"How do you do it?" This question is asked of me on an almost daily basis. Raising three sons with autism ensured that my husband and I would have to really understand what autism is, and to learn how to help our boys handle a life that seemed confusing and overwhelming to them. Each day brought another opportunity to learn, to problem-solve, and surprisingly, to rejoice. We have a sign on the wall in our kitchen which says, "Improvise and Overcome." We consider it our family motto!

The challenges of raising multiple children with autism are numerous, but so are the joys. There have been times of stress, times of despair and times of frustration. Choosing therapies, learning the laws of education, handling the general public when we were out in our community were all times of anxiety and stress. So we learned how to help the boys figure out their world. We tried, and tested, every support mechanism we could find. Some worked, and some didn't.

There were also times of extreme humor. You can't live with a person with autism and not find yourself in some significantly funny situations. We learned that it is acceptable, and absolutely necessary, to laugh. Today's crisis is tomorrow's humor.

What makes this book different from all the other autism books? It combines the real-life stories of challenges and successes, with practical ideas for handling daily autism. Our three boys cover the whole spectrum of autism---Asperger Syndrome, High-functioning Autism, and classic Autism. We understand the wide range of needs and challenges and have discovered what helps and what hinders. Ultimately, this book is a balance of practical ideas, interventions, and strategies that seek to inspire and inform all those who are connected to a person with autism.

If we figured it out, you can too!

Alyson Beytien is a popular national and international speaker, parent/teacher trainer and mother of three sons with autism. She specializes in Keynote addresses or workshops for educators, support personnel, medical professionals, caregivers, and families. She is a consultant and trainer for school systems throughout the country on educating individuals with autism.

Alyson has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Special Education and a Master of Education in Autism from the University of Kansas. She is the moderator of a DVD training series, "Family to Family: A Guide to Living Life When a Child is Diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder".

She is also a columnist for the Autism Spectrum Quarterly magazine and host of the web/radio program "Family to Family" on AutismOne.org. In her spare time (is there such a thing?) she quilts, gardens, reads voraciously, and thinks of behavior plans in her sleep!

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