As Special Needs Parents…This is What We Hope For And Work Towards
Independence…..
Today was the start of more “independence” for our son Alex! We live in a more rural area so we don’t have public transportation or taxis. They are unreliable.
We have “Rides”…you call and schedule well ahead of time and they come take you where you need to go.
So, today we started this service for Alex for his Day-Hab days.
He always loved riding the bus so he was actually looking forward to this. 
He trotted out there like he’d done it a thousand times. Only potential issue will be promptness of the bus. Alex likes promptness. Not early. Definitely not late. On time please.
So we will be working on patience and flexibility. Tom the driver was the most kind man. He’s probably retired from his career and now takes the disabled and elderly to their places and appointments.
We are always looking for more life skills. More independence. He loves this. We can tell it makes him feel good. And Jim and I can know we have an option if we can’t be home to take him sometimes. Freeing for all of us.
Alex will never live independently but skills like this provide options.
As special needs parents this is what we hope and work for.
Opportunity. Independence. Self confidence. Community skills. He got on that bus and never looked back. I was yesterday’s news. He had this nailed down. I walked back in the house with a huge smile and warm heart.
He’s got this. 
Written by, Amy Schlueter
Amy Schlueter and her husband Jim are parents to Hannah(25) and Alex(24, ASD). She spends her time helping Alex navigate the world of young adults with special needs and cultivating his unique talent as an artist. She has come to love sharing her story as a mom of an older child in the autism spectrum on FB at Alex the Artist. She, Jim, and Alex live on West Lake Okoboji in NW Iowa. Please visit www.alextheartist.com to see Alex’s collection of beautiful work.
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