Your Stories

  Dear Bright Buddies Community, I want to take a moment to share some important updates with our beloved families and supporters to ensure clarity about our mission and commitment to you. Bright Buddies was born in 2017 out of a deeply personal mission. As a single father of two children, one of whom has been diagnosed with ADHD, and with a nephew on the autism spectrum, I’ve walked the same path as many of you. My journey with Bright Buddies has always been about helping families like mine—raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and creating solutions that truly support our community....

  Talloobi is autistic. And yes he’s probably considered severely autistic. Or what the professionals like to label, a level 3.Does he suffer because of the limitations he has? Yes. Yes sometimes he does. Do we suffer with him? Yes. We suffer with him & for him.But his autism is part of who he is. It’s not ALL that he is, but it’s a big chunk of who my Talloobi is. How can I hate it?And if we (the caregivers) don’t or cannot accept our own kids because of their uniqueness, how can we expect others to?Why the hell are...

I declare this Day A day that I can Say Is a celebration of Me Because My Independence is Key… …Key to self-love, self-expression, and self-determination Allow Me the Choice Let me be Heard I have a Voice Please give me your Word… …your Word that I am Respected, And Not rejected Embracing Me as a part of this Humanity With a Solidarity Mentality Upon this land striving to Save Within this Community of the Brave Written by Lee-Ann Preston, Bright Buddies' Champion    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @brightbuddies Follow us on TikTok @brightbuddies.io

  It's all different. Unexpected. Unfiltered. Uncomfortable. Beautiful. Wild. Free. I watch, breath held, trying to put your shoes on my feet. I hide. You don't. I shouldn't. We circle. I spend another day pretending I'm not made of broken glass. You spend another day believing you're unbreakable.   Credit to Tara Mackin Follow Tara on Instagram @tara.mackin    #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #inclusion   Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @brightbuddies Follow us on TikTok @brightbuddies.io

    You went out quietly one night, so he wouldn't wake up. I heard the door close and waited all night long. Trembling and crying, I prayed. I prayed for strength, as I didn't know if I could face it all alone. How to tell my little boy that daddy wouldn't be coming home any more? He would not be coming back to chase him around the house.Don't worry and most certainly you won't. Don't worry about not being there; I will be there, I am always there, maybe broken but his words spoken thru his eyes will be the...