Today I realize I’m just a week away from clocking my 500th blog post!
When I started this blog back in April 2019, I never imagined I’ll have the stamina to come this far. Nor did I think I would have enough content to deliver a blog post every single week.
Yet here I am, at what I believe is an inflection point.
You see, I’ve been pondering lately what it means to stay on this exhausting blogging schedule I’ve set for myself. To write one personal essay a week, and one poem a week with no breaks, except in December for the year-end holidays. Make no mistake, this schedule is punishing. There are times when I’m hours away from publishing and I’ve barely written a line. Talk about cutting it close!
At first, I created this blog as a way for me to chronicle my journey as a stay home dad and father to a son with autism. But since then, this blog has grown into so much more. Some days I look at my past posts and I wonder: Did I really write that?! For some sounded cringe-worthy (though in the interest of being “raw and unfinished” — my blog’s tagline — they remain as originally penned), while others look like maybe they were good enough that I could submit them to a journal or media outlet for their consideration.
Anyway, hitting 500 is about as good a time as any for me to take stock now. To walk down memory lane and revisit some of those posts that fall under two of the five cornerstone content “buckets” I’ve amassed since the very first post I made. (I’ll touch on the rest next week)
Indulge me for a bit yeah?
1. All About Autism
Over the past four years, I’ve blogged extensively about living with my son C (now 12 years old), and the daily travails we undergo as we navigate his autism.
Some of my posts are hopeful ones on a broad level. Like when I reported about my country’s national plan to map out long-term caregiving strategies for families like mine. For our special needs kids will one day become adults needing attention and care, and we as a society need to know how best to help them make it in life.
Other hopeful posts on a more personal level include celebrating his birthday, a milestone achievement, and any moment of enlightenment I gain about how best to love and care for him.
But even in those hopeful posts lie a parent’s hidden fear and anxiety. No matter which parents you ask, their number one concern is the same: Will my kid be okay when I’m six feet under?
The daily caregiving. My desire to keep it together. Trying not to lose my mind on the bad days. All these sum up pretty much the themes for the rest of my blog posts on this topic of autism. From tackling wet bibs when he was younger (he still drools now) to managing homework and exams in tears and anguish, I’ve covered pretty much the gamut of what my life as a special needs parent has been these past few years.
No matter the tone or approach to chronicling my autism journey with C, one thing’s for sure. There is always something to blog about as I learn, unlearn, and relearn all I can for his sake and mine!
Given that C’s moving steadily now into the challenging teen years, made more challenging by his special needs…well, let’s just say my raw and unfinished journey with autism continues.
Still.
2. Parenting Blog
Talking about autism in my blog invariably means I’ve also tackled parenting issues as well. But parenting of course is a broader topic we can talk about forever. After all, we are pretty much a parent for life, from the moment our first kid was conceived. Therein lies a lifetime of material to blog about!
My first kid is now 14, meaning there are at least 14 years of on-the-job parenting insights to unpack. Not that I have done so of course. No one’s memory is that extensive to recall all the ins and outs of parenting a kid for 14 years!
Nevertheless, I have shared quite a bit on this blog about my many parenting high points and even more faux pas. I’ve also shared some parenting tips I’ve learned from others. All in the spirit of lifelong learning. Because this whole parenting gig is a life-long journey filled with pleasures and pitfalls.
Now that I’ve survived the early years, moving headlong into the teen years is sure to surface a whole new set of gleanings and guffaws.
In other words, more parenting material for mining will surely find its way into my blog in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
So here’s to another 500 blog posts at least!
Next week, when I pen my 500th blog post, I shall talk about what I’ve learned from my three remaining cornerstone content blog posts, and what lies ahead.
Join me then ok?
Congratulations on your soon-to-be-500th! You are an inspiration and I’m so glad I found this blog and look forward to checking out the (big) archive 🙂 I’ve just started out and already I’m like ‘this is never gonna work’ because even when I have time my mind feels like an elephant stomped on it. But I’ll hang in there, and you’ve given me a boost to do just that. Keep bloggin’!
Best,
Christopher
just another stay at home dad with (a kid with) autism
O wow! Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement. Wishing you well in your blogging journey too! And thanks for liking my posts too. I’m very grateful.
And wishing you well too as a SAHD with autism. If you’re in my country (Singapore), would love to connect too.
I’m in far-away Scandinavia! I’ve never been to SE-Asia, but Singapore is one of those places I feel I should see if I ever get the chance. As a SAHD (love the acronym) I can say with confidence that it will probably be awhile, though, before the opportunity comes along … but, as they say on Star Trek: ‘There are always possibilities’! 🙂
PS. I struck me just now … it’s amazing how much we have in common, parents to special kids, no matter where in the world we live. I recognized a lot of concerns and anxieties just by browsing through your posts on the “Enabling … ” plan for persons with autism. My son is six years old, and although we supposedly have one of the best welfare systems in the world here in Denmark it has a lot of problems, too. In the end, as you write, it all comes down to the family!
Hear hear! Well let’s uphold each other in our shared journey! For now, I’m just so honoured to make a new friend in Denmark. If ever you visit, hit me up ok? Take care Christopher and thanks again for following my blog!!