Out of 400+ posts, where do you start? Some readers start with the links on the front page, some pick out the categories in the sidebar they are most interested in, and some start at the beginning with the archives (after they get a big cup of coffee). But I say, start with the best.

Hi, I’m Tanya, the mom and writer of Teen Autism (in case you haven’t read the About page yet). And the 32 posts listed on this page make up The Best of Teen Autism. Some had the most page views, some are poignant or funny, and some I just love because every time I read them they fill me with joy and remind me that anything is possible. I hope you enjoy them too.

Roll out the red carpet. These posts received the most all-time page views:

The Wonderful Thing about Tigger – Neil spoke one of his first words because of Tigger

Signs of Teen Autism – probably the most highly searched phrase that gets people here

Teen Autism has a whole category on bullying, unfortunately. But these two posts are somewhat like bookends on this topic:

Bravery is one of the first posts I ever wrote, a tribute to my autistic son.

What’s Bigger Than a Circle? – after much struggle, we finally turned a huge corner

My views on a few topics involving autism:

Vaccines is an old post that discusses my take on the thimerosol debate, among other things.

Room 2 is about how far special education has come, and that it’s not far enough.

Mainstream – thoughts about what I used to view as the Holy Grail of education

3 Greatest Concerns – the 3 things, as a special needs parent, that I worry about the most

Having Autism Vs. Being Autistic – I completely respect both terminologies. But this post is about my own parental journey with them.

When I Told Him – when and how I told Neil about autism

If I Blogged 10 Years Ago – what I would have blogged about my sons if I could have blogged in 1999.

Autism & Religion – an intriguing post about how Neil tried to connect with his grandfather, and ended up saying the most profound thing I’ve ever heard him say

The following posts are about how parenting an autistic child can affect your views and how you approach parenting in the first place:

The Autism Club – one of my earliest posts

The Autism Fairy – for the Why me? moments

To Catch a Fly – things you learn in elementary school come in handy when you least expect

Renewing My Vows – realizing that autism is always there, regardless of therapy and medication

The Other Side of the Dating Coin – autism, single parenting, and trying to find someone new

My Personal Favorites (here just because I love them and wanted to share them):

A Secret – how I learned about autism at a young age

The Time That We Have – how the death of a young parent I knew reminded me of the fragility of life

The Pursuit of Laughter – how Neil learned to connect with others through humor

Pillars of Hope – part of a series of posts about my trip to Nepal as an autism parent advocate

A Drop in the Bucket – I used to wonder if all the autism awareness I promoted made any difference. See it in action here.

One Good Thing – a wonderful conversation about Neil accepting his autism

Trust – about Neil’s fledgling independence and his mother’s hand-wringing over it

A Good Soldier – about Neil’s long-standing respect for those who serve our country

Significant – the different things this word means to me as the parent of a special needs child

A Little Boy’s Dream, Part 2 – how I realized that my dream for my son was not necessarily his dream for himself

Emotional Rescue – finding an angel in the grocery store, right when I needed her most

The A-Files – I’ll bet you have A-Files too

These last three are my all-time favorites. I loved what happened that inspired me to write them, and I love how they still make me feel as I read them years later:

Look Ma, No Hands – what might look like a typical day to others is actually a milestone for us

Taking the Evening Off – when autism takes the night off

The Boy and the Vacuum Cleaner – my favorite fairy tale ever, only this one is real

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Also be sure to scroll down the Categories sidebar to see posts about other fascinating subjects!