The other day, my 17-year old son Jack asked me to drop him off at Walgreens so he could buy a couple of things. He planned to use his debit card, and when he was finished, walk across the parking lot to the restaurant where he works. To many, this doesn’t seem like a big […]
Well, hello! Welcome! Sit, please, and take one of our forms. We also have extra pens in case you need one. As you know, we are seeking job applicants for a very special position. First of all, I need to tell you there is no retirement. There is no end date circled on the calendar. No […]
Hey buddy. We met with some people today to talk about your future and stuff. When you were a little boy, we used words like integrated preschool, joint attention, perseverative behavior. Rigidity. Speech therapy. Autism. We worried you’d get lost in the store because you liked to run from us. We were afraid you’d reach […]
[Editor’s note: I wrote this post based on conversations with my son, Jack. He read it over and asked me to tell you that he always has a sandwich after school now, except on Tuesdays. On Tuesdays he likes to have cereal.] My Tell-Tale Heart Hello. I am Jack. I am a teenager. I […]
When it comes to my son Jack and his autism, I wish for a lot of things. I wish I could rid the world of cars that backfire, doors that slam, and people who shout like maniacs for no reason. I realize this isn’t about autism per se, but whenever Jack hears a loud noise […]
Come here, Jack-a-boo. Sit next to me on the couch. You can look through the DVD’s in just a minute. Yes, I know The Mummy is three minutes longer than Cool Runnings. For now, please, sit with me. See, I’ve been thinking lately about promises. You know, like how I promised that we would go […]
We all know what autism is, right? I mean, honestly. What a boring title. Autism is a complex neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction, developmental language, and communication skills, combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors. Other characteristics include low muscle tone, limited eye contact, and anxiety. My son Jack has autism. He’s thirteen. He […]
Lately I’ve been taking a few minutes after my son Jack has a meltdown to sit and talk with him. I want to know more about what it felt like, what set him off, and how maybe next time we can do things differently. Now that he’s thirteen, he can answer me a little better. […]
Today, you walked down our driveway to catch the bus on the first day of school. Watching you climb the steps with your backpack slung casually over one shoulder, it occurred to me that you only have four more first days of school. Oh sure, there will hopefully be first days of college and jobs […]
I remember the very first time I felt like a mother. It wasn’t when I held a slim white stick with two pink lines, or when I saw a teensy little foot flicker on the sonogram screen. It wasn’t when I felt my tummy flutter with kicks, or when I sat, plump and round and […]