All posts filed under: Across the Spectrum

A Black man holds his head in his hand. He is leaning against the foot of a bed. A person rests their hand on his shoulder.

I Had to Dial 9-1-1 on My Son During His Mental Health Crisis

“Hello, 9-1-1. What is your emergency?”  The operator’s business-like monotone was exactly what I needed so I could focus.  “I need an ambulance,” I gasped into my cell phone. “My son has symptoms of manic depression. He’s not violent, but I need to get him emergency psychiatric care.”  After I gave the operator the address, I ran the rest of the way to my mother’s house. Khari, who was usually friendly and cracking jokes, was seated at my mother’s dining room table, frowning and rocking rapidly in his chair with his hands tightly gripping the sides. He was talking nonstop about my father who had died from multiple myeloma eleven years earlier.  “Nothing has been the same since we lost Pop-Pop. Nothing. Nothing. Not for me, not for Nana, none of us. Nothing!” he said. My mother, sister, and I gathered around him.  “It’s going to be OK,” I said and tried to hug him.  “Don’t touch me,” he yelled.   We backed away slowly and watched him silently, unsure of what else to say as we waited …

Neurodivergent People & Self Directed Learning: Rewiring Generational Curses

Dr. Kimberly Douglass and Contessa Cooper came together to host our first ever video conversation to discuss how self directed learning can help rewire generational curses that we all live and parent under, but particularly for neurodivergent parent and child dynamics. Please enjoy the conversation. Transcripts provided below.  Kimberly Douglass: Hello, I’m Dr. Kimberly Douglass and today I am with my colleague Contessa Cooper and we are bringing you “Neurodivergent People and Self-Directed Learning: Rewiring Generational Curses.” So, neurodivergent people and self-directed learning: rewiring generational curses—that is a mouthful.  I am Dr. Kimberly Douglass, and I am a coach to neurodivergent adults and I work with people one-on-one in group settings and also work with individuals who work with neurodivergent people and helping them be better advocates for what we need as neurodivergent people. You can reach me if you want to talk with me and I encourage you to reach out to me Dr. Kimberly Douglass on TikTok and it’s Douglass with two s’s. You can click the link in my bio and that …

Time

Once there was a man named Time He lived at the monkey display near the lemurs The man was old as dirt He loved the animals more than he loved another creature Time wanted to do something special to honor other animal supporters who like animals more than people. He decided to play a trick on the students Time stopped!  He took great elephant’s lead and made unusual times develop on Earth He never stopped really But he made the humans slow down He rotated through numerous obstacles each day wondering when the people would learn their lessons Time didn’t take credit though Thanks for reading! If you enjoy Raising Mothers, please consider becoming a sustaining member to help us remain ad-free. Invest in amplifying the voices of Black, Asian, Latine(x), Indigenous and other parents of color at our many intersections. Tiers start at $5/month and reflect your financial comfort.   

De luto y sin dopamina

When I’m knee deep in laundry and memories, no one bothers with my title: Chief Executive Home Officer. I juggle dishes, schedules, control top yoga pants, the nursling. What this organization lacks in goals and long term strategic plans it makes up for in naps and races against time. Llora el bebe. Suena la lavadora. Separo el tiempo como ropa sucia. Días interminables. Mi memoria gira como tu, Papito. Bailabas espontaneidad. ¿Planes? ¡Ja! ¿Qué te importaba ese título: “Director Ejecutivo de Tu Vida”? En el caos se goza, ¿no? La organización, que espere otro día Mami, me decías. Todo bajo control. Laundry diagnoses me. So simple. So out of control: Load after boring load. Week after boring week. Time sorts, sets, starts, spins, shakes, stores. Disorganized suds dance in damp drum. Who needs working memory? Me, laundering for four, that’s who. Imaginary executive assistant brightens my daydreams. She knows how to plan. Me pierdo. Estabas y ya no estás. Papito, tantos planes sin cumplir. Tantos pasajes sin comprar. Nada bajo control. Todos ayudamos. Me encargue …

Convergence

For the neurodivergent parents of neurodivergent kids I didn’t come here to tell you I love my kids. I came here to suck and spit venom. Have you ever looked down to see an arrow of your own making sticking out of your chest? That’s the job. I drag myself to the edge of the battlefield to pull these arrows out through the other side. I have been paying myself first, but honestly? I am hanging on by a tenuous spider’s thread. My responsibilities have sucked all the stone out of my bones and the meat from my muscles; Brittle I scrape across the ground; spite and stubbornness are the heaviest things I can carry are what hold me to the ground. The only fuel I have to toss into this engine is the compressed mineral of rage. Because there is nowhere to put this! Because I get shocked snatching you back from live wires Because I had to jump on the grenade you unlocked Because you start fights that I have to finish Because …