I have a boy named Jack. He is sixteen. He has autism. Autism is no one’s fault. It simply is. I mean, sometimes I like to say it’s my husband’s fault because of bad genetics and DNA and all of that. I’m certain this sort of accusation only serves to strengthen our marriage. Autism is […]
My son Jack has autism. He is sixteen. Autism is defined as a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. It is said people with autism lack empathy. It is said they have trouble making eye contact. It is said. Sometimes I wonder what it would be […]
When our family walks into a restaurant, people have been known to put down their forks, and watch us troop by them. Diners have also been known to request a different table once we sit down near them, but that’s another story altogether. When I see—and feel—their eyes on us, I wonder what they notice […]
Imagine if, for one day, you had no ego. Your self worth wasn’t based on how much money you make, or how many trophies you’ve collected, or if you’re pretty or thin or funny. Imagine everywhere you go, people stare at you. The mall, the grocery store, the library, restaurants. People stare at the way […]
My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son Jack has autism. Although he is a teenager, Jack is somewhat naïve, and innocent. His pleasures are simple—going to the movies, popcorn on a Friday night, dinner together at the table. When it comes to autism, the weekends can be long. This is […]
Today, I will remember my son did not ask for autism, any more than he asked for light brown hair or a lazy eye. If we have a rough morning and he says a swear word because he can’t get the lid off the peanut butter, I won’t get mad. I won’t grit my teeth […]
Did I tell you my son has autism? It’s usually one of the first things I mention, not because I want you to feel bad for him, or for us. I tell you about my him so you’ll know right away I don’t want to talk about nonsense. I don’t want to know about the […]
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have a son with autism. His name is Jack. He is almost fifteen years old. He has blue eyes. In case you were wondering, he is not a savant. He does not possess some exceptional skill in math. He doesn’t swirl colorful blobs of paint into masterpieces, and he’s […]
Hello. I have been thinking about you lately. We’ve never met. You live in West Virginia, and I live in New Hampshire. I have five kids. My second son, Jack, has autism. Jack told me West Virginia and New Hampshire are exactly five hundred and forty-six miles apart. He knows stuff like this. I bet […]
Can I tell you a secret? It’s a little embarrassing, to be honest. We always thought our son Jack would recover from autism. We thought he would “get over it,” or heal, or just morph into a regular old kid who likes to toss a baseball around and fly kites on windy days. For years, […]