Be Ausome

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Be Ausome A dad building free, private visual-support tools for autistic kids, and sharing our real life with Dylan along the way. Check it out at squaredsteps.com

The tools are called Squared Steps: free, no account, no tracking, English and Spanish.

Today we went to Aurora Reservoir, and before we even got out of the car, Dylan and I had one of those negotiations we’v...
09/08/2026

Today we went to Aurora Reservoir, and before we even got out of the car, Dylan and I had one of those negotiations we’ve had a hundred times over the years.

He wanted his iPhone.

I wanted it to stay in the car.

His phone can be a really useful support for him. It helps with waiting, loud places, unfamiliar places, and plenty of moments when he just needs something predictable.

But there are also times when I know that if he has it, the phone will become the whole outing.

Today, I wanted to see what happened without it.

Dylan was pretty forceful about wanting to bring it. I held the boundary. He wasn’t happy about it, but eventually he left it behind.

And then we walked down to the water.

He stood there looking out across the reservoir. We moved around to different parts of the park. We walked. We stopped. We looked around. Nothing huge happened.

And that was kind of the point.

For a long time, leaving the iPhone behind could feel like the hardest part of going somewhere. Today it was hard for a few minutes, and then the day kept moving.

I don’t think the lesson is that phones are bad, or that Dylan should always have to go without one. His phone is still an important tool for him, and there are plenty of places where I’ll happily hand it over.

The lesson for me is that sometimes growth looks like knowing when to keep the support, and when to gently see if he’s ready for a little more.

Today, he was.

And instead of looking at a screen, he got to look out at the water.

That felt pretty good.

23/07/2026

A question for everyone here, not just the parents raising a kid like Dylan.

When your day gets thrown off, the wrong turn, the meeting that runs long, the plan that falls through at the last minute, what actually helps you reset?

I ask because for a lot of the kids I build Squared Steps for, one of the things that helps most is simply being able to see what’s coming next. When the day is visible, the surprises can feel a little smaller.

I’m genuinely curious. What helps you reset?

I’ll go first in the comments.

I've been a little quiet here these past few months. A big part of that is because I've been building something that sta...
21/07/2026

I've been a little quiet here these past few months. A big part of that is because I've been building something that started with a very normal part of our life.

For years, I wrote Dylan's schedule out by hand. He has always wanted to know what the day looks like, what is happening next, and what comes after that.

When the plan wasn't clear, I would recite the whole thing.

First we're taking his sister to class. Then we're waiting. Then we're picking her up. Then we're going home. Then we're eating. Then we're taking her to work.

A few minutes later, we would go through it all again.

And then again.

And then again.

It wasn't that Dylan hadn't heard me or wasn't listening. He needed to hear the whole day again so he knew what was coming.

The paper schedule helped too, but it had limits. If something changed, I had to rewrite it. If we were already out, I couldn't easily update it. And when the day had a lot of stops or transitions, I was still the one carrying the whole plan and repeating it whenever he needed it.

So I started building something different.

Now Dylan has his schedule on his own phone. Most mornings, he walks up to me and says one word.

"Schedule."

We sit down, put the day together, and he can see everything in front of him. As we finish each step, he checks it off. If something changes, we change it together right there on the phone.

He still asks about the schedule sometimes. That hasn't gone away.

But now he can check it himself instead of asking me to say the whole day again.

The plan doesn't only live in my head anymore.

That is where Squared Steps came from.

I built it from the schedules, boards, and stories we have used in our own home. I kept working on it with Dylan, finding the confusing parts and fixing the things that didn't work well in real life.

Now it's ready for other families to use too.

Squared Steps includes free visual schedules, First-Then boards, choice boards, and social stories. You can use them on a phone or print them, and everything is available in English and Spanish.

There's no account to create, no advertising, and we don't store what you type.

You can find it at squaredsteps.com.

I just hope it makes one part of the day a little easier for another family.

And I could really use your help getting it to them. If you know a parent, teacher, therapist, coach, family member, or friend who might use something like this, please send it their way or share this post. The tool is free, and the more people who share it, the better chance it has of reaching someone who needs it.

If a parent came to mind while you were reading this, they're probably the one who needs it. Please send it to them.

