I love how open, candid and honest you both are. Not that you need random internet validation but it appears that you guys are absolutely amazing parents. The awareness and education you're providing continues to be very enlightening while also entertaining.
Really cool of you to open up about relationships. I often find myself wondering how Craig feels seeing his siblings live their lives, have kids, etc. with neurotypical brains, but it really just seems like he enjoys his life the way it is. Keep on rockin’, Craig.
Joe coulda used a cold one yesterday when he ate that cheddar jalapeno beef stick and started coughin lmaooo he gave that sausage 2 thumbs down, no stars and aint no way in hell it got a seal of approval hahaha
I’m so glad that Craig enjoyed the book I sent him! Hearing him read my note in the Texas accent cracked me up! 🤣 Seeing this absolutely made my day. Thanks again for letting us share fun things with him, and for sharing your videos with us!
Craig is a very handsome version of his lovely mother.Craig is lucky to have his very wonderful parents and they are the ones lucky to have " landed " him..in the scheme of life.👍😇🙏♥️
The Amana colonies seemed like a great adult trip, but I think it was missing some aspects that Craig likes a lot...rides, kids movies, etc. He handled the experience well, though, so I'm very proud of him. I think it's important that every trip is not catered to his preferences. You and Joe deserve some trips that are things YOU are interested in. You do so well with Craig!
Thank you! Those are my thoughts about the trip as well. We could’ve gone home after one night like Craig wanted to but sometimes Joe and I need to do things that we like as well. I asked Craig if he would want to stay with Stephanie the next time we go to the Amana colonies, but he said he wants to come must not have been too bad for him. Lol.
I agree, that is certainly something I respect about how Craig is integrated in the family. Nancy and Joe try to be as fair as possible across the board, and Craig understands that it's not always about him, and he does try to process unexpected changes. I'm with Craig, there's no place like home. Nancy, does Craig still bring his webkin with him on trips?❤
I'm not sure most guys could handle that much shopping, I haven't been in a store in years thanks to Amazon and potholes are definitely a headache for me too, glad to see you handled it so well Craig, I'm proud of you 👍👍
Your deck is like a treehouse. It’s beautiful! The girls were having fun, so cute. I loved the part where Craig went into John Wayne mode for the Texas package. Lol thanks for another great video.
Now Craig can “give you the fry!” 🍟 I cracked up with the Texas package where he immediately went into John Wayne! He’s very smart and has a quick wit. I enjoyed seeing all the San mail. Another wonderful video! I also enjoyed your conversation at the beginning. Thanks for all you do.
I am learning the hard way that my autistic child can’t and will never be able to change plans. I’ve learned a ton from all of you. Thanks for sticking your necks out to help other people. Your amazing parents.
Thank you❤️❤️❤️ I really want to get some shirts made, as well as some stickers. But I haven’t found the time to put that all together yet, but definitely we will do that in the future
100% Craig has an attraction to Girls because in one video he was asked who his favorite character of such and such was and he said afemale character because she is sexy or beautiful. Something like that.
Yea I don't think the parents want him to ever have a relationship for fear of what could be but love will find a way and if Craig wants to communicate with girls his age and even day clubs for people with special needs would be helpful. Idk
I understood Craigs age psychologically and guessed the same, he's exactly like our son. Same age range mentally. Our boy will never be in a relationship either and will live with us, so funny when Craig blamed the bed for his sleep, our lad does that, if he bumps into the door frame he blames the door frame for being too fat 😂😂😂. The Amana colonies looked so interesting!!
