“One of my girlfriends called. We’ve been friends for almost 20 years. We sugarcoat nothing. Summer is NOT amazing. And if you ask your kids, it’s BORING. These vacation snapshots are the best 5 minutes of the day. The other 23 hours and 55 minutes are a complete cesspool.”
‘I asked her when vacation starts. ‘In a week. I’m DREADING it. I already lied to my church and said Nicholas was 5 so he could go to Vacation Bible School.’ This warmed my soul.’
‘There’s one season that really brings out my working mom guilt. Hint, hint, it’s the same as swimsuit season.’
“The teachers are counting down, the students are hyping up, the pools are about to open, and everyone’s ready for some good summer fun! Everyone except those of us who don’t get a break. The faint tune of the ice cream truck on a Tuesday afternoon is all the gut-punch it takes to make my eyes swell with tears.”
‘No, not again! I can’t handle another child like this!’ I was angry at people who asked, ‘Are you gonna try again for a ‘normal’ child? I sat in the bathroom, crying.’
‘I was in survivor mode. I wouldn’t let myself feel. I couldn’t be weak; I had to keep going. People asked, ‘When will they grow out of it?’ I remember getting to a point where I thought, ‘This is going to kill me. I need to accept it.'”
‘They said he has no friends and that no one likes him. I have a 13-year-old son with autism. He went to summer camp and was bullied.’
“They called him names said he was dumb. They stole money and a wrist band that allowed him to play paint ball.”
