Inside every photo is a story. You may not see it right away. At first you might observe the shimmering water and the way it meets the shoreline. You admire the color of the clouds overhead. From there, you notice the boy. A young man, really. He stands tall. His shoulders are squared. His silhouette […]
For the last twelve years, we’ve had a piece of paper taped to the bathroom wall. It’s a visual schedule. It lists out all the things my son Jack needed to do in the morning—brush his teeth, eat breakfast, get on the bus. We made it when he started kindergarten. I remember sitting at my […]
My son Jack. My husband Joe. I took this picture of them over the weekend. If I viewed it through a stranger’s eyes, I might believe it is nothing more than an 18-year old boy sitting next to his father. Both are relaxed. Happy. Yet there is so much this picture doesn’t say. Jack never walked. […]
Oh, excuse me, I’m sorry. He has autism. Well, that doesn’t mean he gets to go ahead of us! He has to wait his turn. The line was long. Most of the kids were waiting patiently. Sure, there was the occasional fidget and whine about how much longer it would take to see Santa, but […]
{ Editor’s note: I wrote this post after many conversations with my son Jack about receiving presents. } My favorite present I ever got was a frying pan. It was non-stick with a blue handle. I love the holidays. I love taking out all the decorations and putting them in the same spots from last year. […]
“Don’t be a helicopter mom!” she said brightly. “You want him to function on his own, don’t you?” I looked up from my credit card receipt. I had just ordered a new pair of glasses for my son Jack. I am not a Helicopter Mom. I am a Forever Mother. A Forever Mother will spend […]
Listen, the holidays can be hard on a marriage. On top of jobs and taxes and kid stuff like math facts and teacher conferences, there’s wrapping paper. For years, I raced around searching for wrapping paper. I sat in our basement, surrounded by scissors and tape, and alternated between Santa patterns. Then we have wreaths. […]
{ This essay was posted with teenage permission. } Season’s greetings, friends and family! I’m happy to report that 2022 has been a great year. My husband Joe and I are well, and all five kids are happy and healthy. Our two oldest sons are in college. They came home for Thanksgiving. If there’s anything that’s been […]
Editor’s note: I wrote this post based on some conversations with my son Jack. Hello. This is Jack. My mother said we are going to your house for a holiday party this year. I have autism. My autism means I like my schedule very, very much. I like to wrap myself in routine like a soft, cozy […]
My son Jack has autism. It impacts the way he eats, sleeps, moves, talks, and thinks. He is considered special-needs, because his needs are special. He needs to jump and hope to quiet the imaginary ants that race along his limbs all day. He needs medicine to cope with his overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety. He needs […]