Hi everyone. I'd like to express my gratitude to you all for making these videos. Not only are they a joy to be a part of in viewing them, they are also educational and eye opening to how we are all different and raising that awareness. I think everyone should have a friend like Craig, he's just simply a beautiful soul. I have long suspected I am autistic myself and Watching your videos has further solidified that belief. I'm not as far along on the spectrum as Craig but it's pretty clear to me that I share all the same traits to a tee. I feel so lost and i don't know how to help myself or find help. I am now at 45 the sole career for my elderly mother who has dementia and alzhiemers and it's such a struggle daily. I have no one or nothing else in my life at this point as I've always kept people at bay or over time pushed those that I did have away from me. I never understood in my earlier years why or what was wrong with me, why I'd have sudden outbursts or breakdowns so obviously I couldn't expect others to understand but I frustrated me terribly that they didn't. I need help but I don't know where to turn. But your channel and your family and seeing and hearing Craig and gaining some understanding through that has brought me just a small amount of piece. So I thank you immensely, you are all much appreciated. Best of luck to you all and please say hi to Craig for me. Adam
About the whole relationships and girls thing... I have Asperger's and I desperately want a girlfriend. As it is, I'm an only child and I don't have friends in school. I have had crushes on girls since I was maybe 5 years old and it only grew stronger in middle and high school. At that time, my parents pushed me to get a boyfriend (I'm a girl) but little did they know about my true feelings for girls. Two years ago I came out to my parents and at first they were blaming my attraction to women as normal friendships or because I was to emotionally attached to pop stars or Disney Channel actresses. That was not the case. So yeah, people on the spectrum definitely do have romantic feelings for others!
I remember reading Where the Sidewalk Ends when I was in 5th grade. Loved those books. Your bed & breakfast seemed so warm & cozy. I would have stayed a 2nd night too. :) As always, love hearing your stories abt Craig. It's funny - the question you get the most, I haven't really thought about. My 5 yo was telling me a story the other night & referred to someone as his "girlfriend" & when I asked what her name was, he told me "I don't know" & giggled. He has come home from school talking abt girls he likes. Only time will tell. I just pray ppl are kind to him. That's all I want.
I have a cousin that had brain damage when he was 10, and he basically just got stuck at that age for life so I can relate to what she's saying about Craig, although Craig is WAY more chill than my cousin lol, Craig's awesome!!
Another great video. You do such a great job sharing Craig’s day. PSA, I had the stretchy bands in my classroom, but I had to take them away because too many kids putting them around their necks. Be careful ❤
Aha I'm so behind on your videos you guys but as usual so enjoyable seeing you all having a great day. I kinda guessed Craig wouldn't love a long plane trip but it was worth asking. Pepe lepew and France of course go so well together 😂
Wow I was so looking forward to finding a video about this on your channel! My oldest has adhd but my 2 youngest (toddlers right now) are autistic and the littlest guy has the most "challenges". Seeing how great Craig's world is gives me so much hope but as parents we are always curious about this topic which can be sensitive.
Thanks for sharing I pray that all the information you guys are sharing will help someone You guys are great, and God bless your whole entire family 🙏😇
Great job Craig. U r Exceptional and a Delight to watch. A Big Thank U to u Parents for keeping ur Environment Calm and Relaxing for him. He is doing do well, especially Calm around his little Nieces. They make me Smile watching them just being little Happy People. Thank u Mom and Dad for sharing, u All Rock!
You have such a beautiful family and your children are definitely being raised with alot of love your amazing parents Craig is brilliant and a handsome young man brings alot of joy to all of us ♥️♥️
This is a bit embarrassing to admit, but I noticed I feel a bit envious when I watch you, because of how easy going Craig is. I have an autistic teenage daughter and she gives me a lot push back. I do realize that part of it is her age. And I also realize that your calm nature is reflected in Craig's personality. Don't get me wrong, my situation isn't all bad, all the time, but I honestly do feel a little smig of envy. Wanna trade? Maybe?
Let’s hope it’s because of her teenage years and it will get a bit better after. I also have to admit that his parents seem like very calm people to me! It would be interesting to know if Craig has had some more ‘difficult’ years as well.
Not sure if someone asked you guys this question already but Criag is a excellent reader.... What did you guys to make him such a great reader? Because I know a lot of kids with autism have a hard time reading
Craig learned to read at school. We were really not a part of teaching him because he didn’t have homework. I think that the fact that he loves books helped him to learn and read with expression 😊
I can definitely understand how a change in the schedule can cause a little anxiety.. I'm glad Craig was able to handle it well.... I have a question for you Mom and Dad, Have you guys ever been on a vacation or overnight trip without Craig?
@@ourdailyview thank you because I know going on vacation without children can be already hard but I know it can probably be even harder if you have someone with special needs because you already worry about them alot
I think the Animaniacs say some stuff in French. I haven't watched that show in a long time though. One of my fave cartoons is The Penguins of Madagascar. Does Craig watch that show? Rico is my fave. Does Craig watch Inspector Gadget?
