Yes, I’m ashamed to admit I said this to my son (autism, 17) yesterday when trying to teach him how to make hot dogs so he won’t starve when hubby and I leave for 8 days in Hawaii this week. My brother, sister-in-law and nephew are coming up from FL to “do” DC and stay with Dan while we are gone –  bless them! – but he may elect to stay home while they are sight-seeing, and I don’t want my sister-in-law to have to prepare something in advance for his lunch.

Now that we have completed all phases of “How to make my own breakfast,” a co-worker asked me, “so, what’s next?” Got me to thinking. What IS next? Dan doesn’t learn any independent skills until we decide it’s time, so what IS next? Made a list: how to make his bed from the bare mattress; scrubbing & rinsing his dishes and flatware and putting them in the diswasher; how to make hot dogs and fries.

Since the fries were microwavable, I decided to teach him the microwave method of doing hot dogs too. When he took the hot dogs out of the microwave, they were hot and he erupted. And that’s when I said those Mean Mommy words. As if he could “get over” autism.

He’s so high functioning (though not Asperger’s) that sometimes I forget he has autism, and am not sensitive to his sensitivities. I only have one more year to get this right - to teach him parent him, coach him – and then he’ll be graduating and gone. Lord, I need You to teach the teacher, parent ME, coach ME, forgive me.  And to do hot dog training right today. Amen.

Danz mom ~ Peggy