One of the best ways to support an autistic child is actually pretty simple: start where they are.Every child has their ...
03/04/2026

One of the best ways to support an autistic child is actually pretty simple: start where they are.

Every child has their own comfort level, their own pace, and their own way of stepping into something new. A lot of the time, what helps most is not pushing for the full version right away. It’s giving them a place to begin that feels doable.

That might mean trying the adapted version first. It might mean smaller steps. It might mean letting support stay part of the experience instead of treating it like something to get past as fast as possible. For a lot of kids, that support is what helps things feel possible in the first place.

And that really matters.

Supporters can make such a big difference here. You can help make the first step feel less overwhelming. You can notice what helps, not just what looks hard. You can stay patient when the pace is slower than expected. And you can remember that trying counts too, even when it doesn’t end up becoming their thing.

A child does not have to start in the usual place for the experience to matter. Sometimes the win is simply being given a way to try.

Tag someone who’s good at meeting kids where they are.

What You Might Not Know About Autism: sometimes movement is part of the learning, not a barrier to it.A lot of people th...
01/04/2026

What You Might Not Know About Autism: sometimes movement is part of the learning, not a barrier to it.

A lot of people think learning a new skill starts with instruction.

But for some autistic kids, it starts earlier than that. It starts with whether their body feels safe enough, steady enough, and supported enough to even try.

That’s one reason adaptive programs can matter so much.

Sometimes the support is not “extra.” It is the bridge.

A child may need help with balance before confidence can grow. They may need movement before they can stay engaged. They may need their body to feel organized before a new skill has any real chance of sticking.

That does not mean they are behind.
It does not mean they are not trying.
And it definitely does not mean the support is somehow less meaningful.

It means learning is not just happening in the mind. The body is part of it too.

That is something I think more people should understand about autism in general. Progress does not always start with pushing harder. Sometimes it starts with the right kind of support.

And even when a skill does not become a long-term favorite, the experience can still matter. A child can still build confidence, try something new, and leave with a positive memory instead of pressure.

That counts too.

Recently I shared about Dylan going to a sensory-friendly concert at Swallow Hill and how much he enjoyed it. Then an em...
30/03/2026

Recently I shared about Dylan going to a sensory-friendly concert at Swallow Hill and how much he enjoyed it. Then an email from iCanBike came through, and it brought back this memory.

We signed Dylan up for iCanBike when he was in elementary school. Kent, who runs the program here, does such a great job creating an opportunity for kids to learn to ride with the right support. This photo is from that week.

The adaptive bikes let kids start where they are, with support behind them, and work up step by step. Kent also helped us buy an adaptive bike from another family in the program so we could keep practicing at home. We really gave it a shot, but biking just never really became Dylan’s thing.

Even so, I’ve always been thankful for the program. Later, when it was clear we weren’t going to keep using the bike, I reached back out and re-donated it so another child could have that chance too.

Not every opportunity becomes a long-term fit for your child, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Some things still bring joy, build confidence, and end up helping another family next.

I’m really thankful for Kent and all the volunteers who keep this going every year. Sometimes one of the best things we can do is pass along good works.

If you know about something like this in your area, send it to a family. You never know what door it might open. And if you're in Denver, iCanBike is worth checking out.

https://www.cyclemovement.bike/

Sometimes support looks like sharing the right opportunity at the right time.Recently, Dylan and I went to another senso...
20/03/2026

Sometimes support looks like sharing the right opportunity at the right time.

Recently, Dylan and I went to another sensory-friendly concert at Swallow Hill. He loves music, and it was such a good fit for him. Low stress, the perfect length, welcoming musicians, and thoughtful supports in place if anyone needed them.

And while I was there, I had a thought I keep coming back to:

More families should know about things like this.

Because the truth is, a lot of autism families miss out on good opportunities not because they would not love them… but because they never hear about them.

That is where supporters can make a real difference.

If you come across a sensory-friendly concert, movie, museum hour, camp, or event, do not just scroll past it.

Send it to someone.

Post it in a parent group.

Share the details that matter:

how long it is

what the environment is like

whether there is a quiet space

whether families can step out if needed

whether it feels low pressure and welcoming

Those details can be the difference between “maybe someday” and “we can actually do this.”

