I really admire you for your calm interactions with each other and with Abby. No drama queen or self absorbed adults which would be annoying. I love how you focus on educating other parents, teachers and other folks. Your son is amazing and Abby is precious.
My husband and I are waiting to get our eldest daughter tested but after watching your videos I feel more confident on dealing with whatever head on. My husband didn't want to watch any videos at first but the more we watch I notice how his attitude has changed and he's not beating himself up about why our daughter is the way she is. Thank you and your family for opening up your home for families like mine to stay encouraged.
I know this comment is about a year old, I've been binge watching old videos but I hope all is going well with your daughter ❤️ and that you & your husband are getting through it all with flying colors 🙌🏼 much love!!
My son who is 7 was diagnosed with Autism last Friday and watching your videos helps with all your helpful advice Thankyou Mass family for spreading awareness
Hello Shameca rose yes my son is verbal we have been waiting since he was 5years old for a diognoses the waiting list is so long here in the UK ,wish you and your family well its good that you will get the help and support for your Son at a young age our children are such a Beautiful Blessing with added sparkle
Roseanna Page wow, that wasa long wait. i suppose there isn't enough therapist resulting in such a back log. i am not too worried about his diagnosis, i was working with him long before he was diagnosed but the extra help is rewarding. i am actually a special needs teacher. i tell my husband that God sent me in the field to learn how to deal with our, Aiden. best wishes with your son also. all the best
One of the biggest problems with society today it's the lack of understanding when it comes to mental illness, developmental issues, chromosome issues, you know like autism, downs, depression, OCD...all of those things. If everyone could understand them, they don't have to be experts, but have some knowledge about it, the world would be better. I have always even as a child been able to understand these things. I was in amigos all through elementary and high school. The programs were slightly different in different years, but basically it pairs students with special needs students. You get to know them, eat lunch together, bring them to hang out with your friends, there were special events we went to, lots of fun and inclusion. I was involved in the program because I love to learn, I wanted to help make those students feel included, I wanted to help others understand that even though people with special needs have different needs or take 10 years longer to learn to talk or whatever, they are still people and have feelings. Most importantly with enough support, a lot of them can accomplish anything you or I could. Ever worked with an autistic individual (in the workplace), they are often one of the best employees...and it's the autism that makes that difference. Anyways what I was getting at was, if everyone could understand like I can or even any of you parents or caregivers of special needs out there can, things would be much better. I see someone in public who is having a melt down or doing something "childish", I just assume they have a developmental problem, don't think anything of it and move on like it's no big deal...because it's not a big deal. I wish that people could just see that you are teaching the world about autism. If all you did was video Abbie having meltdowns...that would be a little more like making money off of her. That's not what you do! You show us some positive and negative behaviours, show us ABA in use, show us how she progressing, teach us about stimming, show us how you as parents handle different situations, and constantly teach us all those other different aspects. Thank you for doing that! It is so important that people like you raise awareness and you are doing more than a great job!
I REALLY APPRECIATE how you show the ‘failures’ (if you learn it’s never a failure :) ) and the good days. It helps so much to see all the different dynamics and how you cope and compromise. Waaay more informative than just always showing all the good things. You guys are amazing.
Clarissa Worbs she melts my heart she's got such cute chubby cheeks 😍 love this family. I so much appreciate being able to see the highs and lows with autism because it makes it much less scary and unknown as someone who wants to have kids some day and could be in the same position
I seriously LOVE your family♡ I love that you are POSITIVE and PATIENT and it's absolutely necessary in my opinion, in life in general, but ESPECIALLY ,as an autism parent. Sending lots of hugs n love from one autism family to another♡
I know the power of being patient. Besides having aspergers I work with people with autism. I started a youtube channel dedicated to eductating people about autism and how to make people with autism's lives better.
Wow this was 4 years ago. Love watching this back and listening to everything and seeing now, how far you all have come. Like goals and hopes accomplished. It's really awesome!!! 🥰
"Ima throw a pillow at her" i laughed so hard because I say that about my son ... never do though. He's verbal but vocal stims all day, the loud outbursts of noise that give you a fright. Yep every day.
UnstoppableGaming YT I laughed too because it reminded me of my mom. When I was I think 2 or 3 years old we were moving and our house wasn't finished being built, so we had to stay at a motel for a few weeks. My mom was studying for her insurance exam and my sister was being a brat jumping from bed to bed and running around the room. She's only a year and a half older than me, but anyway my mom couldn't catch her and was getting mad so she threw her shoe at her and my sister stopped. Not funny then obviously, but now it is.
Kim .Johnson Growing up was brutal in my household. We threw everything at each other I do not recommend 😂 It started with pillows and lead to other things. I was at the bottom of the stairs and my sister and I had a fight so she threw a black cauldron that you put trick or treat candy in and it hit me in the head so hard. I was able to grab it and I threw it back up the stairs and hit her with it then I think I went away from the stairs... so yeah don't throw things kids....
Abbie reminds me so much of the girl I took care of for a year! The spunky behaviors at times and the vocals and also nonverbal. She is 17 now turning 18 and she has started writing with supported communication! I am so happy about that, because she is a very intelligent girl who is always underestimated just because she doesn't speak... And to know now, that she started writing.... It's such a big step towards independence! Makes me so happy! So hoping that therapy will maybe help her with communication :)
Aww, thanks for staying up so late to make videos for everybody!! You guys deserve all the awards over all the other RUclipsrs!! You guys help so many people!! 😢❤
I watch y'all because Abby reminds me a lot of a girl in my PE. I go to a public school with mostly general ed students but we still have the SpEd and Life Skills parts and in my school, you can choose a Collaborative PE class with the life skills kids. At first, I was terrified because I had never interacted with autistic kids but now I want to be a life skills teacher. Anyway, the girl I mostly hang out with kinda looks like Abby, just a couple years older and wears red earmuffs; her name is Cat and I am so in love with her. She is also non-verbal but doesn't do as much vocal stimming as Abby, just a lot of throwing herself around. Watching y'all's channel gives me a better insight into kids with autism so thank y'all. A few questions- 1- What do y'all think about teachers getting mad at kids for stimming? Not harmful, there is a kid that always sings the national anthem and they always tell him to be quiet which doesn't make sense bc we are in a loud gym. 2- We were told to limit physical contact with some of the kids, Cat will sometimes hug me, get really close, or lay on my leg and wants me to rub her back, but the teachers don't like this. Is there any reason why, does it bother y'all or Abbie's teachers? 3- Does Abbie get sensory overload, if so how bad does it get and does she ever wear earmuffs to quiet the noise? 4- How can I be the best life skills teacher possible, in y'all's opinion?
