Having a child on the spectrum has come with its challenges. If I could be transparent, something happens when your child comes into this world with what I like to call special abilities. When they are different, you want to protect them even more- in fear of the world around them. In doing this, I did not realize -that my need to safeguard him was harmful because it could suppress his ability to grow and make mistakes. As my child began to mature, there was this struggle between what he wanted and how he viewed his life, and I thought his limitations would allow him. He has challenged me by forcing me to question my biased thinking. He believes he deserves the same rights and freedoms as anyone. The need to protect too much would steal that privilege from him. To be the debilitating force in his life is not what I imagined that I was being. As I write this, I think of the Netflix series Raising Dion and how the mother attempts to protect her child from using his superpower. In the end, she understood that this was unrealistic. To protect, you must educate yourself on the person and their abilities. Not to keep them from life’s woes but to be there to help and guide them. I have not fully arrived at this truth because I can be a bit of a helicopter mom. However, I am still learning, and my son is teaching me what he can and is capable of.
