With Jeremiah rapidly approaching his 18th birthday, we have been seeking legal information on guardianship, transferring him from his pediatrician to an adult doctor, and getting him his Florida ID card. He had one so he could learn to use his debit card when we first opened his checking account, but he was twelve then and the ID expired last year.

Finally got him in for a new one and the timing could not have been more perfect. In July, Florida joined several other states in recognizing those with specific medical diagnoses by placing a designation on the front of their ID cards (and driver's licenses). See the "D" in the lower right of Jerry's ID? That stands for developmentally disabled.

Why is this important? Well, as an adult soon, there may be times when Jeremiah is not with us, practicing his independence. Were he ever questioned by authority, because of his lack of eye contact, communication, and social skills, he may appear rude, non-compliant, or even under the influence. Upon checking his identification, an officer or other authority would see that he is developmentally disabled and contact his next of kin, which is currently me on file with the DMV.

​I love that they are doing this. It just gives me peace of mind. You can visit this site for more information or to find the application that a doctor needs to fill out and sign to obtain this designation on yours or a loved one's ID/license.

We love this watch! This is a visual schedule watch that you can program through an app on your phone, sync, and then pictures will pop up and the watch will vibrate on the child's wrist to let them know it is time to do something.

I have lunch and bathroom breaks at Jerry's school scheduled, as well as chores and self-care skills that he needs to do at home. It's great because Jerry doesn't need to read to use the watch. The pictures are pretty basic, but you can pay for more detailed photos or the option to upload and use your own. You can add as many tasks as you want, including the times of each class at school to help them transition better.

It's great for learning and keeping routines. It fosters independence and responsibility and even tracks physical activity. At the end of the day we just put it on the charging base and let it charge until the next morning. It has become a part of Jeremiah's morning routine to put the watch one when he gets dressed everyday.

The watch is for ages 3 and up, but we did find the band a bit small for Jerry's wrist. Thankfully, we have a friend at church who makes leather bracelets and commissioned him to make a new band for the watch that would not cover the charging link on the back so it would still be able to connect to the charging station. He also put these great name plates on either side in case Jeremiah ever lost or misplaced the watch so it would hopefully be returned. The band snaps closed.

Love this new technology for our kiddos!

Ok, so you are probably thinking it's some state-of-the-art techy calculator, or maybe a durable pair of sneakers. Nope. Brace yourselves. It's a lunchbox. Say what? Not just any lunchbox mind you. But let me start with why a lunchbox is so important in our house.

Jeremiah suffers from hangry often. He is triggered by hunger and thirst in ways that make Dracula look like an innocent bystander at an all-you-can-drink blood bank. Seriously. Before anyone knows why he is behaving the way he is, he has lost his gold star day and temper and then it's all downhill from there. I wish I was exaggerating. And he eats a lot! This is a good thing considering two years ago he was 60 pounds and not eating at all with a G-tube, so hear me when I say that I am not complaining. But let's face it, six hours is a long time to be away from a refrigerator or pantry when you are a teenage boy.

So a lunchbox is supremely important in our house. And I believe we have found the best one on the market for the money. And there were tons out there to sift through too. Dear Lord, just search lunchbox on Amazon and be prepared to scroll for thrity minutes or more. Michaela agreed with our choice and bought herself one when she graduated college and started working 10-hour shifts.

What's so great about it? Well, besides the fact that it's under $20, it's a rectangle! What's with most lunch bags with the oval bottom. Tupperware is square people! Leftovers don't fit in the bottoms of those bags without turning them sideways and risking them spilling, or worse yet, risking your peas running into your chicken and your green beans touching your mashed potatoes. Heavens no! LOL!

Second, it has a secret insulated compartment in the lid, a pouch on the front, and a netting pouch on the back...lots of room. And you can use the adjustable strap (that's not made for only vertically challenged people), or you can remove the strap and carry it by the handle on top.

Then there is this zippered pouch between the top and bottom compartments that holds the ice packs so your napkin or sandwich doesn't get soggy.

But the best part is how big the bag itself is without Jerry looking like he is carrying travel luggage to school. Here are the before and after pictures of packing his lunch inside.

If you can't tell how much I packed in there, here is what all is inside.

And if we hadn't been out of mini cans of soda, cheese sticks, and yogurts, those would be in there too! LOL! By the way, I know this looks like a lot of food, but Jerry doesn't eat breakfast before he leaves in the morning and so they let him snack when he gets hungry around 10 am. Then lunch is at noon and more snacking usually happens around 1:30! And he gets so thirsty! I pack him a mini can of soda, a 16-ounce bottle of Crystal Light, a 12-ounce greet tea, and a Capri Sun (or two). And it all fits in this bag with his lunch and snacks!

Best of all (I know I said that before), it's washable. I probably washed this bag every other week last school year. Jerry just throws his dirty utensils back in the bag when he is done or doesn't close his half-eaten bag of chips before throwing them inside and zipping the bag shut. It's always an adventure cleaning out his lunchbag after school (queue Psycho movie music).

It was the perfect bag for him starting high school. While he is not opposed to character lunchboxes and still likes Paw Patrol and Scooby Doo, this lunch bag is for big kids. It also comes in 8 different colors. Micky got a purple one.

​Anyway, that's my idea of the best back-to-school supply this year.