How do I Change the World for my Son?

Lately, my son has been having some pretty huge wins.

Ginormous actually.

He went down his first waterslide. He laughed and flapped the whole way down.

And then went five more times.

He bowled. All ten frames. I had no idea he even knew what a bowling ball was!

He went to an arcade for the first time. He’s never set foot in one before.

He never melted down. Or bolted. He just wandered ‘closely’ by while his brother played games.

It was amazing.

He went to a sit-down restaurant. And ate off the menu. He sat there the whole time. And we weren’t even rushed to leave.

This was his first trip to a restaurant in years.

He’s starting walking around our neighborhood.

Visiting new parks. Trying out new slides and swings.

Everything I just listed above is monumental.

For 8 long years, our son didn’t enjoy the world. He hated being outside of our house. That’s a fact.

But now, something has changed. And we are ready to show him the world.

I’m researching zoos, waterparks, farms, train depots and the Mall of America. All places he has used his speech device to tell me that he wants to visit.

Life is about doing stuff. And if our son is ready you can bet we are going to do everything we can to bring him.

But, I learned something really important about my son with all of these recent wins.

He can’t wait. And I mean that. He can’t wait in lines. He can’t wait to go down a waterslide. He can’t wait for a ride.

Not yet anyways. Yes, we are working on waiting EVERY SINGLE DAY. And yes, he has had improvements.

But when you add in crowds, noise, lights, new places, etc., waiting is not an option.

And if he has to wait, say at the top of a waterslide platform, he is going to get upset. And, he can’t help it. It’s not his fault. He just can’t wait.

And when he doesn’t know what to do he gets anxious. He gets nervous. He bolts. And cries.

But if we can walk right up, and go, no waiting, he has success.

And because he can’t wait, we’ve realized he’s missed out on a lot of things.

And looking back, I feel like I’ve probably always known this all along.

I feel like I’ve figured out the magic key for him. And sadly, I’m learning, there is not a lot I can do because everything is busy. Everything requires waiting. And lines. I get that.

But I see this glimmer of hope. And I want to change the world for him.

I want to make it so he can be successful. I’ve been making phone calls and sending emails all morning. And of course, it’s always the same thing.

‘We can’t determine when it won’t be busy.’

I know that. I get that. But I just wish there was a way that kids like mine could go to places separately. And yes, I know all about sensory friendly hours. But they aren’t as convenient or as often as you think.

The world is only just now starting to learn about autism.

I’m going to keep pushing. And calling. And trying. Because I want Cooper to see and experience the world. Just like everyone else.

Interested in writing for Finding Cooper’s Voice? LEARN MORE

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.