A Love that People Dream Of

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Last night, Sawyer had a tough time. He was overtired and overstimulated and the day just got too long for him. Christmas can be hard for little ones.

When he gets like that, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Instead of going to bed, he sat angrily in his room and yelled at anyone who dared to enter.

It’s best to just let him cool off.

Cooper was so confused as to why his brother wasn’t coming to bed with him though. He doesn’t understand Sawyer’s complicated emotions sometimes.

See, Cooper is either happy or mad. He’s a simple guy like his dad when it comes to emotion. And Sawyer, he’s a bit more complicated like his old mom.

Cooper stood outside his brother’s door, repeating his name in his own way, trying to persuade Sawyer to come sleep with him. He patted his own chest. He pointed to his room.

No luck. I heard a ‘GO AWAY Cooper!’

When I returned to each of their rooms to tuck them in, I found them like this, sound asleep and spooning in the bottom bunk of Sawyer’s room. It was so sweet.

I would give anything to know how this came to be.

Did Cooper go in after Sawyer fell asleep? I doubt it.

Did Cooper go in and use his nonverbal persuasion skills to convince Sawyer to let him in? Most likely yes.

Cooper has no words. He can’t ask him verbally what is wrong or tell him it will be alright. What he can do is smile. And point. And hug. And clumsily climb into the twin bed next to his brother.

It must have worked.

At 11 and 8, these two have never had a conversation. Not traditionally at least. They’ve never played catch or rode bikes together.

Much of the day they are strangers.

But at night, they are inseparable.

This is the love that people dream of.

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.

 

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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