“I got the following email this morning. To all the parents who wonder if they are making a difference by advocating for their children…here ya go:
‘Hello Dear Kate,
I have been watching your videos for years now. Ever since I started this Facebook.
I am an old lady. Almost 70 years old. My children are grown. My grandchildren are grown. I live in a small town in the middle of America that no one has ever heard of.
I have never met an autistic person. Honestly, I didn’t even know the word.
I watched you talk about autism and I felt the worry and the love you had for your son.
I know you question if you are doing the right thing. Should you be sharing your son’s life? I know you question if you are actually making a difference.
Here is what I will tell you.
I watch your videos and read your posts and it’s hard for me to understand.
What do you mean he doesn’t talk? Everyone talks.
What do you mean he can’t go to the grocery store? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
In the beginning, I’d see some of the videos of your son and wonder why you just didn’t tell him no. Or tell him ‘this is what we are doing.’ Because that is how I was raised. That is how I raised my children.
A firm, loving hand.
But I kept watching. I kept learning. You kept teaching me.
I’ve watched your son grow. All of your boys actually.
I’ve cried when you cried and cheered when you cheered. And then something beautiful happened.
A group of my lady friends and I visited a local grocery store. We go every week on the same day at the same time. After we have lunch. Only last week was different.