Hi everyone! Thank you for the awesome tour of the Amana colonies. I really enjoyed that and it was wonderful to see the place through Craig's eyes. I do have a question you might want to address in the future. Craig was a bit thrown by having his schedule altered, even though he trooped through. Can you touch on how much Craig needs a tight schedule? Does he depend or obsess about scheduling or is he pretty flexible? I have a family member who is so absolutely fixed on adhering to their schedule that meltdowns will happen if someone calls unannounced. Thanks so much, and if you have already discussed this please could you drop the link? Much love to you all.
I love everything about the talk tonight. I will watch the rest of the video now. Love y'all 💞 Yes!! Please let us know if you figure out what song she was singing!! It was so good 💞 It sounds like she said I wonder why at the end
If you have addressed this is a prior video, sorry but, just wondering if Craig is on a sleep medication? Or was he when he was younger? My 8yo son, who is on the spectrum, sleeps soundly throughout the night, no medication needed. About 9 hours on average. From what I understand, that’s the exception.
My son doesn't like his schedule to change either. He is somewhat hard to travel with because he likes to sleep in complete darkness. He has to adjust the curtains in a hotel so absolutely no light comes in, he rolls up a towel and places it at the bottom of the door to keep light out and turns the alarm clock facing the wall. When my daughter was little Nick would unplug the nightlight in the hallway and close her door which she absolutely hated. Luckily we moved to a different house and Nick has his own space in the lower level while the rest of us are upstairs. Sleep is so important and helps all of us function better. Blessings!
Sleep is definitely a huge issue. I always say, “if Craig doesn’t sleep nobody sleeps” 😂 It sounds like Nick is very good at knowing what helps him to get to sleep 😊
That's a good question, I will also love to hear Stephanie and Ben take on growing up with Craig... Like did they feel like they always needed to be his protector and ect
I really appreciate every single videos that you all post. I enjoy you sharing. I look forward to seeing Craig and all of you on my breaks at work. I'm a Iowa man myself. Have you guys had snack time or Starbucks in Nevada?
Why would anyone think Craig wants or needs a "significant other". As stated from maturity standpoint he is mentally about 8-12 years old if that. He also doesn't like people messing with his personal space so I really don't think he has any interest in a "romantic" relationship
Do Livy and Josie stay with you every week? They're so lucky to have you guys too!! Loved watching your trip, we are heading to Iowa the second week of July (from Rochester MN)! Our big destination is Okoboji for a reunion, but it's so fun to see sites around the state.
We keep Livy and Josie every Wednesday overnight so that Stephanie and Dusty can have a night to themselves - plus we just like having them spend the night😊 we also watch them on Thursday and Friday while Stephanie works. They live very close to us so many times we see them every day which is wonderful. My mom and dad took our children a lot for us when they were little and it helped so much. I wanted to be able to do the same for my kids. Being a grandparent is the best thing ever.❤️❤️❤️ Enjoy your time in Iowa! Okoboji is such a fun area!
Hi, I love your videos. I worked in an autistic support classroom with students age 14-21 for 18 years. The teacher I worked for insisted that forcing the students to accept change was the best thing for them. I didn't agree but I had to do as she said. I admit when I would accompany the students to their classes (outside of our room) I pretty much wouldn't force them to do something different. It broke my heart to see them upset. Do you agree with the teachers approach?
That is actually a great topic for a video. Change is inevitable in everyone’s life but I feel they are carrying it too far in schools and work situations since Craig left school 10 years ago. We took Craig out of school at age 20 because the school was going in a direction that we did not think would be beneficial for Craig.
Thank you for talking about Craig and relationships. I had ask about it a few videos ago and agree with everyone else on here. You guys are great parents and we love that you share your lives with us. Thank you!
