Posts Tagged ‘autism child’
We Can’t Be Scared Anymore
I remember years ago, when my son was first diagnosed with autism, a mother of a child with needs saying to me… ‘I have five children in total, one with autism. My husband works nights and weekends and I need to be able to go to the grocery store with my kids. I don’t have a choice.’ I remember being so frustrated with her, me, life, everything. Our world was shrinking quickly. The places we could actually go dwindling. My son was unable to sit. Or wait. He couldn’t handle…
Read MoreYou are My Best Teacher
Cooper, Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Our tenth one together. And while traditionally the child would be saying nice things about the mom, I’m switching it around this year. Because yesterday I had the most amazing realization. And while I’ve known for a while, yesterday it truly sunk in. You, my son, have taught me more than any other person on this earth. You’ve taught me to see…really see. You’ve taught me to listen…not just hear. And you’ve taught me the importance of getting off the beaten path…
Read MoreFacing My Fears
Yesterday I visited my dad in a nursing home. It’s funny how our mind and our heart can play tricks on us. Meaning, I understood he was in there, but I couldn’t really believe it. Even as I type the words ‘nursing home’ I have the urge to erase them. It was also his birthday. 79 years young I told him. As I drove the nearly three-hour drive alone to visit him, I tried to prepare myself for what I was going to see and feel. Would he be the…
Read MoreA Lesson We All Need to Learn
I’m at this point in my life, silly as it may sound, where I try to figure out the lesson when things happen. What did I learn from this? How can I do better next time? Can I help in anyway? And so on. This morning I woke up to an adult woman making fun of my son’s haircut. Which is strange. I mean, she’s an adult. A mother. She can type and speak. My son is ten. The comment didn’t need to be shared. It was not necessary. What…
Read MoreAn Amazing Gift
See that man on the left there? He stopped by our home today to do business with Cooper’s dad. When he walked in…Cooper gasped. And pointed. And waved. Now knowing my sweet boy, I know that he will continue to wave until said person waves back. Sometimes, people don’t notice him because he is unable to speak. Or they are busy. Or they get uncomfortable by the bigger ten year old boy waving so intently. I’ve seen it all. So, I often gently say…‘this is Cooper and he is autistic.…
Read MoreThis Time Was Different, But Not Really
I have a terrible memory, but I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was a 23-year-old single mom. I was recently divorced, working 3 jobs, and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. With one look, anyone would have seen that I was ready to break at any moment. The doctor could see it too, I could tell. I could tell by the way she tip-toed around the subject, like she just knew I needed a bit of hand holding. I could tell by the way she…
Read MoreA Story That Changed My Life
A few weeks ago I had the honor of chatting with Peri of Not Raingirl. Peri is one of my most favorite humans on this earth. She is also an autism self advocate. She was diagnosed as a young girl and now shares her memories, learnings, and feelings with the world. Essentially, she is a guidepost for parents who want to listen and learn. When we spoke last, she told me a story that changed my life as a mother to an autistic child. In the story, she was referencing…
Read MoreOur Family was Complete
My son was born on July 31st, 2015 along with his twin sister Aria. They were perfect and they were mine! It was one of the happiest days of my life. I waited so long to become a mother. Me and my husband had many losses until this pregnancy. I had never felt such joy and happiness. The feeling was incredible. I never realized I could love a person this much until this day. I couldn’t help but think of our future and how bright it would be with these…
Read MoreThe Best Birthday Gift
This morning I walked downstairs to my sweet boy sitting on the couch, surrounded by his treasures. He waved. It was quick though. He was very busy watching his shows. He takes his show watching very serious. Especially on weekend mornings. ‘Cooper, it’s mom’s birthday today!’ I said. Now I don’t know what I expected. Not words of course. But a cheer. A smile. A gasp. But nothing. He looked back down. It stung. Like a tiny bee sting or a poke in the side. But the pain is duller…
Read MoreA Magical Place
When my son was diagnosed with autism at age three, I felt like I couldn’t reach him. I felt like he had this world, a secret one that I couldn’t enter. Some days I even felt like I would lose him to it. As if I was fighting to keep him here with me. I was scared of his world. It confused me. It worried me. Some days I felt like I should try and save him from it. He would laugh and cry and feel things that I couldn’t…
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