Keep in mind that I never speak for everyone. Everyone is different and would say things differently. What would you say to someone about autism? Feel free to share. Here are five things that someone with autism would want you to know about autism.

• “I can help you. Can you help me?”

A lot of people with autism, myself included, welcome any kind of help. Sometimes they say they don’t need help but in reality, they truly do. Why refuse help? Most likely because of the fear of being embarrassed and asking for assistance can be a sign of weakness; Not true by the way. Everyone asks for help every so often; Even the smartest people on Earth ask for help. It’s okay to ask the person with autism if he or she needs any help. It is the job of that person with autism to say yes and receive the offer for help. Once there is that connection, breakthroughs are bound to happen. People can help others who have autism and it can be the other way around. Those...

This was my most challenging speaking engagement yet! No one has asked me to speak at a school graduation ceremony until recently; Other speaking engagements I have done were about giving information relating to autism, but this was a GRADUATION speech I had to give, and that was scary! Before I took my seat on the front row, I said: “I want my mom.” My dad was with me, but it was just one of those feelings, ya know.

I think the main reason why I was so terrified, in this particular event, was because it reminded me of the time I graduated high school in 2013, not too long ago. That does not feel very long ago to me, maybe because I know how important graduation is. So we practiced hard on getting the outline right before going up on stage to make the best impression on all of those graduates since it can only be done once. 

Before graduation, Dad and I had the privilege to check out the school . Gateway Academy. Out of all of the schools I have been in, this one...

The Muckleshoot Tribe.

It was November in 2016, way before I perfected my signature when signing books; We were invited to a community gathering from the tribe. Me, and my parents were with me and I was fully ready for this engagement. In its own way, this felt very personal.

For a very long time, I have always been fascinated with the native tribes of the nation. In elementary school, I would go to the library and learn more about the different cultures in the many tribes all around the country. Navajo, Apache, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Comanche, Cree, Seminole, Nootka, Klamath; all of them outstanding! I remember when I was very little, I was so extremely bummed out realizing I did not have any native blood; It is all European descent for me. There are ninety six tribes here in Washington state, and one of the tribes is Muckleshoot. Only tribes I was familiar with in the state were Spokane, Snoqualmie, and Muckleshoot; And I was fortunate and grateful to be reached out by Muckleshoot....

You are probably reading this on a computer.

I love the machine! About time I said it after twenty years. Try not to let it dominate me even though I may have let it control me after a twelve hour marathon of a favorite computer game of mine. Red eyes and a grande coconut cappuccino the next day.

Though it is true, I can be on the computer for days; For instance, I tend to enjoy producing videos on my personal channel that are not work related and spent the whole month doing masking work for a video project; But that’s not important. What is important is understanding why computers work. Here are my personal reasons.

• Fidget for the eyes
• Mentally challenging
• No physical challenge
• Colors on the screen
• Certain sounds are heard that can be fidgets to the ears
• A “recharge station”
• A creative outlook
• Typing on the keyboard is like a fidget

I learned how to type at a very early age. We used to play computer games that made typing fun. Practiced hard to go...

How do you do? My name is Tyler McNamer.

The long awaited sequel to Population: ONE is available to purchase!

Becoming ONE

Adolescence was one of the most difficult times in my life, becoming a young adult was even harder. I had to come to terms with being different, learn how I could use my differences to find my place in the world, then find and maintain relationships that would accept and support me. 

Professionals told me I would not live independently. Those limiting beliefs affected me deeply.  Thankfully with help of my parents, mentors, therapists, and friends, I now have the ability to live on my own.

My training for adulthood started in middle school. If you would like to help your child make the shift into young adulthood, now it the time to prepare.  The work you do now will have a profound effect on their future. 

Your child with autism has a tremendous gift to give.  They...

I was taught to keep my hands to myself when I was very little; This post isn’t about human interactions, it is about what I would like to call: Environmental Interaction.

One of my favorite things to do is to touch things and explore things by feeling them. Sounds strange, I know, and I get called out for it a bunch of times getting different impressions on whatever I do; Especially when it comes to this topic. Why did I enjoy touch? Why did I enjoy the tiniest of touches? This is why.

Exploration has always been one of my favorite things. All a part of the adventure. When I was little, I would literally lie down on the grass and softly feel the blades by the smallest of touches. The only thing that I can hear is the small gusts of wind, the small sudden chirps of birds, and the sound of insects flying around. Just wanted to have my moment with the grass. Why did I do this? It was because of things.

• Shut everything off for a moment
• Escape to my own world for at least one...

Have you ever wondered if your child is trying to figure out why you do the odd things you do?  Or perhaps why you can't do the extraordinary things they are able to do?  Watch this video blog for a fathers perspective.

Nighttime

Want to know one of my favorite times of day? Nighttime. Here is why.

The daytime is very nice too. Bright lights, sunshine, and it’s very warm most days during the summer. Nighttime however is something special. Time to go way back and understand the benefits of nighttime.

Everyone has their own experiences relating to the topic, here is how I see it in the experience of nighttime.

• Dark
• Stars
• Quiet
• Crickets
• City Lights
• Crashing Waves

We lived on this island; several miles away from the city of Seattle. Though far away, we can still see the space needle from the shore. When I was a toddler, my mom would take me on a small joyride in her car and we would go by the shore of the island and look at the city at night. That would be the last thing I want to see before falling asleep. Worked every time when I needed to sleep. Just a trip to look at the city lights and all lights will be out; falling asleep and not wanting to open my eyes until morning. Next to the visual...

I hated getting on the bus.

I LOVE going on the bus!

Little bit of elementary lesson there about past tense and present tense. Class dismissed!

The school bus is a humongous breakthrough for me. Perhaps the bus can be yours too. Here is how the bus system works in the topic of autism.

I had to go to school. Being dropped off by my parents was not much of an option back then. Off to the bus whether I liked it or otherwise.

It would be easy to say something on the lines of:

• "I got used to the bus after a few hundred times of riding it."

True, many things become much better over time, but there is a bit more to it than just time. You see, I didn't take the BIG bus to go to school, I took a much smaller bus going to school. A bus so small it can carry around ten students at a time. We call it: The Little Bus. That little bus was not so noisy; Only about four students that ride it including me, and it would always be a quiet ride the whole way to the school and back home.

I...

Watching paint dry.

It is a very common activity to think about when a boring activity comes to thought. Who'd want to sit there and watch paint dry?

I DO!

Probably not today, but as a toddler, I would totally be into something like that.

HERE IS WHY.

Not just about the paint drying that is the topic. Other subjects that fit the boring category.

• Boring movies.
• Boring games.
• Boring video games.
• Boring cartoons.
• Boring colors.
• Boring music.

Examples of many boring things in the topic. This all can do some incredibly good things in the topic of autism, and I will share with you why that is.

The entire world excites me! Full of action packed adventures all over the place. I would not be going on buses and letting them take me to somewhere new if I did not start with the boring. Here is how I see it.

• Before you go over ninety on the open highway, you must first spend the first months admiring the tires.
• Before taking the exciting chances at poker, you must first familiarize with the...