Synonyms (#143)

Parent: Mother, father, friend, teacher, helper, caregiver, advocate, protector, defender, student, educator, playmate, actor, chef, sometimes therapist, picker-upper-after, freedom fighter, peacemaker, doctor, detective, listener, nurse, teknopoinos, chauffeur, coach, companion, believer, seeker of justice, fan, parent.

In autismland, there are a lot of roles we play; there are a lot of hats we need to wear, and all at once like the peddlar in Caps for Sale--but my hats are not for sale.

Child. Friend, superstar, light of my life, hero, perfection, inspiration, hope, explorer, love, inventor, always worth it, sunshine, pal, leader, fighter, magic, learner, one of a kind, teacher, child.

These lists are incomplete. Please add to them.

The child one is shorter because so much of our children's stories is still to be written, and is being written every day. Just today the very word "story" sent Charlie into a happy cavalcade of smiles and laughs and listening to What Will Little Bear Wear?. Later, after I had read a few pages of Goodnight Moon, Charlie put his hand over mine and, with a stern look, shut the cover of his (apparently) former favorite book: "All done great green room tell' phone red balloon!"

I think I'll add "storyteller" to the child list.

Autism Children Science Health Parenting