When Autism and Christmas Magic Meet
I have never met a person who loves Christmas more than my oldest son Cooper.
So much so that he has been asking to put up a Christmas tree for well over a month now.
I managed to hold him off until today.
SSS-NNN-OOO-W.
Cooper doesn’t have a lot of words. He is technically nonspeaking.
I would say he has 20 or so words. 5 that he uses consistently. And maybe 2 or 3 that you would understand.
His favorite way to communicate is by typing.
He sends me lots of messages on his cell phone.
His focus right now…
Christmas.
While I was decorating the tree in our living room, and trying to keep my overly excited daughter from breaking ornaments, Cooper snuck downstairs and brought a box up to his room.
He set up a little tree.
And a few ornaments.
He did it all by himself.
And then reminded me that we have six more trees to put up.
You might be surprised to know that he didn’t acknowledge Christmas until he was close to 8 years old. His presents would sit unopened under the tree.
Not anymore. He wants 20 this year. And family. And decorations and a party and cookies.
His love for Christmas is sort of the best thing ever.
Autism has a way of changing plans. And timelines too. As well as expectations.
It sort of strips everything bare I guess. And what remains feels precious.
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.
