“No parent chooses their kids’ song. Kids aren’t like a jukebox. As long as we can find music our children love, we must be doing something right.”
‘What if I can’t help people learn Kit’s song? Do I know his song? Does he?’ Then it dawned on me. I’m not the composer of his masterpiece. He is.’: Mom to son with autism says ‘his world is beautiful’
‘What am I doing wrong?’ Our typically fun little boy seemed like a shell of himself. He didn’t like being touched or hugged. I blamed myself.’: Mom shares son’s autism diagnosis journey
“I always knew my son was different. He fixated on things that seemed odd. The way a hairbrush felt, tags on his clothes, the sound the dog’s collar made when he scratched it a certain way. I didn’t feel like I was doing a good job as his mom.”
‘In my day, they didn’t have all this autism and ADHD stuff.’ I wasn’t sure how they’d react to the news. It wasn’t something they grew up with.’: Mom to daughter with autism worries about ‘generational gap’ with grandparents, ‘You’re never too old to be educated’
“I braced myself for what I thought would be a skeptical, potentially offensive reaction from them. They were shocked and concerned, as I expected.”
‘My daughter went to the toilet today. On her own. She’s 4. They WILL get there in their OWN time.’: Mom to daughter with autism urges ‘you’re doing GREAT’
“She woke up today and decided she was content to wear underwear and go to the toilet. It was that easy. Actually, it wasn’t easy; that’s why I’m telling you.”
‘Have you considered putting her on medication?’ I was taken aback. When glass started breaking, I knew it was time for help.’: Mom shares daughter’s journey with autism, ‘I’m so proud of her’
“I felt terrible. ‘Is my child so bad that her teacher would suggest such a thing?’ I used to be a mom that didn’t believe in medication. My outlook completely changed with Covid hit.”
‘He tells his therapist, ‘You’re my best friend!’ I wish I could tell my past self, ‘Don’t worry. He’s going to be okay.’: Mom shares son’s journey with ADHD, autism, ‘He amazes us every day’
“It was as if his motor was running ALL the time. He ran when he should walk, climbed when he should sit, and jumped when he should stand.”
‘My son NEEDS an evaluation!’ I knew it was coming, but it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I had no idea what to think.’: Mom shares son’s Autism journey, ‘There’s no other life I’d want’
“I began to see differences in him. Ronin was banging his head against the floor and pulling my hair out by the handful during his meltdowns. Doing nothing didn’t seem right.”
‘Will he live a normal life?’ There was silence. All I could think of were the things he WOULDN’T be able to do.’: Autism mom shares son’s diagnosis journey, ‘It is NOT an illness’
“At his 18-month appointment, the red flags were noted. He still had no words. ‘This is it. The life I thought I was going to have is over.’ Would he ever speak? Would he have the life I dreamed of him having?”
‘You’re hired!’ His face lit up. My boy was smiling. He cannot read social cues and gets easily overwhelmed. He has no restaurant experience. But they gave him a chance.’: Mom thanks restaurant for hiring son with autism, ‘There are still good people’
“‘We’ve never hired someone like this before, but we’re willing to give it a try!’ For 2 years now, my son has wanted a job. This probably seems pretty normal. Except he isn’t an ordinary teenager. He is a teenager with autism.”
‘He looks directly into my eyes, and behind his gaze, I see everything he can’t yet say. No amount of syllables strung together could ever recreate that magic.’: Mom to nonverbal son with autism gushes ‘our love will never need words’
“I don’t need words to catch the joy dancing behind Mason’s eyes when he sees me enter a room. I don’t need his voice to tell me he loves me when his warm embrace wraps around my neck. Our love has not, and never will, need words.”