DAN-ielle I had a very similar experience to you with all life skills gym class. I didn't connect with any specific kids in particular but it was still a very powerful and life changing experience in a whole. I am in no way, absolutely no way, not trying to be, not attempting to be, anywhere near even at all very knowledgeable on autism or any other disability. But for your question number two. My teacher explained this very well to us. True that this is only based on my school and only my school so I can't tell you for sure. A lot of kids with a disability have no boundaries. They don't necessarily know how to respect personal space and that could turn into a huge issue personally and apparently a "liability" problem too (at least at my school, apparently). I think it's hard for teachers and districts to be able to draw a line between affection that invades students space too much versus attention that is normal friendships. I hug my friends when we haven't seen each other in a while or when someone just had a rough day. It's not uncommon for my friends to sit down on each other's laps if there aren't seats left. This behavior is apparently fine for us but not between us and special needs kids. I guess it makes sense. We can communicate and our friends will listen and understand if we are uncomfortable. We know the difference between innocent and inappropriate. Like, if any incident happened it would be huge (seems ridiculous but my teacher was very, how do I say it, honest, with us so I kind of believe her). It's the same reason teachers don't want "regular" kids be disgustingly on top of each other. Most kids with a disability cannot communicate what they think physical contact is. Teachers have no way of knowing how innocent it all is. I know it seems kind of dumb and extravagant but this is what I was told (again this teacher always gets close with the group of kids I was a part of becuase it wasn't a regular core class. It was a class that basically made bulletin boards and other things like that for the school. She grew to be able and ultimately had to be very honest with us). Another reason; the life skills program doesn't want them to think that it is okay to hug random people or be hugged by random people. That is a huge safety concern for their future in the real world where people can be disgusting and take advantage of genuine people. You and I, we know the difference between who we should hug and who we shouldn't. Some of the kids in life skills do not. By discouraging hugs, personal space is being taught for their futures. Okay, one more reason, simply a health thing. My teacher explained that some of the kids cannot manage to keep their hands out of their mouths or other places (?). They often wanted a high five, and she encouraged us to suggest a fist bump instead (that way, our palm isn't getting as many germs). She obviously wanted to keep us healthy and not passing our germs along to their hands that they will out in their mouths later. I think that ultimately it is a personal space problem. Abbie's parents have even said that she has no shame. There are no boundaries, no shame, and no real understanding of innocent versus inappropriate. The teacher that communicated this to us does not work with special needs kids on the daily. However, she gathered her information from life skills teacher. I believe that what she talked about is true, at least for my school. Again, I want to reiterate that I am no where near an expert. I just wanted to respond to this, having had a similar experience, and maybe being able to help you out with one of your questions. I hope you continue your friendship with Cat. It really is a beautiful thing to think about.. Well, that was a freaking essay! I hope you got through it all. I just wanted to get my point across respectively.
Thank y'all so much for talking about mine, Cory and Allison's post!! Y'all don't know how much this means to us.😍 To be talked about by our #1 favorite RUclipsrs is so cool and we're so excited!! (Lol Priscilla! 😆) Thank y'all again for all that you do! 💙
@FatheringAutism I’ve only been following you for the past few days and wanted to say I’m blown away with the positive vibe and outlook your family is surrounded by. Your children are loved beyond words it’s clear to see and your loving caring patenting is also beyond measure. I don’t pretend to know just from your videos your life or what it entails from day to day but I believe Abbie coming into your life’s changed your journey or path for the future but I’m betting so did your views of compassion towards others and how important it is to have a family bond and trust in each other. You are remarkable people and so are your children, thank you for sharing it’s a privilege to watch your beautiful family.
I too want to thank you @Fathering Autism for your RUclips channel! It gives us a small glimpse into our future. We have a “school diagnosis” not a child psych. diagnosis, yet... Yesterday we went/tried to go to a wedding and my nonverbal toddler wanted so much to keep running straight towards the small pond, luckily before the actual wedding party came out. So we wound up watching the wedding from a distance to help him calm down and not distract. It was the first time in public for my husband and second time for me we’ve had to leave an event because my son was getting physically upset; flailing and wanting to run. It was hard. I felt awful, my husband broke down in tears, I think he was hurting for our son more than missing his family/wedding time. Your positivity and willingness to be open/educate is so helpful to us!
Just discovered your channel... I've been editing a book about autism. I love your positivity, the is so much love in your family. Thanks for sharing your wonderful energy with the world!
These guys are such good parents they love there kids they always question if there doing the right thing for there kids I'm glad this Channel is on this platform.
I am so unbelievably touched by you two and the love you both have for one another and your family. So so precious. Thank you for letting us into your world with all these videos.
Watching in November 2020! So awesome to know you’ve now done your RV trip, a big cruise trip, travelling all over the country and the world and far out Abbie is so different! She’s come such a long way! Congratulations guys, it’s heartwarming to see your family blossom! 💫 love from Australia
You help me daily. Being a single mom dealing with it all on my own makes me an emotional mess at times. I get on youtube and see you all and abby and it makes me smile. Parenting a child on the spectrum feels incredibly lonely at times. You shine light on my days!
Idk how long ive been watching you guys now...a year maybe? But i think the reason so many people sub and watch yall has less to do with autism and more to do with HOW you present the entire situation. You show everyone the real deal. Youre a real family, youre funny, you offer up way more than just a channel about autism. You make everything relatable and youve done such a good job making it fun for anyone who comes across the channel! Ive been watching youtube since 2006 and you guys are BY FAR my favorite vloggers ever. Just know that you truly have 61k subs who really believe in what you’re doing!
I’m an education major going to school at UCF in Orlando, I’m minoring in special education with a focus in autism. I was in an intergrated middle school where I was paired up with an autistic student for the 3 years and it opened up mind to a totally new world. My dream is to open a special education pre-school, I believe that early intervention is one of the best things you can do. I watch you guys and it just warms my heart. I hope that I can have a student like Abby and parents like you guys in my future classroom. Thank you so much for doing what you do.
Hii maass fam! I have been literally binge watching your videos for a week straight!!😂 Abbie is a beautiful young lady and has inspired me so much.💖 she lives life to the fullest and finds the joy in all the little things in life,which is what everyone needs to do! Keep doing what your doing cause y'all seriously rock😃
Semi-new subscriber here! I am so glad I found y'all!! I have a daughter named Hadley (6 yrs old).. and she has autism as well. I live fairly far out in the Texas hillcountry and do not know many people around here who have autism or have family members with autism. It is actually refreshing and I feel so very connected with y'all. Thank you so much for sharing y'alls life with us!
And I have already learned so much from you guys. Such an awesome family!! I love seeing how y'all work as a team and go through each day with so much love, care & patience!
Thank you for all you do! Hash-tag, Maass family educating the masses❤️ It’s people like you who make this world a better place! I used to be an instructor at a day program a lot like the school Abbie attends now. The public needs to be educated because mostly, they just don’t know how to respond to someone who might be different. So, thank you for doing this vlog!
You guys have taught me so much as an autism mom!! I'm 22 and my son is 3, was definitely rough getting the diagnosis and thinking about the future. You guys make that so much easier, and a year later after our diagnosis things are so much easier. 😍 I love you guys
My 3 year old autistic non-verbal son has been using Gemiini for a couple of months now. I too was skeptical about it before we started it but it really is working. My son loves cars and trucks and the first video had a car and he said it! I couldn't believe it! My son is still considered non-verbal and communication is scarce with him but it's much better than before. He didn't even point to things before and now because of a pointing video I chose for his therapy he points about 75% of the time! I wish you guys the best with the program and Abbie! Like Pricila said, it can't hurt! And like Assaa said, it has to work! That is my hope for my Adam, your Abbie, and all the other ASD kids out there! God Bless.
Hi I am relatively new to your channel! I'm in Australia and our eldest son who is 3 was diagnosed with Category 2 ASD in Dec 2017 and I was 37 weeks pregnant, upset (ok maybe a little hormonal too) and hungry for information and understanding. I stumbled across your videos after googling EVERYTHING and I am soooooo grateful I did. As I type (one handed) and sit breastfeeding our newborn son I am watching this video with excitement because I love catching up on what's happening with you guys. You remind me through every video that you can stay the "cool parent" (hahaha I'm in my mid 30s and am determined not to be the uncool mum!!) and that you do eventually find your "normal" when it comes to family dynamics and just plain living! It's early days for us bouncing between specialist drs, therapy and psychologists trying to get help and financial funding from the Australian Government (while on minimal sleep from having a newborn to care for). Just knowing others are out there, have been through the early days that we are going through now, and got out the other end with a smile (and not bankrupt!!) gives me the reassurance I need that things won't be easy - but my husband and I are going to get through this and be ok! Thanks for helping us xx
I am doing a project on autism for school and how it is misunderstood, and it is really cool to watch your videos and see autism in the eyes of a family. You guys are amazing!
Oh my goodness I am so excited that you are trying Gemini for Abby!! I can’t wait to tell my little girl who likes to watch your RUclips videos with me. She’s only 7yrs old, but always insists on watching the Gemini ad and says Mama Abby needs to do this! She even wanted to buy it for her and send it. We are sending our blessings and positive thoughts that it is successful for her!
