The Six Foot Trick-or-Treater
Hello! My name is Eileen and I blog over at Autism with a Side of Fries. This is my 16 year old autistic son.
He still very much likes to Trick Or Treat. He plans on once again being a Hot Dog for Halloween. (With the addition of a mask, of course.)
Locals know to expect this Hot Dog (Three years running! We’re really getting our money’s worth from this costume.) to come flappy happy up the driveway.
There is no age limit on enjoying a holiday.
There is no age limit on getting a treat.
It’s one day a year. Don’t be judgmental because you think he or anyone else is “Too old”.
I’m pretty sure you might do a double take when you see him or anyone you think is “too old” for trick or treating. Guess what? He’s not. They’re not.
Halloween is one day in the year and to a teenager like my son, it’s an exciting event he’s been looking forward to very much. Let’s face it, we haven’t had too many of them this year.
You see, we had to really work at Halloween. It was a team approach.
A speech therapist helped him with learning how to say “Trick or Treat” and “Thank you”.
An occupational therapist worked on holding open and then closing his treat bag.
A physical therapist taught him how to navigate stairs and Dad taught him you only ring the doorbell ONCE and you don’t walk into their houses even though you really want to pet their dogs.
He’s become a master Trick Or Treater over the years.
To a teenager like my son, holidays and what we consider the fuss around them are just magical. I see parents of neurotypical kids get sad when their children no longer want to participate in the magic.
This is where we are lucky. We never lose that magic.
So, when you see a nearly 6 foot hot dog happy flappy on your doorstep, don’t be a jerk and refuse to give a treat or judge us for letting him still do this. It’s one day. You don’t need to be stingy with your Snickers.
Embrace the magic a little longer in your heart. You’ll be glad you did.
Written by, Eileen “Mama Fry” Shaklee
Autism is a trip I didn’t plan on, but I sure do love my tour guide. It’s better to laugh than to cry, mainly because I got distracted by the free samples at Costco and forgot to buy tissues. So, come join this one mom’s adventure with a side of sarcasm (and fries) on my blog, Autism With a Side of Fries or on Facebook and Twitter.
Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.
