What’s that?
A Spinosaurus.
And that?
A Pachycephalosaurus
A what???
We were walking around the dinosaur forest at Port Lympne Zoo in Folkestone.
Not far from where we live.
Even in the rain,
Lucas was happy to run from dinosaur to dinosaur.
Reeling off the names as we went.
Some I’d never heard of.
Lucas has always been fascinated by dinosaurs.
My vocabulary for these extinct species has gone from next to nothing,
To way more than I could ever imagine.
Many autistic children and adults have special interests.
As you might have guessed, dinosaurs are one of Lucas’.
Over the years, we’ve been able to weave this interest into different activities.
From everyday fun…
Like sticking raptors in a dinosaur sticker book.
Listening to catchy dinosaur cartoon songs.
Painting a T-Rex money box.
Making dinosaur shaped cookies.
To fun days out…
Hunting for dinosaur fossils.
Stroking a baby Triceratops at the Jurassic exhibition.
Touching the thigh bone of the Patagotitan—the world’s biggest dinosaur skeleton at the Natural History Museum
I know that dinosaurs are loved by many.
And I’m grateful that there are so many dinosaur-themed things.
Makes it easy for us to find ways to keep Lucas’ interest.
Like with most kids…
He learns more when he’s having fun.
And we love seeing him engaged.
What special interest does your child have?
You are not alone
I share my personal stories—some sad, some funny, some out of frustration.
To connect with other families on the spectrum.
When we received our autism diagnosis, I felt alone.
Conversations with other families helped me realize that wasn’t true, we’re not alone.
Know someone navigating family life on the spectrum?
Please share this story with them.
And if you’re a family on the spectrum looking for support…
I invite you to download my free guide, “5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Family on the Spectrum’s Anxiety”.