I dont personally know anyone with Autism, but I just wanted to THANK YOU guys so much, for putting yourself out there to raise awareness!! I have learned so much from your family. I have been so much more understanding with people with special needs and have so much love for them, especially after watching your videos. You have a beautiful family, and your strength is absolutely admirable. THANK YOU for opening my eyes!!
You guys have taught me so much about Autism. I’ve wrote before that I want to be a teacher for kids with physical/mental disabilities because they do not get the respect they deserve. You guys are amazing and you guys have a wonderful family! When I’m older, if I don’t end up having children, I want to adopt a child with special needs because the kids don’t get what they deserve and I care about them because I think they are so special in each of their own ways. Abbie is so sweet, funny, caring, and mischievous. She has made so many accomplishments through the years. I’m so proud of her and wish you guys all the best.
How does Abbie do with taking her medicines? Does she swallow pills? Or do you use a different way to get her to take them? Love your videos! So informational!
First I would like to say I love your family. You and your wife are so positive and generally great people. I love watching your videos and listen to any advise you guys give us. Thank you for sharing your story with everyone. Now I know I'm not alone. Abbie is so beautiful and puts a smile on my face everytime I see her on the videos. She melts my heart. I have a 2 year old daughter who was diagnosed with ASD on her 2nd birthday. My husband and I were devastated but that title wasn't going define us or stop us from doing anything. She has been getting therapy since 18 months and we've seen some improvement. My husband and I are working so hard to get her the help she needs and pray and hope for the better. We'll never give up as parents. So thank you again.
My clients have gone from no speech to talking to no speech. Some sign, some use hands cues, eye cues, etc. They will express themselves when and how they're ready BUT, help along the way is great!
I'm *so excited* to hear about how the gemini program works. Thank you for all the time you put into this channel. And Valentine's day is just a day. Love is celebrated every day! Love you guys! And I love Isaiah's Instagram. Much love from MA!
Thank you, Priscilla and Asa for doing this channel. I don’t have anyone in my family with Autism, but I want to know about it. A few years ago I found out my daughter’s girlfriend had her second child diagnosed with Autism. We went to visit her and experienced Autism for the first time. So I wanted to know more about it.
My son vocal stims also. Never copy him but wondered if I did would he see it as me communicating with him. I'm not meaning copy him in a mocking way obviously.
+Neil K It's not a harmful stim, though. And sometimes engaging with whatever the person is doing can be a way of connecting or communicating with them.
Glad you all are trying Gemini. I am interested in the results. I often do not try things like that with my non verbal child because of the fear it won’t help. So GO Abbie and good luck. .
You guys are great! I've been voting for you. Hope you win the Shorty Awards! And get a drone, and take an RV trip, and have a great Valentines redo date - basically - Wishing you all the best and happiness!! 💜
Hi, my son and I watch your vlogs, and then we discuss the vlog, it is very important to me that my son accepts everyone as they are. He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and he wants to be accepted for who he is. He is going to be learning ASl so he can communicate with the hearing impaired. I also want to thank you for sharing your lives, and educating us. You both are awesome parents
You all are absolutely awesome!! I've only been watching you all for a few weeks or so & am learning so many things. Even though I'm over a half century old, I really have never known what Autism is, nor anything about it. So I appreciate watching & learning from you all. I still don't know much about it, but watching you sure is opening my eyes. Like the fact that you just can't hop on an airplane as a family to go places. Golly, I'm sure there are SO MANY things you all have to do differently & possibly not at all, because of your situation. I just think that all four of you all are SUPER people, & I look forward to learning more, so I can be much more understanding, if ever I encounter anyone with autism. I pray God will continue to bless you, as ONLY He can! Thank you for taking the time & patience of making those of us aware, who otherwise have NO idea! You all are absolutely AWESOME!!!!
I seriously love your guys you tube channel!!!! I have been binge watching your guys videos for like going on 3 weeks. You guys are really rad and down to earth. It’s super amazing how you parent, always staying positive, and creating awareness. I have never experienced anyone with autism, but I feel that you guys do open the public’s eye. Keep it up, love it, live it, and create knowledge thru your crazy beautiful lives👍🏻
Yayyyyy!! I’m so excited to hear that you’re starting Abbie on the Gemiini program . This is amazing news!! So happy for Abbie and for your wonderful family too. Xo 😘
So again, I’ve recently found y’alls channel and have completely fallen in love! You guys are amazing parents and I have learned so much from y’all in a short period of time. My 4 year old has started watching with me and of course has questions and I love that y’all are a learning opportunity for her. She told me the other night that she wants to be Abbie’s friend. I was stopped by one of the moms in my daughters daycare class and she just went on and on about my daughter Madisyn. She said her son is autistic and up until a couple of months ago, he was non verbal. She said Madisyn has just kind of took him under her wing and loves on him and immediately became his friend. He bit her the other day and Madisyn told me “he bit me by accident. He didn’t do it to be mean, I’m his friend”. I’m so proud of her and it immediately made me tear up when I was talking to her about Abigail and her first response was “I want to be her friend”. Please keep it up guys, we love you and love learning from you! ♥️♥️from Texas!
How exciting! I’ve been wondering if you guys were trying Gemini, simply based on the ads from your RUclips channel. Can’t wait to see the progress! Love your sweet family😘
Hi Fathering autism, I am glad that you guys are doing your vlogs. Like I said I had a friend luke who had autism and because of him I help come up with autism kids to do in the special classes but that is when I was in school. After watching your vlogs and learning more about the different spectrums of autism I now want to be a teacher for kids who have all different types of dissabilities because they are the same as the rest of us.
I just watched the Gemiini video. So very interesting. Good luck with Abbie doing it. I hope it works for her.... I even bookmarked it, just in case in my lifetime I know someone that might need the help and I can point them in the right direction.
I so love you guys even though i'm not a parent of a non-verbal child, i do however have a child with aspergers........we struggle sometimes, but watching your videos really inspire me to more patient and know that every day is a new day.
My younger brother has autism. When we were little, my family didn't think he'd be able to talk, I liked to play teacher and make him practice his speech as soon as the speech therapist left and "taught" him how to talk. Wishing you all the best
My favorite family. I comment on Isaiah's talented photography skills. I'm purchasing a print too. You always do a great question and answer session. Great job!
#MossRvtrip...if u wait for the right time to go on a RV trip you will never go .. Isaiah's gonna be gone soon and u should have a really good memory with both kids together and all of u as a family ..it wouldn't be the same without isaiha...
Ive been wondering if you guys were going to try Gemiini! My daughter is technically non-verbal, but repeats a lot: echolalia. And I wonder if it would help her learn to use these words she can say but not use functionally. So excited to see how it works for Abbie!
Wow I've never heard of that before but that's such an interesting type of speech. I hope you guys can figure out a way for her to use those words to actually communicate with you!
Have you heard the story of the word 'Echo'? It is a rather sad but beautiful one, and might be quite inspirational for when you next get creative however you do!
gia echolalia means they just repeat everything you say! Like if you ask a question they don't give you an answer they just repeat the question over rather then give you an answer!
Frances Ottewill Sometimes she will use scripting in appropriate situations though.. like, it started raining, and she started singing rain rain go away! Or, I said it’s time to put on your underwear! And she started scripting a part of a book that talks about going to buy new underwear! 😄
Love the info in this video!!i will be looking into Gemini as i have a 3.5 year old non verbal...so ill be keeping you all in my prayers and everything you guys do is admirable and i have to thank you for sharing your stories. I just wanted to thank Priscilla for her cooking show!!!Since my mom passed away its hard not giving her a call for a recipe and so now i turn on Pots Pans and Priscilla !! Sending love from Las Vegas and God Bless!
How sweet to get comments like that. I have to admit, I have a kiddo who is much further along age-wise, but y'all are making our home life better because we have always felt so alone and isolated. Seeing y'all get out and about and living life, I feel we can live life better. Gonna stop now before I cry.
