Autistic Sons Admire Sunset

Being a mom of special needs kids taxes mental and physical energy.  I can get caught up in tons of paperwork and appointments.  There is always something waiting to be tackled!  Interruptions don't help.  Doorbells, phones, and texts are among the common agitators. Even the kids' yelling, "MOM," can grate on the nerves.  That "Mom" quickly shifts from "Mom?" to "Mom!!"

I cringe.  "Just let me finish this," I yell.

As a result, I can miss some great moments.  This last time, the call of "Mom" was to see a beautiful sunset.  If I had persisted in finishing my task, I would have missed it.  I was amazed at how fast it changed within seconds.  By the time I got the closest camera out, the colors had moved far away within those moments.

This was not an emergency, but it was important.  I am glad my boys demanded my attention, and I came.  We shared a few moments of an awesome, stunning sunset.

This also illustrates that kids with autism can appreciate the beauty of nature.  Many assume that autistic people lack the cognitive ability to appreciate nature or items that are beyond their touch.  That is simply untrue.  Actually, it may be we who are caught up in the paperwork who don't have the cognitive ability to stop and appreciate nature!!

In this case, my autistic sons stopped to admire the sunset.  THEY believed it was important enough to call me.  This just reinforces we don't always know what autistic kids can do!