Beautiful!

I am a cheap mom! I'm no longer ashamed of this, and have come full circle from throwing the money around (which we never had), to not going anywhere unless we have a coupon.
So...
With Ben being autistic, there are tons of opportunities to do things. Carnivals, the zoo, the movies One is going to the Discovery Museum 4x a year on selected Sunday nights for an open arms evening. They are great. You never have to worry about explaining your child, and if he steals the ball from another kid, the parents know you're on it.
Ben enjoyed a new activity this go around. Rock climbing. He had tried it with no success the last time we were there, but this time... a regular mountain goat. His limited ability at communication be damned, he let us know he was proud. He stood up on these faux rocks stating... beautiful. great, good job. All of which I was to repeat with fervor! And I was happy to do it! He really is a funny kid.
We bought him new sneakers a couple of weeks ago. I tell him how fast he runs and how high he jumps with his new shoes. He's constantly looking at them when he runs and impressing himself. Too Damn Cute!!!!
Tomorow is field day at Bens school. I will be there from 9-3 assisting Ben through obstacle courses, and god only knows what. I hope I don't get too competative... lol Of course the whole time I expect Ben to be obbsessing on we'll get McDonalds after. Anytime we do ANYTHING, he thinks McDonalds will follow. Does that make me a bad mom? I just can't so no to that squishy face of his.... I cook most of the week... wahhhh. oh well.

how do I explain this?

I had a co-worker ask me about Ben Monday. She wanted to know details. Can he talk, is he loving, what's his school like?
She was asking expecting me to explain Ben, and then she could understand autism. She doesn't know anyone with it or who has an autistic child. I told her about Ben, and then explained, she still doesn't know autism. It's so funny to think, if a child has diabetes and is in the middle of an episode, give them orange juice. A child with autism having an episode??? who knows? all children with autism are so different. There really is no blanket answers. In Ben's class, there is 5 very individual children. In the gym class, 4 completely different kids. I'm not just talking personalities, but abilities, behaviors, everything.
We go to the Dr and look for some answers, but seriously? What's there to say? What works for Ben could be completely traumatizing to another child with autism. Unless the Dr lives with us, instead of seeing him twice a year for 1/2 and hour, what do they have to offer? We go to Phildelphia's Children's hospital. I don't know why. I keep asking my husband. We had to wait over a year for the appt. and they really haven't offered us much. Ben doesn't need meds (Thank God!) He sleeps for us, he's not aggressive, just a happy little guy.
What are we hoping for? I really don't know.
What do we expect? I have no idea
How do you explain your child, and autism to someone else, when you really don't quite get it yourself?