Isaiah, I have a grandson who will be fifteen early this coming February. His name is Haven. He's solid gold like you! But I don't get to spend time with him & his younger brother & older sister because they live in Australia. We've been able to visit with them twice since they moved there from here in Canada in '08. We can never visit them again, but we think they'll be coming here next summer......which is their winter. I really miss them! You're so very fortunate to be able to see your grandparents fairly often! You seem to be mature beyond your years! I wish you well in your continued studies!
Aww you guys seemed so stressed out😢 Sorry you guys didn’t have a Great Valentines Day! Love you guys I’m always watching you guys your like my family!😊 RV trip sounds like fun I can’t wait!
I'm finishing up my moderate/severe teaching credential right now and my passion is working with kiddos just like Abbie! I think it's the best job to be able to teach them the skills they need :)
I love watching your guys videos. I was learning about aspergers and autism in one of my classes and came across your videos. I've learned a lot from you guys. You guys are amazing❤
I was a caregiver for years to a special needs boy. I taught him a lot nobody else could tie his shoes button and unbutton buttons ect. I just believed him and made him do it i knew he was capible! Your channel videos are so awesome! Learned a lot
D F exactly! I cared for a teen with Down Syndrome who had 0 therapy and very little interaction. Her mom gave up on her when she was 5. We had some Helen Keller Breakfast Scene type moments! I had to move in during an emergency for 7 weeks. I had that girl sitting beside me, hugging me, playing with my hair, before then she couldn't be touched! So yeah, never underestimate their potential. My incarcerated husband is mid way on the Spectrum. He made bad choices but guess who will be right here waiting for him, believing in him, and cheering him on!
i so love your videos ...i am a teacher's aide at a center for physically disabled children...but we have one child that is not physically disabled there and he is autistic..so i am especially fascinated with him because I'm trying to see what i can draw out of him ...your videos have taught me a lot ...thank you from me way here in Nassau Bahamas...im gonna start from the first video and try to catch up
Valentine's day is/was my 4 yr anniversary... MY BOYFRIEND IS NOW MY FIANCE!! 😊 (Lol, and the day started out with my little one getting on the bus an hour behind schedule... then 5 mins later we get a call from the high school to pick up my oldest who "had flu like symptoms"... So, without me knowing, my man's plans we're screwed and he had to scramble to find a romantic place to propose to me! 😂😍 It was still absolutely 100% perfect!)
I work in a disability/exam accommodation centre in a university and we have a couple of students with autism that are non verbal. I have been binge watching all of your videos and am gaining a better understanding and awareness about autism. Ive definitely noticed my interactions with these students have been more meaningful lately. I respect that this channel is about education and awareness, and anyone who's anyone can tell you are really genuine, kind people and are making these videos for all of the right reasons.
Thanks so much! I’m really glad you can take what we share and apply it. That means a lot to us. We never imagined simply sharing our life would make such an impact.
I wait for your vlogs to appear....just wondering which is the very first one , I have watched all of your vlogs but would like to watch them again in order....
I am a new subscriber and I have absolutely fallen in love with y'all!!! How AMAZING would it be for Priscilla to get her wish?!?!? When y'all started talking about Gemiini, all I could think about was, Priscilla throwing a coin in the water and wishing that Abbie would talk one day!💕💕💕
I cried so hard (happy tears) at the thought of y'all being able to hear her say "I love you"!!! The love she has for y'all is huge and beams off her everyday! The entire family dynamic is amazing! Thank y'all for sharing your lives! Y'all are a blessing!!!
I just want to say something...I’ve been watching this Channel for about a month now. I’ve known about autism but I wasn’t educated. You guys are educating people every day. I think it’s just incredible. And I’m hooked. Abbie is adorable and I laugh every time she does funny teen things. 😂 maas fan for life!
I've seen the Gemini ad almost every other time I watch your video and I've wanted to ask, but I always think 'Oh, I'm sure they're aware of it.' Anyways, I'm super excited that you all started the program! Good luck 👍
Hi I am Sadie and I am 10 years old and I love watching Ur videos and I love Ur family .And U have taught me so much throughout your videos.thank U so much for teaching me all about autistic lives .And people mite think the special needs people are weird and that is not right at all.and now I know that this is how special needs live there life ❤️❤️and I love how different they are and how y'all live.again thanks so much
In regards to the 'are you exploiting your kids' point that you brought up. My honest answer is no, and I think the majority of people watching the vlogs would answer the same! You respectfully vlog. You protect Abby for herself by not violating her privacy or causing damage to her dignity or self esteem, and whilst you may record/film at that time, you do not upload it to the internet. A thought entered my mind (that rarely happens so be prepared!), and I wanted to bring the point of showing someone with severe autism on a vlog (especially when safe and not losing control completely etc, and in a respectful appropriate manner) is a really good opportunity for people to stare, gawk, rewind/replay, re stare, re gawk, etc. It gets the 'omg new experience' out of the person watching, and their staring and gawking will not offend, upset, or cause more issues because simply you cannot see them do that. Then when they meet someone with similar behaviours or mannerisms as Abby, they don't view the situation as 'new', but instead almost ignore them if no interactions take place. Essentially 'desensitising'. Is that something that you had considered? Do you find that possibility offensive, upsetting, rude, positive, beneficial, an additional extra, etc? If it is offensive, please understand that it was never intended to be such, or cause that within you or your family. Please also accept my apologies. I am not on the autism spectrum. I do however feel that I personally struggle with human interaction and communications... yes, even via a monitor! I would really appreciate your personal reasons as to why you felt negatively in order for me to grow and improve myself. I do have anxiety and other issues, but that is no excuse.
My, just turned, 7 year old LOVES when Abbie wears her Rainbow Dash jammies, and she runs to get hers on so she can match Abbie. 😂
Torie Seaburn dawww
thats so precious
That’s adorable!
sweet family: I love how flexible you are and make the best of what life has dealt you. How innovative that you will redo Valentine's Day.
I really admire you for your calm interactions with each other and with Abby. No drama queen or self absorbed adults which would be annoying. I love how you focus on educating other parents, teachers and other folks. Your son is amazing and Abby is precious.
17:00 ABA is the reason I've made it to university (in Australia), and now have a job in a call centre. ABA saved my life
My husband and I are waiting to get our eldest daughter tested but after watching your videos I feel more confident on dealing with whatever head on. My husband didn't want to watch any videos at first but the more we watch I notice how his attitude has changed and he's not beating himself up about why our daughter is the way she is. Thank you and your family for opening up your home for families like mine to stay encouraged.
I know this comment is about a year old, I've been binge watching old videos but I hope all is going well with your daughter ❤️ and that you & your husband are getting through it all with flying colors 🙌🏼 much love!!
My son who is 7 was diagnosed with Autism last Friday and watching your videos helps with all your helpful advice Thankyou Mass family for spreading awareness
Roseanna Page my soon too was diagnose this past saturday. he is much younger than your son though, he just turned 16 months. is your son verbal?
Hello Shameca rose yes my son is verbal we have been waiting since he was 5years old for a diognoses the waiting list is so long here in the UK ,wish you and your family well its good that you will get the help and support for your Son at a young age our children are such a Beautiful Blessing with added sparkle
Roseanna Page wow, that wasa long wait. i suppose there isn't enough therapist resulting in such a back log. i am not too worried about his diagnosis, i was working with him long before he was diagnosed but the extra help is rewarding. i am actually a special needs teacher. i tell my husband that God sent me in the field to learn how to deal with our, Aiden. best wishes with your son also. all the best
One of the biggest problems with society today it's the lack of understanding when it comes to mental illness, developmental issues, chromosome issues, you know like autism, downs, depression, OCD...all of those things. If everyone could understand them, they don't have to be experts, but have some knowledge about it, the world would be better. I have always even as a child been able to understand these things. I was in amigos all through elementary and high school. The programs were slightly different in different years, but basically it pairs students with special needs students. You get to know them, eat lunch together, bring them to hang out with your friends, there were special events we went to, lots of fun and inclusion. I was involved in the program because I love to learn, I wanted to help make those students feel included, I wanted to help others understand that even though people with special needs have different needs or take 10 years longer to learn to talk or whatever, they are still people and have feelings. Most importantly with enough support, a lot of them can accomplish anything you or I could. Ever worked with an autistic individual (in the workplace), they are often one of the best employees...and it's the autism that makes that difference.
