My Journal

As soon as Dante was diagnosed with autism, I began journaling his daily behavior as best I could in order to keep track of things that worked and didn't work for him. I recorded every observation where I felt the details could help him, whether it was a milestone or a setback. Eventually, the journal also became a sanctuary for me, where I could vent. Throughout Dante's Journey I came to realize that journaling served me as a therapeutic outlet. I will share with you a few entries.

Feeling Cheated as an Autism Parent

June 18, 2025: I have always been excited for the last day of school, first as a student and even more so as a teacher. That giddy exuberance augmented with every school year, but on this morning, I don't wake up and feel overjoyed, instead I am rather agitated, and I don’t know exactly why. I go through the rest of the morning, signing yearbooks, and packing up my room, but the agitation doesn’t go away; instead, it lingers like bad perfume, and for some reason, the pung

tonydanna12271978

Apr 163 min read

August 21, 2017: Another Autism Family

"To love is easy and therefore common-but to understand-how rare it is!" L.M. Montgomery

tonydanna12271978

Jan 314 min read

December 22, 2016

A Random Act of Kindness

tonydanna12271978

Jan 272 min read

July 16, 2015

Her brother's keeper

tonydanna12271978

Jan 261 min read

January 6,2026

As soon as Dante was diagnosed with autism, I began journaling his daily behavior as best I could in order to keep a record of things that worked and didn't. Eventually it became a kind of diary for me. Throughout Dante's Journey, I came to realize that journaling served me as a therapeutic outlet, helping me relieve stress and anxiety. I will share a few entries with you, a peek behind the curtain if you will.

tonydanna12271978

Jan 253 min read

True Grit

"Sons are born to make their fathers better men." Mekael Shane

tonydanna12271978

Jan 253 min read