You do not have to organize the event.
You do not have to have all the answers.
Sometimes helping is as simple as helping the right information reach the right family.

Small actions open big doors.

What You Might Not Know About Autism: sensory-friendly events are about more than avoiding overwhelm.A lot of people hea...
18/03/2026

What You Might Not Know About Autism: sensory-friendly events are about more than avoiding overwhelm.

A lot of people hear “sensory-friendly” and think it just means making a space easier for someone to tolerate.

But for many autistic kids, it can mean something much bigger than that.

It can mean finally getting a real chance to enjoy something they already love.

That matters.

Here are a few things supporters might not realize:

• The environment changes everything.
A shorter event, lower pressure, and a calmer setup can make it possible for a child to actually settle in and participate.

• Predictability helps the nervous system relax.
When families know what to expect — how long it will last, where to go, what supports are available — it takes away a huge layer of stress.

• Support does not have to be used to matter.
Just knowing there is a quiet room nearby or fidgets available can make a space feel safer from the start.

• These events are not “less than.”
They are not watered-down experiences. They are thoughtful experiences that make room for more people to be included.

• Access creates joy.
The goal is not just to prevent a hard moment. It is to make room for real connection, comfort, and enjoyment.

That is why sensory-friendly events matter so much.

They do not just help families “get through” something.

They help kids be part of something.

And when you hear about one, sharing it with another family might seem small… but it can open the door to a moment they otherwise would have missed.

Dylan LOVES music.Honestly, he almost always has music playing on his iPhone at any given second. So when we get opportu...
16/03/2026

Dylan LOVES music.

Honestly, he almost always has music playing on his iPhone at any given second. So when we get opportunities to go to a sensory-friendly concert, it feels like a really big win.

Recently, we went to another sensory-friendly morning concert at Swallow Hill, and Dylan was so excited to go. I really think he remembered the last one.

And from the moment we got there, the whole thing just felt… doable.

It was only an hour, which was perfect. We got there without stress, the concert started on time, ended on time, and the setup was simple. Just a singer and an acoustic guitar player. Calm, welcoming, and not overwhelming.

They also had fidget toys available and made sure families knew there was a room nearby if anyone needed a break.

We didn’t end up needing it, but just knowing it was there mattered.

And the best part was getting to watch Dylan enjoy something he truly loves in a place where I could worry less about him “disrupting” the experience.

That kind of opportunity means a lot.

I did leave feeling one other thing too, though: I wish more families knew about events like this.

Because moments like these should not be something families only find by accident.

If you ever come across a sensory-friendly concert, event, or experience in your community, share it. Post it. Text another parent. Mention it to someone who might need it.

Sometimes being supportive looks like helping the right opportunity reach the right family.

Access makes joy possible.

Small, steady kindness matters.If you know an autism family, outings can be a gamble. Not because we don’t want to go… b...
27/02/2026

Small, steady kindness matters.

If you know an autism family, outings can be a gamble. Not because we don’t want to go… but because the “wrong version” of an outing can turn into 10 minutes of overwhelm and a big price tag.

So here are 5 real ways supporters can help make adventures actually work:

Help us find the calm version.
Look up the sensory-friendly option or the quietest time window and send it to us. One message like “Try Sunday at 8:30, it’s calmer” is gold.

Be the crowd buffer.
Offer to come along and handle the lines, parking, wristbands, tickets, or asking staff questions so the parent can stay focused on the kid.

Give us an exit plan that feels normal.
Say this: “If it’s too much, we can leave anytime. No pressure.”
That one sentence lowers the whole moment.

Make the retry easier.
If you can, gift a ticket, parking, or a small membership contribution. Retrying is hard when it feels like paying to test a theory.

Create a sibling win too.
If there’s a sibling (like Abby), offer a separate 1:1 moment sometime that week. Even a smoothie date helps them feel seen when family outings get shortened.

Here’s the truth: a lot of parents don’t need a big gesture.
We need someone who helps us turn “We can’t risk it” into “Let’s try again, but smarter.”

Tag a supporter who shows up like this.
Or be that person for someone you know.

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