Anyways what I was getting at was, if everyone could understand like I can or even any of you parents or caregivers of special needs out there can, things would be much better. I see someone in public who is having a melt down or doing something "childish", I just assume they have a developmental problem, don't think anything of it and move on like it's no big deal...because it's not a big deal.
I wish that people could just see that you are teaching the world about autism. If all you did was video Abbie having meltdowns...that would be a little more like making money off of her. That's not what you do! You show us some positive and negative behaviours, show us ABA in use, show us how she progressing, teach us about stimming, show us how you as parents handle different situations, and constantly teach us all those other different aspects. Thank you for doing that! It is so important that people like you raise awareness and you are doing more than a great job!
I REALLY APPRECIATE how you show the ‘failures’ (if you learn it’s never a failure :) ) and the good days. It helps so much to see all the different dynamics and how you cope and compromise. Waaay more informative than just always showing all the good things. You guys are amazing.
Abbie has such a cute Face. She is so beautiful.
Clarissa Worbs she melts my heart she's got such cute chubby cheeks 😍 love this family. I so much appreciate being able to see the highs and lows with autism because it makes it much less scary and unknown as someone who wants to have kids some day and could be in the same position
I know right! So gorgeous. >_
she’s actually really pretty
I seriously LOVE your family♡ I love that you are POSITIVE and PATIENT and it's absolutely necessary in my opinion, in life in general, but ESPECIALLY ,as an autism parent. Sending lots of hugs n love from one autism family to another♡
I know the power of being patient. Besides having aspergers I work with people with autism. I started a youtube channel dedicated to eductating people about autism and how to make people with autism's lives better.
Wow this was 4 years ago. Love watching this back and listening to everything and seeing now, how far you all have come. Like goals and hopes accomplished. It's really awesome!!! 🥰
"Ima throw a pillow at her" i laughed so hard because I say that about my son ... never do though. He's verbal but vocal stims all day, the loud outbursts of noise that give you a fright. Yep every day.
UnstoppableGaming YT I laughed too because it reminded me of my mom. When I was I think 2 or 3 years old we were moving and our house wasn't finished being built, so we had to stay at a motel for a few weeks. My mom was studying for her insurance exam and my sister was being a brat jumping from bed to bed and running around the room. She's only a year and a half older than me, but anyway my mom couldn't catch her and was getting mad so she threw her shoe at her and my sister stopped. Not funny then obviously, but now it is.
Kim .Johnson Growing up was brutal in my household. We threw everything at each other I do not recommend 😂 It started with pillows and lead to other things. I was at the bottom of the stairs and my sister and I had a fight so she threw a black cauldron that you put trick or treat candy in and it hit me in the head so hard. I was able to grab it and I threw it back up the stairs and hit her with it then I think I went away from the stairs... so yeah don't throw things kids....
I hate it when people ask rude disrespectful questions
I posted the Geminii comment a few weeks ago, so glad you guys are trying it.
Abbie reminds me so much of the girl I took care of for a year! The spunky behaviors at times and the vocals and also nonverbal. She is 17 now turning 18 and she has started writing with supported communication! I am so happy about that, because she is a very intelligent girl who is always underestimated just because she doesn't speak... And to know now, that she started writing.... It's such a big step towards independence! Makes me so happy! So hoping that therapy will maybe help her with communication :)
😘🤩🤫😘🤫🤩🤫😄😗😗😘🤫🤫😗😗😁🤔🤔😗😁🤔😁😗☺😁🤔😗🤔😁☺🤔😁🤔😗☺🤔😁😁🤔☺🤔😆☺🤔😆☺☺🤔😆🤔😆☺☺😆🤔😆☺🤔☺😆🤔😆🤐🤔☺😆☺🤔😆🤔☺😗
Aww, thanks for staying up so late to make videos for everybody!! You guys deserve all the awards over all the other RUclipsrs!! You guys help so many people!! 😢❤
I watch y'all because Abby reminds me a lot of a girl in my PE. I go to a public school with mostly general ed students but we still have the SpEd and Life Skills parts and in my school, you can choose a Collaborative PE class with the life skills kids. At first, I was terrified because I had never interacted with autistic kids but now I want to be a life skills teacher. Anyway, the girl I mostly hang out with kinda looks like Abby, just a couple years older and wears red earmuffs; her name is Cat and I am so in love with her. She is also non-verbal but doesn't do as much vocal stimming as Abby, just a lot of throwing herself around. Watching y'all's channel gives me a better insight into kids with autism so thank y'all.
A few questions-
1- What do y'all think about teachers getting mad at kids for stimming? Not harmful, there is a kid that always sings the national anthem and they always tell him to be quiet which doesn't make sense bc we are in a loud gym.
2- We were told to limit physical contact with some of the kids, Cat will sometimes hug me, get really close, or lay on my leg and wants me to rub her back, but the teachers don't like this. Is there any reason why, does it bother y'all or Abbie's teachers?
3- Does Abbie get sensory overload, if so how bad does it get and does she ever wear earmuffs to quiet the noise?
4- How can I be the best life skills teacher possible, in y'all's opinion?
DAN-ielle I had a very similar experience to you with all life skills gym class. I didn't connect with any specific kids in particular but it was still a very powerful and life changing experience in a whole. I am in no way, absolutely no way, not trying to be, not attempting to be, anywhere near even at all very knowledgeable on autism or any other disability. But for your question number two. My teacher explained this very well to us. True that this is only based on my school and only my school so I can't tell you for sure. A lot of kids with a disability have no boundaries. They don't necessarily know how to respect personal space and that could turn into a huge issue personally and apparently a "liability" problem too (at least at my school, apparently). I think it's hard for teachers and districts to be able to draw a line between affection that invades students space too much versus attention that is normal friendships. I hug my friends when we haven't seen each other in a while or when someone just had a rough day. It's not uncommon for my friends to sit down on each other's laps if there aren't seats left. This behavior is apparently fine for us but not between us and special needs kids. I guess it makes sense. We can communicate and our friends will listen and understand if we are uncomfortable. We know the difference between innocent and inappropriate. Like, if any incident happened it would be huge (seems ridiculous but my teacher was very, how do I say it, honest, with us so I kind of believe her). It's the same reason teachers don't want "regular" kids be disgustingly on top of each other. Most kids with a disability cannot communicate what they think physical contact is. Teachers have no way of knowing how innocent it all is. I know it seems kind of dumb and extravagant but this is what I was told (again this teacher always gets close with the group of kids I was a part of becuase it wasn't a regular core class. It was a class that basically made bulletin boards and other things like that for the school. She grew to be able and ultimately had to be very honest with us). Another reason; the life skills program doesn't want them to think that it is okay to hug random people or be hugged by random people. That is a huge safety concern for their future in the real world where people can be disgusting and take advantage of genuine people. You and I, we know the difference between who we should hug and who we shouldn't. Some of the kids in life skills do not. By discouraging hugs, personal space is being taught for their futures. Okay, one more reason, simply a health thing. My teacher explained that some of the kids cannot manage to keep their hands out of their mouths or other places (?). They often wanted a high five, and she encouraged us to suggest a fist bump instead (that way, our palm isn't getting as many germs). She obviously wanted to keep us healthy and not passing our germs along to their hands that they will out in their mouths later. I think that ultimately it is a personal space problem. Abbie's parents have even said that she has no shame. There are no boundaries, no shame, and no real understanding of innocent versus inappropriate. The teacher that communicated this to us does not work with special needs kids on the daily. However, she gathered her information from life skills teacher. I believe that what she talked about is true, at least for my school. Again, I want to reiterate that I am no where near an expert. I just wanted to respond to this, having had a similar experience, and maybe being able to help you out with one of your questions. I hope you continue your friendship with Cat. It really is a beautiful thing to think about.. Well, that was a freaking essay! I hope you got through it all. I just wanted to get my point across respectively.
