What Connor has taught me 

The doctors, teachers, therapists, and myself doing everything we can to teach Connor as much as we can it’s very easy to get stuck in a cycle and not focus on what he’s teaching us. I feel so blessed and lucky to have this little guy. He has taught me so much!

Patience- Not everything has to be fast or happen on an exact time line. Not to expect things to be changed in a day. That great progress doesn’t happen over night. It’s taking something and working at it every day for weeks just to get the slightest change in the pronunciation in a word. Celebrating the small victories- the smallest of victories is sometimes after weeks of Connor working on a word that is hard for him to say and finally saying it correctly. Or eating real food after weeks of protests and throwing meals. Just the other day Connor learned how to put pants on by himself. We celebrate the big victories and the small ones. Hard work pays off- It can get intense and it’s exhausting but seeing his gains means everything to me and makes me so proud of him. He works so hard! Speaking up- I’ve never been one to speak up... about anything. I hate confrontation, but being an autism parent you have to confront doctors who think nothing is wrong, teachers who think he’ll talk when he’s ready, therapists who are doing an approach you don’t like. I’m very much introverted but I needed to be Connors voice because for the longest time, Connor had no voice. I’m still his voice being he’s still very speech delayed. I’ve gotten use to being his voice and even when he’s someday hopefully talking my ear off. I will still always be his voice when he needs me to be. Connor has humbled me, taught me things I’ve never thought I would have to do being a parent, he taught me to be brave for him and to stay strong for him. He’s taught me compassion and love for others who are different that need your voice to stand up for them to give them their best chance in this world who can be so mean to others who don’t fit the mold.