he spotted you on our favorite small family farm and…
Be Kind & Include this Halloween
I will admit I did a lot of judging on Halloween before I had kids of my own. Kids that appeared to be “too old” for trick-or-treating, kids that came across as rude because they didn’t say “trick-or-treat” or “thank you” and kids that seemed to not even bother putting a costume on… Wilson changed…
This is NINE✨
He loves music by the Beatles and watching Teletubbies & Toy Story. He shouts “choo choo!” whenever he sees a train and quacks at ducks and creates beautiful pieces of art. He dresses like a pirate & craves movement. He is curious, adventurous, and has eaten the same sandwich every day for years. He is…
Listen With Me
I want so much for this boy, above all, to just be understood. I don’t care if he finds his voice through a device, or a drawing, I just want him to be heard. A boy who was built differently than most. Whose words get lost while intention and thoughts remain. One who fights daily…
Let’s Change the World
“He’s just wired differently.” We heard this phrase often in those first months after Wilson’s autism diagnosis. We were trying to wrap our heads around this world of autism in which our son was living. It’s a fairly simple phrase, which was almost refreshing given the complexities of this disorder we wanted so badly to…
A Little Advocate
This is Charlie. When her big brother, who is eight years old and autistic, lost his first tooth, she asked us to write a letter to the tooth fairy because she knew her brother would love a toy more than money. She made sure to check his pillow the next morning and show him what…
awareness + acceptance
My boy with autism. Or my autistic boy. This is a very important thing. One is a person first, after all, he is a beautiful boy who just happens to have autism. The other is an all-encompassing identity worn with pride. I wish we didn’t have to choose. Can’t it be both? I want both…
Raising Rebels
This boy of mine has the greatest community of Little Rebels one could ask for. He’s surrounded by kids who are raised on intentional conversations about beautiful differences. Kids don’t need to understand big, complex things like autism spectrum disorder to advocate for a friend. Little advocates are curious, kind, patient, and EMBRACE differences. They…
✨World Autism Awareness Day✨
This boy works hard every day to communicate in ways that don’t come naturally for him. He works through unanticipated sounds that physically hurt him. He relentlessly creates order, repetition, and sameness all around him to feel safe. He’s so curious, craves adventure, and would examine every inch of this big old world if he…
I share this boy with you
I share this boy with you because he is unique. He is a constant reminder for me that every single person I encounter is so much more than meets the eye, and maybe he will remind you, too. While I don’t ever want to miss an opportunity to celebrate this amazing boy, I also choose…
A Very Merry Season
I was wrapping presents last night when I came across one designed for children 3-5 years old that I had purchased for my eight-year-old. It got me thinking about how we do things a little differently around here. Throughout the years, we’ve found that not every holiday event is one we should attempt. Occasionally we…
Wilson's Climb 