Thanks for what you do and what you share
Thank y'all so much for talking about mine, Cory and Allison's post!! Y'all don't know how much this means to us.😍 To be talked about by our #1 favorite RUclipsrs is so cool and we're so excited!! (Lol Priscilla! 😆) Thank y'all again for all that you do! 💙
@FatheringAutism I’ve only been following you for the past few days and wanted to say I’m blown away with the positive vibe and outlook your family is surrounded by. Your children are loved beyond words it’s clear to see and your loving caring patenting is also beyond measure. I don’t pretend to know just from your videos your life or what it entails from day to day but I believe Abbie coming into your life’s changed your journey or path for the future but I’m betting so did your views of compassion towards others and how important it is to have a family bond and trust in each other. You are remarkable people and so are your children, thank you for sharing it’s a privilege to watch your beautiful family.
I too want to thank you @Fathering Autism for your RUclips channel! It gives us a small glimpse into our future. We have a “school diagnosis” not a child psych. diagnosis, yet... Yesterday we went/tried to go to a wedding and my nonverbal toddler wanted so much to keep running straight towards the small pond, luckily before the actual wedding party came out. So we wound up watching the wedding from a distance to help him calm down and not distract. It was the first time in public for my husband and second time for me we’ve had to leave an event because my son was getting physically upset; flailing and wanting to run. It was hard. I felt awful, my husband broke down in tears, I think he was hurting for our son more than missing his family/wedding time.
Your positivity and willingness to be open/educate is so helpful to us!
Just discovered your channel... I've been editing a book about autism. I love your positivity, the is so much love in your family. Thanks for sharing your wonderful energy with the world!
You two are such a wonderful couple. The world needs more loving parents like you two!
I did elephant shoes and my hubby thought I said I hate juice 😂
These guys are such good parents they love there kids they always question if there doing the right thing for there kids I'm glad this Channel is on this platform.
"I'm gonna throw a pillow at her" LMAO
I am so unbelievably touched by you two and the love you both have for one another and your family. So so precious. Thank you for letting us into your world with all these videos.
I love how you guys work so well together.
Watching in November 2020! So awesome to know you’ve now done your RV trip, a big cruise trip, travelling all over the country and the world and far out Abbie is so different! She’s come such a long way! Congratulations guys, it’s heartwarming to see your family blossom! 💫 love from Australia
Thank you for all you do! It's refreshing to see such realness and awareness put out there!! Keep on Keepin' on!!!
You help me daily. Being a single mom dealing with it all on my own makes me an emotional mess at times. I get on youtube and see you all and abby and it makes me smile. Parenting a child on the spectrum feels incredibly lonely at times. You shine light on my days!
Idk how long ive been watching you guys now...a year maybe? But i think the reason so many people sub and watch yall has less to do with autism and more to do with HOW you present the entire situation. You show everyone the real deal. Youre a real family, youre funny, you offer up way more than just a channel about autism. You make everything relatable and youve done such a good job making it fun for anyone who comes across the channel! Ive been watching youtube since 2006 and you guys are BY FAR my favorite vloggers ever. Just know that you truly have 61k subs who really believe in what you’re doing!
That really means a lot. Thank you
Also, seriously LOVE Abbie’s laps turning on and off the lights. 😂❤️😍. Adore her!
You guys are awesome people. I have recommended you to so many people. You have beautiful hearts!
I’m an education major going to school at UCF in Orlando, I’m minoring in special education with a focus in autism. I was in an intergrated middle school where I was paired up with an autistic student for the 3 years and it opened up mind to a totally new world. My dream is to open a special education pre-school, I believe that early intervention is one of the best things you can do. I watch you guys and it just warms my heart. I hope that I can have a student like Abby and parents like you guys in my future classroom. Thank you so much for doing what you do.
Hii maass fam! I have been literally binge watching your videos for a week straight!!😂 Abbie is a beautiful young lady and has inspired me so much.💖 she lives life to the fullest and finds the joy in all the little things in life,which is what everyone needs to do! Keep doing what your doing cause y'all seriously rock😃
Semi-new subscriber here! I am so glad I found y'all!! I have a daughter named Hadley (6 yrs old).. and she has autism as well. I live fairly far out in the Texas hillcountry and do not know many people around here who have autism or have family members with autism. It is actually refreshing and I feel so very connected with y'all. Thank you so much for sharing y'alls life with us!
And I have already learned so much from you guys. Such an awesome family!! I love seeing how y'all work as a team and go through each day with so much love, care & patience!
Wouldn't it be a blessing if Abbie did start talking. Keep the faith, you never know what God has planned for Abbie. She is so beautiful! ♥♥
I absolutely love all of Priscilla's outfits! She always has a theme and matches the colors to the occasion!
Thank you for all you do! Hash-tag,
Maass family educating the masses❤️
It’s people like you who make this world a better place! I used to be an instructor at a day program a lot like the school Abbie attends now. The public needs to be educated because mostly, they just don’t know how to respond to someone who might be different. So, thank you for doing this vlog!
You guys have taught me so much as an autism mom!! I'm 22 and my son is 3, was definitely rough getting the diagnosis and thinking about the future. You guys make that so much easier, and a year later after our diagnosis things are so much easier. 😍 I love you guys
Gemini sounds exciting! I hope the end result is great! Hugs, I love you guys so much!
Wow Priscilla, your husband is super sweeeeet :)
My 3 year old autistic non-verbal son has been using Gemiini for a couple of months now. I too was skeptical about it before we started it but it really is working. My son loves cars and trucks and the first video had a car and he said it! I couldn't believe it! My son is still considered non-verbal and communication is scarce with him but it's much better than before. He didn't even point to things before and now because of a pointing video I chose for his therapy he points about 75% of the time! I wish you guys the best with the program and Abbie! Like Pricila said, it can't hurt! And like Assaa said, it has to work! That is my hope for my Adam, your Abbie, and all the other ASD kids out there! God Bless.
Your Valentine’s Day gift exchange, and decorating Priscilla’s car was super cute :)
Hi I am relatively new to your channel! I'm in Australia and our eldest son who is 3 was diagnosed with Category 2 ASD in Dec 2017 and I was 37 weeks pregnant, upset (ok maybe a little hormonal too) and hungry for information and understanding. I stumbled across your videos after googling EVERYTHING and I am soooooo grateful I did. As I type (one handed) and sit breastfeeding our newborn son I am watching this video with excitement because I love catching up on what's happening with you guys. You remind me through every video that you can stay the "cool parent" (hahaha I'm in my mid 30s and am determined not to be the uncool mum!!) and that you do eventually find your "normal" when it comes to family dynamics and just plain living! It's early days for us bouncing between specialist drs, therapy and psychologists trying to get help and financial funding from the Australian Government (while on minimal sleep from having a newborn to care for). Just knowing others are out there, have been through the early days that we are going through now, and got out the other end with a smile (and not bankrupt!!) gives me the reassurance I need that things won't be easy - but my husband and I are going to get through this and be ok! Thanks for helping us xx
Kimock7 and Lollujo Vlogs are also wonderful Autism vlogs if you are looking for more similar to this channel!
If you dont mind me asking.. what is asd?
I am doing a project on autism for school and how it is misunderstood, and it is really cool to watch your videos and see autism in the eyes of a family. You guys are amazing!
Oh my goodness I am so excited that you are trying Gemini for Abby!!
I can’t wait to tell my little girl who likes to watch your RUclips videos with me. She’s only 7yrs old, but always insists on watching the Gemini ad and says Mama Abby needs to do this! She even wanted to buy it for her and send it.
We are sending our blessings and positive thoughts that it is successful for her!
