🪺Glimmer Nest: From Stories to Solutions
What's Next Here...
I've been reflecting today while working alongside my son (something I do whenever possible these days), looking back at all the conversations we've shared here at Glimmer Nest, and I'm honestly a little amazed at what's happened, especially in my messages.
When I started writing these newsletters, I thought I'd share some stories about the messy, beautiful reality of working from home while raising my autistic teenager. Maybe offer some thoughts on finding glimmers of hope when everything feels overwhelming. I wasn't sure anyone would want to read about supporting a teen through depression while exploring new paths forward, or the challenge of maintaining professional identity when your days are shaped by your child's needs.
But here we are, and wow—you've shown up in ways I never expected.
The Magic of Finding Your People
You've shared your own stories in the comments. You've sent messages saying, "I thought I was the only one who felt this way." You've asked for practical advice alongside the reflective pieces. Looking back, I see the threads that keep weaving through our conversations:
The search for real connection when traditional communities don't quite fit our reality. Whether it's those micro-connections that sustain us through hard days or the bridges we build across distance, we keep coming back to this fundamental truth: we need each other.
The complexity of professional life when your child might need you in the middle of a client call, or when your work happens alongside supporting a child through mental health challenges that require constant presence and adaptation.
The honest reality of autism parenting—especially when it intersects with depression, exploring new support options, and watching formerly beloved activities like drawing and list-making suddenly become mountains too high to climb.
The quest for practical solutions that actually work for families like ours, gathered from research (my former librarian heart loves this part) and the golden tips shared by communities I’m lucky enough to be a part of, albeit virtually…
And through it all, finding those glimmers—moments of clarity, connection, and hope that remind us we're doing better than we think we are.
Here's What I've Realized
It feels a bit like standing at an open window—I can see the path forward clearly now, and there's this wonderful breeze of possibility coming through. The more we've talked, the more I've understood something important: while you value the reflection and shared experiences (and those will always be here!), some of you are also craving something more. You want actionable strategies. You want resources that honor your unique challenges while helping you build the life and career you're working toward.
And honestly? I'm excited to create them for you, while being completely transparent that I don't have all the answers—hardly! But I do have years of research, lived experience, and access to incredible communities who inspire me all the time.
All those years of finding creative solutions for our family, advocating for our son, building a career around our life constraints, navigating uncharted territory when new challenges arise—that's not just personal experience. That's hard-earned expertise combined with the wisdom of community.
What's Coming Next (And I'm So Excited!)
Here's the thing—I've been working on something that I hope will help many out this summer. Remember how I mentioned the challenge of moving beyond digital devices without fighting your child's natural preferences? Well, I've spent some time creating a comprehensive guide that tackles exactly that.
"Screen Time to Summer Fun: A Guide for Autism Families"* is coming in next week’s issue, and I cannot wait to share it with you.
This isn't another collection of activities that assume your child will happily participate in whatever you suggest. Instead, it's a realistic, sensory-informed, special-interest-honoring collection of strategies for gently expanding options while meeting your child exactly where they are.
But here's the exciting part—this guide represents a new chapter for Glimmer Nest.
Here’s My Plan
I'm launching paid subscriptions with the release of this guide because I want to create something sustainable that can keep growing and serving our community better. Here's how it'll work:
Free content will always exist. The stories, reflections, and community connection that brought us together—these stay freely available because I believe deeply in the power of feeling less alone in this journey.
Comprehensive practical resources will be subscription-based. Detailed guides like the summer one, step-by-step strategies, actionable toolkits, plus access to a growing resource library and future community features.
I'll be creating guides retroactively from some of our past conversations too—turning those deeper explorations into practical resources you can reference whenever you need them.
Why This Feels Right
You know what? I'm a little nervous about this shift, but mostly I'm excited. Creating reflective pieces has felt safer somehow—sharing experiences and trusting they'll resonate. But building practical resources is fulfilling to me. I genuinely miss working on these kinds of projects, so this makes my heart happy.
And every strategy I'll be sharing, every guide I create, comes from real-world testing and the collective wisdom of communities who've walked these paths. The summer activities? We've tried most of them in our house, including adaptations for when depression makes starting anything feel impossible. The work-from-home strategies? Born from actual moments of balancing calls with supporting a struggling teen. The resource recommendations? Curated through personal and professional experience, years of research and community sharing.
Next Week
Keep an eye out for that summer guide—I'm putting the finishing touches on it now, and it's going to include everything from sensory-seeking activities to gentle social connection ideas to building independence through purposeful fun. This will be my first comprehensive paid guide, and I'm excited to show you the level of detail and practical value I'm creating for our community. If you're interested in accessing this guide and future resources, paid subscriptions will be available starting next week! I’d be honored to have you as a paid subscriber.
What Doesn't Change
The heart of Glimmer Nest remains the same. I’m still about finding light in challenging moments, building authentic connections, and honoring the beautiful complexity of our lives. I'm just adding more tools I hope will help!
Thank You!
Thank you for reading, for sharing your stories, for being part of this community we're building together. Your engagement, your trust, and your willingness to be vulnerable have made a huge difference in my life.
The glimmers we've been finding together? They're about to get much brighter, and much more practical too.
I can't wait to share what's coming next.
With so much thanks and excitement,
P.S. What practical challenges are you facing right now that could use some tested, realistic solutions? I'm always gathering ideas for future guides, and your input directly shapes what I create. Join us in the chat and let me know—I read every comment!
*Update: I've expanded this guide to serve special needs families, not just autism families, as I realized these strategies work beautifully for any child needing extra support.
☕ This version of my newsletter will always be freely available with no paywall. If these resources and reflections on balancing career with caregiving have been valuable to you, you can support my continued work by buying me a coffee. Each cup helps create more content for our community of work-from-home parents.
Congratulations on making "Screen Time to Summer Fun: A Guide for Autism Families" available for premium subscribers. Looks like an amazing and needed resource!