Jacqueline Williams-Hines

Happy Holidays...I'm Baaaack!

Posted: 12/25/2008

Merry Christmas Dear Reader, My web site was unavailable for a little while, so let me update you. "Joshua, That's Sooo Slimming!" will be available soon.  It deals with the phenomenon known as "stimming" or auto or self-stimulation. This is often characterized by repeated motions, sounds or phrases and usually presents when the person with autism is experiencing anxiety or sensory overload.  My hopes is that its introduction to the public in another children's book will be fun and informative and I hope you like it!  I encourage everyone who has read a "Joshua" book to please log onto any online bookstore site such as http://www.Amazon.com   or www.Barnes&Noble.com and please submit a review.  Your feedback is important and can be very helpful in sharing with others living with autism or in just educating someone who has not been exposed to it.  With the current birth rates reported from The Center for Disease Control as being 1:150 (males affected 4:1 to their female counterparts), it is important that those living with autism understand that they are not invisible are are not alone.  Social inclusion is only viable when there is understanding.  That being said, from the Hines Family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa and expressions of peace and love with regards to any other holiday being celebrated...and Happy New Year!

The No Small Victories Autism Awareness Event/Walk-a-thon

Posted: 11/06/2008

Well Reader, I just wanted to update you on my 2nd Annual No Small Victories Autism Awareness Event/Walk-a-thon.  As you know, due to inclement weather we had to reschedule from our original date of September 28th and change our venue to what I had hoped would be a venue much more agreeable to the unpredictable nature of New England weather for this time of year. Well, the day turned out to be a beautifully brisk autumn New England day.  I had a good variety of service providers on hand, a fire truck for the  kids, face painting and tattoos... I even had a clown...and the people who turned out could have been counted on one hand (with the notable exception of a sponsoring organization- The Black Men of Greater Springfield and the W.E.B. Dubois Academy, much love and thanks for everything once again!).  I was feeling somewhat disappointed as I sat at my beautifully book laden book signing table and waited, and ...waited.  Long story short, as the other presenters and I were dismantling our displays a young lady came in.  I approached her as she said to me that she just gotten off work and wondered if she was too late for the autism awareness event.  I put on my best smile and started to gather information from the presenters for her before everyone could disperse.   Something in this young ladies tentative smile and cautious demeanor felt all too familiar, you see I have been and I am still her, a mother dealing with the enormity of autism.  As we started to talk I discovered she was a newbie...someone who had just recently recieved her son's diagnosis.  I asked her to join me at a table so we could talk (and cry if we needed, of which we did both).  Before long the other presenters (all of whom were mother's of children with disabilities or someone who have worked hard in the disability service industry) had surrounded this young lady in a cocoon of support and love.  In that moment all of the hours I had spent in preparing for this event were made more than worthwhile and the meaning of what I am doing became that much clearer.  I am not a clinician or an educator.  I am a parent trying to get through the day and face the fears that we all face as parents of children with disabilites in an uncertain world, and maybe share an experience I had yesterday that may help someone else tomorrow.  In that moment the true realization of No Small Victories became that much more clear...there are No Small Victories...every accomplishment should be celebrated, and every one that you can touch, or support, listen to, cry with, pray with or cheer on will enrich your life, and in my case, makes this experience worthwhile!  Until next time... Jacqueline Williams-Hines

Is it fall already?

Posted: 09/19/2008

Wow, has time flown.  I have been working so hard on the next Joshua books in my No Small Victories series that summer has flown by!  The progress on the third Joshua book is coming along great, and I can't wait to share it with you.  It is about stimming and I know other parents  and/or educators will find it helpful as a way to explain stimming to peers or siblings.  Joshua is having a ball being the main character in the stories and allowing you to share in our world.   So as always, thank you for your support and we will see you soon! Jacqueline Williams-Hines & Joshua!     *stimming; auto-stimulation often characterized by repetitive movement, phrases or sounds typically made by someone with autism in an effort to self-regulate sensory input and/or as a means of comforting ones self.

It's finally completed!!!

Posted: 03/28/2008

Wow, it has been a lot of work but my second book is finally available... whoohoooo!! OK, so I am a tad excited.   Working on my 3rd book as we speak and cannot wait to share this Joshua adventure with you.  These books are so much more to me than a creative expression, they are a forum in which I hope to help others better understand autism and how it impacts the lives of everyone it touches.   I pray that if I can touch one person who may feel that there is something not quite right with their child and wondering why things feels so out of control to see that perhaps autism is the cause and not your inability to be a good parent, then they can not feel so isolated and alone...or hopeless.   Just take it minute by minute, breath and remember...with autism there are no small victories, every accomplishment should be applauded and recognized!!!  Talk to you soon! Jacqueline Williams-Hines