The teenage boy stood from his seat and climbed the steps to the stage. Dressed in khaki pants and a plaid shirt, he shook hands easily—with confidence. He stood tall. Watching him, my heart swelled with pride for who he is, and who he may become. At the exact same moment, my mind flashed to […]
I was chatting with a young mom last week. She told me her son had just been diagnosed with autism. She asked if I had any advice to share. I stumbled through a dumb answer about progress and hope and bell curves. Looking back, I wish I’d told her something else entirely. I wished I’d […]
When my son Jack was six years old, he ran right in front of an oil truck. It was early October. The leaves crunched underfoot—a carpet of red and gold fit for royalty. We were passing out flyers for our annual Halloween party, tucking them into mailboxes down our long, winding street. It was one […]
In our house, we chose the dinner table. It wasn’t always easy. With five kids and autism, there was a fair amount of chaos and noise. Arguments over spilled milk, forks dug into the wooden table, sibling rivalry, arguments about peas. When our son Jack was little he got up and circled the table nine […]
“You mean helicopter mom? Let your son grow up and actually become a functioning adult. This is a mom who plans on doing everything for her child. My kids do not “need” me. That is the goal of parenthood.” It probably meant nothing to you—just a few sentences typed into the comment box. I imagine […]
I have landed in a strange world. The people here are very odd. They won’t stop looking in my eyes when they talk to me. They connect their gaze with mine and hold it until I look away. It’s creepy. They touch my arm and ask me many questions. Jack! Buddy! Are you playing basketball this year? I […]
Every time we go to the movies, my son Jack reminds me to remember the credits. He says, “For Mom. Remember the credits.” It’s his way of reminding me he likes to stay for the end. He likes to see the name scroll up the screen—Costume Director, Music Composer, Supporting Cast. From the moment Jack […]
My son Jack was diagnosed with autism in 2005. I didn’t know a single person with autism. I didn’t know anyone who was shuttling their toddlers to speech therapy or sitting through evaluations in small, windowless rooms. Sensory processing disorder was a phrase you might find in a medical textbook, not on a questionnaire for […]
The first time I went to an IEP meeting was in 2006. My son Jack had just been diagnosed with autism. He was barely two years old. I sat in a folding chair. I remember feeling nervous. I wasn’t sure where to put my hands. The room was stuffy. We flipped through the reports. We […]
Hi. My name is Carrie. I am married to a man named Joe and we have five children. Our second son, Jack, is diagnosed with autism. For as long as I can remember, I’ve cooked dinner. I cooked with small kids at my feet and babies on my hip. I stirred tomato sauce while toddlers […]