Technicians in Training
Aidan actually allowed Nigel to hang out in his room the other night. It took me a moment to get over the shock of that occurrence, which happens as frequently as snow falling in LA. Then I overheard...
View ArticleDeath to Poo-Chi
When brothers join forces, you know it’s for a good cause. Poo-Chi, a Christmas gift circa 2000, has been dismembered. You can bet that if it had been something I would have cared about, they would...
View ArticleDinner at Our House
The following uncensored conversation took place in our dining room tonight: Nigel (seated at table): I don’t want hot dogs tonight. I want to choose what I want for dinner. Aidan (seated at table):...
View ArticleTo Hell in a Handbasket
I spend a lot of my time wondering how Nigel’s autism affects my younger son, Aidan, who is twelve. He was about six years old when he first asked, “Why is my brother like that?” as he witnessed Nigel...
View ArticleThinking Ahead
My younger son Aidan, who is twelve, has recently discovered Bob Marley. He found one of my CDs from my college days (when I first discovered Bob) and it was love at first listen. Aidan plays it day...
View ArticleQuite Warm
The Scene: A family of three – a mother and her two teenage sons – strolls into the gated outdoor pool area of a hotel. It is early evening; the desert sun is low. The mother settles into a chaise...
View ArticleSibling Needs
Attention is not evenly distributed when you’re a special needs parent. When you have more than one child, and especially when you have less than two parents, things tend to get very lopsided. I still...
View ArticleStretching
Remember Silly Putty? You could pull it apart slowly, and it would keep stretching and stretching and stretching. But if you tried to pull it apart really fast, it wouldn’t stretch. It would snap....
View ArticleEverything’s a Competition
The Scene: Interior suburban family home. A mother and her two teenage sons are seated around a wooden coffee table in the living room, playing the board game Risk. Her older son, who loves military...
View ArticleSurrender
It would be almost impossible to enumerate the many things we learn from our children, particularly those who have special needs. Infinite patience, for one. Hope. Perspective. Appreciation....
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