“Happy” Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving day… and my kids don’t “get” what Thanksgiving is.
So all the cooking I’m doing, they just think I’m cooking nasty crap they don’t plan on touching – like anything else I cook for myself. Lol

They don’t get that today is different than others.
So Justin had grilled cheese and Tyler had Cheerios.
Jax had his veggies straws while watching Cars in the living room.
Something that also didn’t change was Justin wanting to go to the park.

A few hours after he woke up, he started asking.
“Go to the park. Walk. Shoes.”
“Not right now. Later. Wait.”

Finally, it was later in the day and we had a few hours where we didn’t have anything that needed to be done or made, so we packed up and headed out.

We turned down the street and I realized we shouldn’t have come.
There were a lot of cars parked out front.
I hate going when there are other people.
But Justin was SO excited, I couldn’t just leave.

We got out and Justin started off on his wandering around the back field while Jax and Tyler stayed in the park area.
I noticed right away that people started staring at us.
The girls on the picnic table would whisper and point towards Justin 50 yards away – walking around.

The Mom pushing her kids on the swing was staring at him… then at Tyler carrying around a sippy made for a kid 3-4 years younger than him… and at Jax who was making noises rather than words – who looks more like a 4-5 year old rather than a 2 ½ year old.

I tried to not let it bother me.
Focusing on the boys.
Helping Tyler climb the tree.

No one said hi to us… or Happy Thanksgiving… I didn’t either, but I generally don’t talk to people who look at me like I shouldn’t be there.

After a while, Jaxson took off towards the car. Their Dad went after him while I watched Justin and helped Tyler.
More staring… more whispering.

Jax started crying when he was bringing him back.
We were only there for about 15 minutes… but Jax was ready to go home already.
I had him get Jax in the car while I went to go get Justin.

When I told him we had to go, he started crying and yelling… he was upset.
Rightfully so… he wanted to come all day and end up leaving much sooner than we normally do.

I held his hand and walked him back to the park.
As we got closer he starts crying louder… yelling…

So of course, the 20 or so people there start staring.
I sign that we need to go home… that we were all done.
Partly because I knew he couldn’t hear me with how loud he was yelling… and partly because then maybe the people who wouldn’t turn away, who kept staring would see that he wasn’t typical… that he was different… that he wasn’t spoiled… that he wasn’t being hurt… that they should MIND THEIR OWN FREAKING BUSINESS.

But they didn’t.
I hugged Justin and got him to the car.
As I turned around to walk to my side… I saw everyone staring.
So I waved with “Hi assholes – mind your business” face and got in the car.

Ya know… our life, is normal to me… to us.
What we do, how we live… how we go about our day.
We laugh, love, learn, and in general are happy people living our life…
Especially because I’m a stay at home mom who never gets out of the house…
I’m in our own little awesome Autism Bubble where everyone who comes here knows and gets us… and if they don’t, they do eventually.

If you criticize here, you get kicked out.

It isn’t until I’m around “Typical” people… who prefer to gawk at someone upset or different, that I even remember our life is different than others.

“Happy” Thanksgiving.