Hi mom & dad... I have a cute story about an autistic classmate my niece graduated high school with this year... The school had to have a balloon on the stage to keep his attention. I don't think he actually ever crossed the stage to get his diploma. The balloon could only hold his attention for so long. Other times he would be running around the football field. Just enjoying life... I was told that when he was in grade school and the class would sit on the floor for story time or a demonstration he would run around the room. The only way to get him to sit still was to put him on a chair. The chair showed him boundaries which he was not supposed to cross. Do you have a story like that about Craig? These stories made me think of Craig and how the school system was so great with him.... GREAT video as always!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing! That is such a sweet story. I amazed and thankful for teachers who come up with these solutions. I will have to think about it and see if I can remember anything specific that they did to get Craig to sit still because I know it was a struggle at times. I do remember I. High school if Craig had good behavior and completed his task he got to watch Mr. Bean in a special area that they set up. Thanks for helping me remember that!
I hope this doesn’t come across wrong. Or upset you I am actually scared to ask. But is there any possibility? That he intended in boys and not girls? Sounds like he just not interested in any romantic or intimate relationship. Just wondering. Again my apologies if said something wrong.
They are all so different about love and relationships. I feel like Craig not being interested in girls and intimate relationships actually makes all of our lives easier. We would support him if that’s what he wanted but I’m definitely not going to push him towards it.
I love watching your videos and learned alot about autism from them. Craig is a wonderful person supported by a wonderful family. MY QUESTION: Does Craig ever watch your videos? Especially regarding your Disney trips. God bless you all.
We all have a process, sometimes it helps to focus on the upsides to unexpected changes, sometimes not. We all go through it, but sometimes it can be a struggle. Craig handled the changes very well, and I think that after he gets to see the movie, he'll be able to reflect on the trip with more clarity and positivity. I took a trip to Japan once and my mom and cousin thought it would be a great idea to visit a town called "Yoda", which is our family name on the way to Izu peninsula. The trip was an excruciatingly long and hard trip for me because the toilets changed and I was unaccustomed to the squatting toilets. I ended up holding my bladder for 14 hours and was a complete grouch. In hindsight, I wish I could have appreciated it more, but it was a 30 year process! Craig is far better at coping than many and I admire that.
@ourdailyview aw Thank you, Nancy, I think you understand him so well because he responds to you, and he's aware of you when he's stimming or having a meltdown. Craig would not allow himself to be so vulnerable in how he tries to communicate his feelings or let you in if he didn't feel connected or synchronized to you. Both you and Joe are his bearing. He knows that he's where he needs to be so long as either of you are there. I think your mindset that you were going to make the best of the trip to Amana also gave him some assurance to where he prompted himself to self process, and that's as amazing as him trying your salad! These strides are incredible, and I would anticipate at some point he may have an emotional or sensory overload, but I think you and Joe know better than anyone when he'll need some release. That movie date with Stephanie might help him a lot!
24:39 I love how he read it in a country accent. 😂 He's great at so many different voices and accents. It would be amazing if he could be in a show or something doing a voice. Did Craig ever watch and like Dragon Tales? I loved that as a kid. Glad you're home safely and Craig enjoyed the trip. Keep having a great day and being awesome! 💙
How does Craig help himself sleep? Does he have a white noise machine? Maybe listen to a podcast before bed? Curious how he helps himself cope and fall back to sleep.
Craig takes Ambien every night. Sometimes it doesn’t work. He plays lullaby music on Amazon. He doesn’t like the white noise. This is a great discussion for a video!
Maybe you should think of adding a FAQ to your channel description, then pin that link in your videos . I know I’ve asked you what size t shirt Craig wears and you were nice enough to answer
As a French speaking Canadian i have to say bravo Craig, you did great. Please make poutine in one of your videos. Simple to make and safe for Craig to make.❤
I think if the initial plan was for 2 days, Craig would have been fine. In my limited experience with an autistic person, they like order and consistency and find it difficult to cope with changes. So now that you know that the Amana colonies and that area have so much to offer, you can plan accordingly next time and perhaps Craig will enjoy it more. I would be interested to hear what you think?
Hi as of today I’m a new subscriber to Craig’s Channel… this is a awesome channel… I have a question how old is Craig? My wife nephew has the same thing like Craig.
I think Craig can't tease or pull pranks because he doesnt have 1 mean bone in his body. And he doesn't have the depth to plan scenarios. He has the pure mind of an innocent child. It's wonderful.
That shirt is a blood donor shirt. He has a very needed blood type and used to donate as often as he could. However he can no longer donate blood since his heart attack.
