I arrived 15 minutes early. The classroom operated in organized chaos. I interrupted the flow. “I’m sorry! Did I come too soon?” The teacher smiled and said it was ok. I scanned the room for my little boy. There he was. He had been crying. They had just moved to their next station, and I guessed he was… Read More
My son needed new shoes. He didn’t want new shoes. He liked his old ones, but they were too small. Miracle League had a bowling day, and I decided we would bowl for an hour and then shoe shop. Children with autism need to know what is happening and what comes next. For 2 days, I told him the… Read More
I cried all the way home from taking Asher to school. “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” blasted from the stereo. I turned the volume up more as I focused through the tears. A few years ago, Asher was dismissed from (kicked out of) a children’s program. His behavior was too challenging. I was devastated. We left the church. I realized… Read More
[smartslider3 slider=22] “OH JESUS! HELP ME, GOD!” The winding country roads filled with clouds of dust and dirt as my friend, Jerry Dwain, navigated the sharp turns and twists like a NASCAR driver. He owned a bright blue Z28, and he drove it at full capacity. The day had begun with a simple request. “Hey,… Read More
retard: a contemptuous term used to refer to a person who is cognitively impaired. Dictionary.com The term “retarded” didn’t appear in the slangy, usually offensive sense until the mid-20th century. Frank Rooney’s 1954 novel “The Courts of Memory” contains an insulting use that should be familiar if not comfortable: “God, you’re simple, Dick. . . . You’ve got an I.Q…. Read More
It was a gorgeous day. Wind was blowing the tall pines shading the playground. I could hear the laughter and smell the aroma of food from the family reunion being held at a gazebo nearby. I hoped for an invitation to eat their fried chicken, potato salad, and casseroles of all kinds. Maybe around 11 years old, a little boy… Read More
