Even before I know of what #autism was and certainly before my kids were diagnosed, I had this one wish for them.
Maybe this will sound weird to some people out there and maybe I'm just a dork, but here it goes. I grew up with a dog for most of my life.
I was fortunate enough to experience how that kind of companionship can make a child feel like. I know how it made me feel. I found comfort and unconditional love in our dog Dusty.
When I had children of my own, that was one of the things I wanted for them. Whether it was a dog or a cat, a fish or a bird, it didn't matter to me. I wanted my kids to have the bond, that connection with another living thing.
It has taken awhile but I can finally say that Elliott has discovered that with his kitten, Dean (although we do have a name change but that's a different post).
When Elliott is sad, he snuggles Dean.
At bedtime, Dean sleeps with him for most of the night. Dean actually seeks Elliott out and looks for his attention. It's amazing.
I'm so grateful for that.
Has your life or the life of your child been impacted by a special animal??
