News and Knowledge

While it takes a village to raise a child, you may feel like you need an entire country to raise a super hero. My husband and I do. We have established an entire team of doctors, professionals, teachers, and advisors to help us with tough decisions when it comes to dealing with Jake and his autism. This is great for the family and Jake’s positive formation, but when holidays roll around, it is a wallop to the wallet!

Mother’s Day is no exception. We need to show appreciation to all the women who have guided us through decisions and mentored Jake. There’s no way to give these heartfelt gifts on a single day, so we try to share special moments of love and thanks over many days.

What’s wrong with celebrating Mother’s Month, anyway?

First and foremost, remember that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to send a heartfelt thank you. In fact, you don’t need to spend any money. Since our kiddos with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have such trouble with many levels of genuine connections and communication, a moment of eye contact or a hug could be a thrill for a deserving, devoted mother or loved one. She will realize the value in this special moment. Here are some additional no-cost or low-cost thank-you gifts for those necessary women in your family’s life:

Cards/Arts & Crafts

Pull out construction paper and a variety of stickers and markers. Let your child scribble, design, and stick to his or her heart’s content. It will be genuine and original in addition to being great occupational therapy for those little fingers! Those stamps with smiley faces or hearts and bingo blotters are also great fun. Homemade creativity touches hearts.

A Minute Across the Miles

In this cellular and digital age, reach out those who guide and love you from afar. A minute-long phone call or Skype session can go a long way with a grandparent, auntie, or friend. The child, with your assistance, could even post a loving message for the world to see on their Facebook pages.

Walk in the Park

Spending quality time alone with ASD kiddos can be fleeting, so invite a special someone to cherish and share a moment. Take a nature walk or enjoy a picnic in the park. A quick visit to the playground swings brings out the kid in all of us, not to mention the sensory benefits.

Kitchen Time

Have a cherished woman in your life join your child in baking. Make a mess, eat the batter, and decorate the cupcakes. Using a boxed mix means fewer steps for everyone, and quick bake times means less waiting for delicious goodies. Cookie cups are a favorite in our house: cut a two-inch slab of chocolate-chip cookie dough off the tube, put it in cereal bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds. Add ice cream or whipped cream and it’s a great treat that keeps almost any kid at the table.

Frame It!

What mommy, auntie, grandma, girlfriend, or babysitter doesn’t love a photo of their favorite super hero? You can snap it with your phone, print on the home computer, and have your child decorate a paper frame (card stock works well) for it. Stick some double-sided tape on the back, and you have a great memory for a favorite female.

Bubble/Chalk Party

Spend some precious moments blowing bubbles and scribbling on the driveway. Adults rarely take time to act like a kid unless there’s a kid around, so give your helpers and supporters the gift of childhood fun time.

Instead of spending money on massages, flowers, or chocolates, give a much more valuable gift: your child’s connection and communication. Give from the heart this Mother’s Month… or whenever you can!

Regular OAR contributor Jenn Lynn is passionate about helping families touched by autism. She has extensive behavior training from her work in special education (both public and private schools), ABA experience, and raising her own son on the spectrum. The former TV news producer currently speaks and writes about her family’s own experiences in TheWorldAccordingtoJake.com and works part-time for the Weinfeld Education Group, an education advocacy and assessment group based in Silver Spring, Md.