I dont personally know anyone with Autism, but I just wanted to THANK YOU guys so much, for putting yourself out there to raise awareness!! I have learned so much from your family. I have been so much more understanding with people with special needs and have so much love for them, especially after watching your videos. You have a beautiful family, and your strength is absolutely admirable. THANK YOU for opening my eyes!!
You guys have taught me so much about Autism. I’ve wrote before that I want to be a teacher for kids with physical/mental disabilities because they do not get the respect they deserve. You guys are amazing and you guys have a wonderful family! When I’m older, if I don’t end up having children, I want to adopt a child with special needs because the kids don’t get what they deserve and I care about them because I think they are so special in each of their own ways. Abbie is so sweet, funny, caring, and mischievous. She has made so many accomplishments through the years. I’m so proud of her and wish you guys all the best.
Keep doing what you do! You're educating all of us and helping us to better understand... love your family!
How does Abbie do with taking her medicines? Does she swallow pills? Or do you use a different way to get her to take them? Love your videos! So informational!
sarahjbk they did a video on it
First I would like to say I love your family. You and your wife are so positive and generally great people. I love watching your videos and listen to any advise you guys give us. Thank you for sharing your story with everyone. Now I know I'm not alone. Abbie is so beautiful and puts a smile on my face everytime I see her on the videos. She melts my heart. I have a 2 year old daughter who was diagnosed with ASD on her 2nd birthday. My husband and I were devastated but that title wasn't going define us or stop us from doing anything. She has been getting therapy since 18 months and we've seen some improvement. My husband and I are working so hard to get her the help she needs and pray and hope for the better. We'll never give up as parents. So thank you again.
My clients have gone from no speech to talking to no speech. Some sign, some use hands cues, eye cues, etc.
They will express themselves when and how they're ready BUT, help along the way is great!
I'm *so excited* to hear about how the gemini program works. Thank you for all the time you put into this channel. And Valentine's day is just a day. Love is celebrated every day! Love you guys! And I love Isaiah's Instagram. Much love from MA!
Thank you, Priscilla and Asa for doing this channel. I don’t have anyone in my family with Autism, but I want to know about it. A few years ago I found out my daughter’s girlfriend had her second child diagnosed with Autism. We went to visit her and experienced Autism for the first time. So I wanted to know more about it.
Also. Have you ever copied Abbies vocal stims back at her to see what reaction you get? - Krystal
UnstoppableGaming YT that goes against ABA principals and would likely just reinforce the stim
Parents *should* be reinforcing stims. If the therapy your child is going to tries to discourage stimming, get them out of that therapy immediately.
My son vocal stims also. Never copy him but wondered if I did would he see it as me communicating with him. I'm not meaning copy him in a mocking way obviously.
+volz519 It seems like the encourage many of her stims, ignore some, and discourage a few (e.g. sometimes she self harms, which they discourage).
+Neil K It's not a harmful stim, though. And sometimes engaging with whatever the person is doing can be a way of connecting or communicating with them.
OMG I'm sooo happy you got to it finally. I remember telling you about it when I started using it. Good Job! Hope she will benefit from it! Hugs!
my little cousin has autism and he is 5 watching you guys teaches me the things I can teach him and have patients
Glad you all are trying Gemini. I am interested in the results. I often do not try things like that with my non verbal child because of the fear it won’t help. So GO Abbie and good luck. .
future speech-language pathologist here! I shared your channel with my professors/classmates. Can't wait to see how the program works!
You guys are great! I've been voting for you. Hope you win the Shorty Awards! And get a drone, and take an RV trip, and have a great Valentines redo date - basically - Wishing you all the best and happiness!! 💜
Hi, my son and I watch your vlogs, and then we discuss the vlog, it is very important to me that my son accepts everyone as they are. He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and he wants to be accepted for who he is. He is going to be learning ASl so he can communicate with the hearing impaired. I also want to thank you for sharing your lives, and educating us. You both are awesome parents
That’s very cool that you discuss it with him. Another awesome human in the making.
You all are absolutely awesome!! I've only been watching you all for a few weeks or so & am learning so many things. Even though I'm over a half century old, I really have never known what Autism is, nor anything about it. So I appreciate watching & learning from you all. I still don't know much about it, but watching you sure is opening my eyes. Like the fact that you just can't hop on an airplane as a family to go places. Golly, I'm sure there are SO MANY things you all have to do differently & possibly not at all, because of your situation. I just think that all four of you all are SUPER people, & I look forward to learning more, so I can be much more understanding, if ever I encounter anyone with autism. I pray God will continue to bless you, as ONLY He can! Thank you for taking the time & patience of making those of us aware, who otherwise have NO idea! You all are absolutely AWESOME!!!!
I seriously love your guys you tube channel!!!! I have been binge watching your guys videos for like going on 3 weeks. You guys are really rad and down to earth. It’s super amazing how you parent, always staying positive, and creating awareness. I have never experienced anyone with autism, but I feel that you guys do open the public’s eye. Keep it up, love it, live it, and create knowledge thru your crazy beautiful lives👍🏻
Yayyyyy!! I’m so excited to hear that you’re starting Abbie on the Gemiini program . This is amazing news!! So happy for Abbie and for your wonderful family too. Xo 😘
So again, I’ve recently found y’alls channel and have completely fallen in love! You guys are amazing parents and I have learned so much from y’all in a short period of time. My 4 year old has started watching with me and of course has questions and I love that y’all are a learning opportunity for her. She told me the other night that she wants to be Abbie’s friend. I was stopped by one of the moms in my daughters daycare class and she just went on and on about my daughter Madisyn. She said her son is autistic and up until a couple of months ago, he was non verbal. She said Madisyn has just kind of took him under her wing and loves on him and immediately became his friend. He bit her the other day and Madisyn told me “he bit me by accident. He didn’t do it to be mean, I’m his friend”. I’m so proud of her and it immediately made me tear up when I was talking to her about Abigail and her first response was “I want to be her friend”. Please keep it up guys, we love you and love learning from you! ♥️♥️from Texas!
How exciting! I’ve been wondering if you guys were trying Gemini, simply based on the ads from your RUclips channel. Can’t wait to see the progress! Love your sweet family😘
I'm so glad you guys are going to try Gemini. I've always been interested in it but never done it.
Hi Fathering autism, I am glad that you guys are doing your vlogs. Like I said I had a friend luke who had autism and because of him I help come up with autism kids to do in the special classes but that is when I was in school. After watching your vlogs and learning more about the different spectrums of autism I now want to be a teacher for kids who have all different types of dissabilities because they are the same as the rest of us.
I just watched the Gemiini video. So very interesting. Good luck with Abbie doing it. I hope it works for her.... I even bookmarked it, just in case in my lifetime I know someone that might need the help and I can point them in the right direction.
I so love you guys even though i'm not a parent of a non-verbal child, i do however have a child with aspergers........we struggle sometimes, but watching your videos really inspire me to more patient and know that every day is a new day.
We started Gemiini about a month ago! It’s an amazing program!
GEMIINI helped my non verbal autistic twins! It's amazing!👍👏Just be patient and don't give up!
when I heard Priscilla refer to Abbie's yelling stim as her little tyranosaurus rex. I thought the noise was way more cute.
Ace: "I'm going to throw a pillow at her"
Abby: *continues yelling stim*
My younger brother has autism. When we were little, my family didn't think he'd be able to talk, I liked to play teacher and make him practice his speech as soon as the speech therapist left and "taught" him how to talk. Wishing you all the best
My favorite family. I comment on Isaiah's talented photography skills. I'm purchasing a print too. You always do a great question and answer session. Great job!
#MossRvtrip...if u wait for the right time to go on a RV trip you will never go .. Isaiah's gonna be gone soon and u should have a really good memory with both kids together and all of u as a family ..it wouldn't be the same without isaiha...
I absolutely love your family! I have learned so much from your videos and I am thankful for your family!
