Posts Tagged ‘autism and isolation’
Did They Know?
Did they know? The way the people in our life all gradually fell away. Planned without us. We felt we no longer fit in. We watched as they hung out in their lawn chairs, relaxing, chit-chatting. Them having no understanding of the hidden blessings they were given…just the ability to stay still. So simplistic. Yet so grand, to a family like ours. One who knows to be grateful for such moments. But we didn’t know…before…special needs parenting… So maybe they didn’t either. Did they know how it pained us to…
Read MoreI Can’t Imagine Being You
Each time I make a friend, I wonder how long that person will be able to bear the weight of my friendship. In those first moments conversing, I make predictions in my head: We’ll never be more than acquaintances. We’ll be friends for a few months until she figures out how hard it is to be my friend. We’ll be friends for years but she’ll never invite me to her house. (If I stop inviting her to my house, the friendship will end.) Some people offer well-meant platitudes: “Tell me…
Read MoreSocial Distancing With Autism
I’m getting a tiny chuckle (with love of course) at the people panicking about social distancing. We have been social distancing for nine years. Not by choice of course. No one told us we had to do it. It more happened out of necessity. Because of autism. When someone in your family doesn’t understand the world we live in and the world doesn’t understand him or her in return…well, you stay home more often than not. Because home is safe. You learn to social isolate real fast. See, my sweet…
Read MoreNever Give Up
It’s funny how life seems to happen. And sometimes in the most bizarre ways. For nine years you social isolate, so much in fact, you almost forget how to socialize. You know you can’t go to Walmart, or candy stores or parks or even walk down the street safely. If there are crowds or lines or loud sounds it ain’t happening. So, you adjust. You figure it out. You learn to live and keep going. Then, suddenly, it seems to get easier. Not overnight. Far from it really. Instead after…
Read MoreI Am That Mom
I am that mom. The one you see running around at the park, covered in sweat, and continuously redoing her pony tail. The one climbing to the top of the jungle gym and sliding down with a kiddo between her legs. I See You I can see you out of the corner of my eye sitting with a group of women leisurely drinking your coffee. I see you watching me. We’ve bumped into each other a few times. I know you are a lovely person. You smile and wave. I…
Read MoreIsolation and Autism
It was a cloudy cold Sunday in Minnesota so our family took to the beach. This is common for us. Many families of autistic children go to highly visited places on days with bad weather. Less people, less stress, less stares, and less chaos for our kids. I will be honest and say that if we get to an event, park, beach and there are a lot of people I instantly tense up. My little man is a mover and a thrower. He has no understanding of safety or social…
Read MoreMy Journey As An Autism Mom-Video
There were two huge things I needed in the beginning of my Autism mom journey. I needed someone to tell me what to do and I needed someone to validate me. I kept seeking out a friend or a mom or a doctor that could understand what I was going through, validate how hard it was and tell me what direction to take. I never found it. There were times when I’d joke that I wasn’t qualified to make these huge, life changing decisions for another person. I wasn’t an…
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