When you are the parent of an autistic child, every day can seem like a new challenge with a new hurdle to jump. At the same time, each day is filled with wonder and joy. Mom Kristy Zikowitz has a nonverbal, autistic son. During a summer camping trip, her son, Theo, made a friend at the campground. He did it on his own, through normal play, without adult interference or assistance.
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The neatest thing about Theo’s new campground friend was something the boy said. When Kristy told the boy that her son didn’t communicate verbally. The young boy’s response will make you tear up. He looked at Kristy and said, “Well, that’s OK. He doesn’t have to talk to me to play together.”
As adults, we could learn so many lessons from children. They approach life with the attitude that they can do anything because no one has told them they can’t. Magic is still real because no one has told them it isn’t. They practice “love first” and apply it unconditionally.
In most cases, children don’t understand the concept of “mean” until they reach third or fourth grade. Anyone they meet is a friend, whether it is at a campground, playground, or in the veggie aisle at the grocery store. There is no cautious approach to a new friend. Life is full speed ahead, and fun is the name of the game. Imagine if adults could follow these rules.
Kristy spends a lot of time with Theo. He is her walking buddy on daily two-mile walks. The family goes on hiking adventures, trying to pack as much adventure into the summer as possible. To learn more about her fun-loving family, follow her on TikTok.
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