The Foorce

I’m especially glad to have a guest post for tonight’s Top Ten – I’ve spent so much time reading this dad’s blog that I didn’t really get to my own today. People often ask me how I find the time to keep a blog and I’ll be the first to admit that my life is a whirlwind, but for the first time I found myself actually wanting to know, how does this guy find the time?  The words that immediately come to mind while reading his stories are “strong, candid, heartfelt and inspirational,” though they just don’t seem to do justice to Rob Gorski.

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About the author: 

My name is Rob and I am the creator and author of the “Lost and Tired” blog and founder of Android4Autism. I’m also the 33 year old father of 3 boys on the Autism Spectrum. Gavin is 11, Elliott is 5 and Emmett John is 3. My amazing wife Lizze and I have been together for 10 years, married for the past 8. I was a Firefighter and Paramedic for many years until I was needed at home 24/7 after Lizze became ill. Things are very difficult and everyday seems to be more difficult than the last, however, we always somehow manage to survive. We aren’t a TV show and there are no actors. This is our struggle, our journey…and it’s all true. I am “Lost and Tired” and this is “My Reality #Autism.”

For more about this amazing family, go to http://lostandtired.com/about-rob-gorski/.

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Top Ten: Things My Autistic Kids Wished You Knew (Guest Post)

Written by Rob Gorski (Lost and Tired) and dedicated to his amazingly beautiful children. 

1. I’m sorry I have fits but I’m not a spoiled brat. I’m just so much younger on the inside than I am on the outside.

2. I’m easily overwhelmed because I see and hear everything. I hear the lights hum and clock tick. Everything is so loud it makes my head hurt all the time and my eyes hurt from all the bright lights.

3. I’m not stupid, I’m actually very smart. I just don’t learn the way you want me to. Please learn about Autism so you know how to help me better understand what you are trying to teach.

4. Please don’t be mad at mommy and daddy because we don’t come over for holidays or birthdays. They really want to go but I don’t do well at another person’s house. It’s too overwhelming for me and they know that. They don’t go because they love me, NOT because they don’t like you.

5. Please have patience with me. I try really hard to make good decisions but I can be very impulsive at times.

6. Yes, I have Autism but that doesn’t mean I’m less of a person because of it. If anything, I’m actually more of a person in spite of it.

7. My house might be messy sometimes. It’s because my mommy and daddy spend all their time trying to find new ways to help me or teach my brother to talk.

8. Just because I can’t talk doesn’t mean I don’t understand what you are saying. My feelings can be hurt just like yours.

9. I wish my mommy and daddy knew how much I love them. I have a really hard time with emotions and I don’t always like to be touched. But I love them more than anything in the world, even more then my Lego’s.

10. I know I can be frustrating but don’t tell me I won’t amount to anything because I have Autism. If you love and support me I WILL do great things in my life in spite of my challenges.

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Other Must Read Posts:

Go to http://lostandtired.com/must-read-posts/ for a list of Rob’s most popular posts (including a couple that he wrote for CNN), though from what I see there are plenty of others worth reading. I was immensely touched by the raw emotion and candor expressed in Confessions Of A Special Needs Dad and can 100% commiserate with the need to just vent sometimes, without it being taken in any other way than purging feelings of frustration, helplessness and exhaustion. Some other favorite entries (so far) are The Age Gap and My Broken Heart.

Special needs moms google symptoms, write into message boards, trade stories and express their feelings openly to other mothers about their situations. I am ever so grateful to Rob for providing this important outlet and voice for special needs fathers, and have a feeling you will be hearing a lot more from him in the future.