Ive been wondering if you guys were going to try Gemiini! My daughter is technically non-verbal, but repeats a lot: echolalia. And I wonder if it would help her learn to use these words she can say but not use functionally. So excited to see how it works for Abbie!
HeatherFly 
Wow I've never heard of that before but that's such an interesting type of speech. I hope you guys can figure out a way for her to use those words to actually communicate with you!
Have you heard the story of the word 'Echo'? It is a rather sad but beautiful one, and might be quite inspirational for when you next get creative however you do!
gia echolalia means they just repeat everything you say! Like if you ask a question they don't give you an answer they just repeat the question over rather then give you an answer!
Frances Ottewill Sometimes she will use scripting in appropriate situations though.. like, it started raining, and she started singing rain rain go away! Or, I said it’s time to put on your underwear! And she started scripting a part of a book that talks about going to buy new underwear! 😄
I watch for the same reason as the Groveman (sp?) family. My almost 3 year old has ASD/SPD and watching your videos is incredibly helpful for me.
Love the info in this video!!i will be looking into Gemini as i have a 3.5 year old non verbal...so ill be keeping you all in my prayers and everything you guys do is admirable and i have to thank you for sharing your stories. I just wanted to thank Priscilla for her cooking show!!!Since my mom passed away its hard not giving her a call for a recipe and so now i turn on Pots Pans and Priscilla !! Sending love from Las Vegas and God Bless!
How sweet to get comments like that. I have to admit, I have a kiddo who is much further along age-wise, but y'all are making our home life better because we have always felt so alone and isolated. Seeing y'all get out and about and living life, I feel we can live life better. Gonna stop now before I cry.
Isaiah, I have a grandson who will be fifteen early this coming February. His name is Haven. He's solid gold like you! But I don't get to spend time with him & his younger brother & older sister because they live in Australia. We've been able to visit with them twice since they moved there from here in Canada in '08. We can never visit them again, but we think they'll be coming here next summer......which is their winter. I really miss them! You're so very fortunate to be able to see your grandparents fairly often! You seem to be mature beyond your years! I wish you well in your continued studies!
Aww you guys seemed so stressed out😢 Sorry you guys didn’t have a Great Valentines Day! Love you guys I’m always watching you guys your like my family!😊 RV trip sounds like fun I can’t wait!
I'm finishing up my moderate/severe teaching credential right now and my passion is working with kiddos just like Abbie! I think it's the best job to be able to teach them the skills they need :)
I love watching your guys videos. I was learning about aspergers and autism in one of my classes and came across your videos. I've learned a lot from you guys. You guys are amazing❤
I was a caregiver for years to a special needs boy. I taught him a lot nobody else could tie his shoes button and unbutton buttons ect. I just believed him and made him do it i knew he was capible! Your channel videos are so awesome! Learned a lot
D F good for you! That's always been my connection with special needs. From walking, talking, to self skills, I believe in them and they try harder. 💜
Love's Deepwaters yes! People dont give them enough credit :)
D F exactly! I cared for a teen with Down Syndrome who had 0 therapy and very little interaction. Her mom gave up on her when she was 5. We had some Helen Keller Breakfast Scene type moments! I had to move in during an emergency for 7 weeks. I had that girl sitting beside me, hugging me, playing with my hair, before then she couldn't be touched! So yeah, never underestimate their potential. My incarcerated husband is mid way on the Spectrum. He made bad choices but guess who will be right here waiting for him, believing in him, and cheering him on!
Love's Deepwaters sooo so true
"I'm gonna throw a pillow at her" LMFAO I love you guys so much
i so love your videos ...i am a teacher's aide at a center for physically disabled children...but we have one child that is not physically disabled there and he is autistic..so i am especially fascinated with him because I'm trying to see what i can draw out of him ...your videos have taught me a lot ...thank you from me way here in Nassau Bahamas...im gonna start from the first video and try to catch up
Valentine's day is/was my 4 yr anniversary... MY BOYFRIEND IS NOW MY FIANCE!! 😊
(Lol, and the day started out with my little one getting on the bus an hour behind schedule... then 5 mins later we get a call from the high school to pick up my oldest who "had flu like symptoms"... So, without me knowing, my man's plans we're screwed and he had to scramble to find a romantic place to propose to me! 😂😍 It was still absolutely 100% perfect!)
Meronda Roumillat , Congratulations. 🌹🎉🎉🎈🎈
Valentines is technically my one month in of dating my boyfriend, we’ve been together for over a year now! I’m glad he figured out what to do haha :)
Thanks yal!! I'm 33.... Lol, BOUT tImE I found someone worthy!?!?! 😂😇
I work in a disability/exam accommodation centre in a university and we have a couple of students with autism that are non verbal. I have been binge watching all of your videos and am gaining a better understanding and awareness about autism. Ive definitely noticed my interactions with these students have been more meaningful lately. I respect that this channel is about education and awareness, and anyone who's anyone can tell you are really genuine, kind people and are making these videos for all of the right reasons.
Thanks so much! I’m really glad you can take what we share and apply it. That means a lot to us. We never imagined simply sharing our life would make such an impact.
I wait for your vlogs to appear....just wondering which is the very first one , I have watched all of your vlogs but would like to watch them again in order....
I think you are doing wonderful with Abby and I just love your family and see you as wonderful parents!
I am a new subscriber and I have absolutely fallen in love with y'all!!! How AMAZING would it be for Priscilla to get her wish?!?!? When y'all started talking about Gemiini, all I could think about was, Priscilla throwing a coin in the water and wishing that Abbie would talk one day!💕💕💕
I didn’t even think about that!
I cried so hard (happy tears) at the thought of y'all being able to hear her say "I love you"!!! The love she has for y'all is huge and beams off her everyday! The entire family dynamic is amazing! Thank y'all for sharing your lives! Y'all are a blessing!!!
I just want to say something...I’ve been watching this Channel for about a month now. I’ve known about autism but I wasn’t educated. You guys are educating people every day. I think it’s just incredible. And I’m hooked. Abbie is adorable and I laugh every time she does funny teen things. 😂 maas fan for life!
You guys are inspirations and I really enjoy your videos!
I've seen the Gemini ad almost every other time I watch your video and I've wanted to ask, but I always think 'Oh, I'm sure they're aware of it.' Anyways, I'm super excited that you all started the program! Good luck 👍
Hi I am Sadie and I am 10 years old and I love watching Ur videos and I love Ur family .And U have taught me so much throughout your videos.thank U so much for teaching me all about autistic lives .And people mite think the special needs people are weird and that is not right at all.and now I know that this is how special needs live there life ❤️❤️and I love how different they are and how y'all live.again thanks so much
In regards to the 'are you exploiting your kids' point that you brought up. My honest answer is no, and I think the majority of people watching the vlogs would answer the same! You respectfully vlog. You protect Abby for herself by not violating her privacy or causing damage to her dignity or self esteem, and whilst you may record/film at that time, you do not upload it to the internet. A thought entered my mind (that rarely happens so be prepared!), and I wanted to bring the point of showing someone with severe autism on a vlog (especially when safe and not losing control completely etc, and in a respectful appropriate manner) is a really good opportunity for people to stare, gawk, rewind/replay, re stare, re gawk, etc. It gets the 'omg new experience' out of the person watching, and their staring and gawking will not offend, upset, or cause more issues because simply you cannot see them do that. Then when they meet someone with similar behaviours or mannerisms as Abby, they don't view the situation as 'new', but instead almost ignore them if no interactions take place. Essentially 'desensitising'. Is that something that you had considered? Do you find that possibility offensive, upsetting, rude, positive, beneficial, an additional extra, etc? If it is offensive, please understand that it was never intended to be such, or cause that within you or your family. Please also accept my apologies. I am not on the autism spectrum. I do however feel that I personally struggle with human interaction and communications... yes, even via a monitor! I would really appreciate your personal reasons as to why you felt negatively in order for me to grow and improve myself. I do have anxiety and other issues, but that is no excuse.
Your a wonderful family love your videos