Things that had been holding me back previously included: Why would anyone want to know my thoughts? What could having a blog do to jeopardize my in-person relationships? Could safety be a factor for me or my children?

But going to BlogHer pointed out one huge reason in favor. I went to the Mommy Blogging session and one of the panelists mentioned how it was nice to realize that you aren’t alone. She mentioned her son smearing poo all over the place. That resonated with me, both generally and specifically. My son had gone through a period where he poo-painted quite frequently. I mentioned this to a couple of my cousins who also have children, hoping for their advice. Both of them had never experienced the behavior my son was doing. I was ashamed. My aunt told my mom that my son could be autistic. It ended up being prophesizing, but I am sure many “normal” kids smear poo too.

During the process of getting help (or not getting help, as the case may be) for my son’s various behaviors, I have desperately wanted a forum. I’ve wanted to just vent about how messed up “the system” is and how frustrating it is to have the quirky kid. But I don’t want to talk the ear off of my “in person” friends. And I don’t want to complain so much to my family that I am no fun anymore. (Most importantly, I don’t want my son to hear me complaining about him!) Perhaps by posting some of the things that happen to us in this whole journey, someone else will recognize that they are not alone. And as I search for other resources online, perhaps I will find others going through the same thing.

This blog will not be exclusively about my son. Obviously, he is a large part of what my role is in life at this moment, but I will also explore some of the other facets of my life.

Welcome to karianna!