I recently had the opportunity to answer questions for a elementary school class about Autism. They had excellent well thought out questions and a question I knew would be there was: “If you could take autism away from your child, would you?” My answer is no. Isaac is almost 6 and Luke is 4and has been diagnosed with autism since he was 2 1/2. I still don’t know what the future holds for them with acceptance and understanding. Honestly I don’t know much about raising neuro typical kids (still learning with Hope). But Isaac and Luke are the sweetest, funniest, most joyful little boys on the planet. Naturally they have hard times like any child would but they have one thing that can’t be taken away from them. Their identity. Who they are on the inside. I didn’t create that- God did. The days I feel like I’m not doing enough for them -they greet me with smiles and looking me in the eyes with love (if your a autism parent you know how big of a deal that is). I think as a special needs parent we appreciate the smallest things so much more. Your heart and eyes are opened to a world around you that you may have overlooked or had not been accustomed to. There is an entire community out there like me who don’t have the privilege of your kids having a best friend or being on sports teams but we get just as excited if your kid stacks blocks or tells you incessantly about their favorite subject ( I live for that day to happen I’m all ears). I have well meaning people who try to tell me “if your kid has this vitamin, or not vaccinated, or change their diet then…” The assumption is I “want” my kids to be different than what they are. Not at all. I just want them to be loved for WHO they are. It’s up to you if you want to take the tome to get to know them.
Babies and Gentleman 