I’m Thankful For You: My Parents
(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Samantha and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.)
This December I would like to honor and thank my Mom and Dad. Without their help with my son I don’t know what I would do or where my family would be.
A little bit about my family…I’m 29 and a single mother of two. My daughter Anissa is nine, absolutely beautiful and hilarious. My son Mason will turn five in December. He is the most handsome and funny little boy ever. He was diagnosed with mild ASD by age three. Of course we knew before but had to wait for that diagnosis.
Having a sibling with autism can be very hard and while it hurts me sometimes for my daughter, I am so proud of the person that she is. She misses out on a lot of things a nine year old girl should get to do. She seldom complains and if by chance she does, she always apologizes to make sure our feelings aren’t hurt.
She talks about her Bubba in such a sweet and protective way. She sometimes says things like, ‘Well if someone did that to my brother I would do this,’ or ‘I don’t want bubba to go to school. I don’t want them to be mean to him.’ While I’m so proud of her and confident in knowing she will protect her brother it also breaks my heart for her. No little girl should have to worry about these things. She’s an amazing big sister!
Mason has Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy services every week. He was and still is sometimes very aggressive. Even when he is happy he is just rough unintentionally and has no concept of safety or danger. He’s often destructive as well. Because of all these reasons he wasn’t able to attend a daycare or preschool. The only special needs school I could find around us that was feasible had a three year waiting list. He will be aged out of by the time his name comes up.
My mother watched Mason from birth up until last year so I could work. Sometimes it was five or six days a week, from 8:30 to 5 or 6 p.m. I know it’s a lot with autism. But she did it. When he had his therapy appointments and I was working she made sure he was there. The end of this last year she had had enough. Autism is hard. Especially with my son. I understand that and we compromised with her watching him twice a week for an hour or two so I could enroll in school and go to class.
I’m so thankful because with out her I wouldn’t have been able to work and provide for my children. She is the only person I can confidently leave my son with and know that he is safe and also that she won’t lose her mind!
My dad is just there. Always. No matter what it is. He is also my son’s most favorite person on this earth. There is not one day that goes by that my son doesn’t ask in his own way to go see his papa, “papa’s today!”. They go on walks, they water the plants and garden, they swing together. Anything papa does Mason does too. It’s so sweet.
My amazing parents give so much of themselves and they continue to do it despite being tired. And I know they don’t do it for the recognition. They do it because I am their daughter and he is their grandson.
They also take Anissa to do things that her brother isn’t able to do so she gets to have fun with Momo and Papa too. We are blessed to have a family like ours. I am blessed with the angels God has trusted me with and so thankful for the back up I have in my mom and dad! They also recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary to them!
Also, I’m thankful for you Kate. I look forward to your posts everyday. And on the bad days I go back and watch old videos of yours that help me get through it. You’re so strong and I know you have impacted so many other lives like mine and my kiddo! Thank you!
You can still nominate the doctors, therapists, teachers, friends and family that make a difference in your special needs world. Click HERE to learn how!
