03/01/2026
Breakfast To Go
I had the honor of working with a family who recently learned that their child was Autistic. I was their first OT.
Mom had so many questions when we first met. She was overwhelmed and anxious. She asked me questions like:
Why does he flap?
Is that what they call a ‘stim’?
Why does it seem like sometimes he can’t hear me?
What is “low functioning autism” because the doctor used that term?
I answered her questions, and did my best to explain the “why” behind every behavior. I explained to her that ‘low functioning’ is NOT a diagnosis and it’s not even a label we should use. It is not helpful, and not fair to your son. We’re here to find his strengths, celebrate them and use them to build skills. We’re here to learn about how he processes sensory input, respect it, and work with that information to help him feel safe while we play and learn. We’re here to shoot for the stars and we’ll make adjustments every step along the way.
Mom watched me play with him. She saw him begin to trust me. She saw him playing. Her confidence started to grow. She understood her baby more and more with each session.
Fast forward about 2 months. Mom was coming in with a success story every week. Some were small, some were huge. All were celebrated. She listened to every word, tried every strategy and still asked a ton of questions.
I was blown away by a story she told me about their morning routine. It was a brilliant idea and I made sure mom understood just how much of a superhero she is for her son.
Her son had started school in the summer. Mom was very worried about the transition into school. She had heard stories of children refusing to go in, dropping to the ground, screaming, crying and making it very difficult for a mom to leave their child. But newly empowered mom came up with an idea that she thought would work for her AND her son.
Each morning, mom and son arrive at school about an hour before it opens. They sit in the car, in the school parking lot, and have breakfast together! Mom and son watch all the teachers walk in to start their day as they wait for his turn to walk in. They wave hi to the teachers and mom will add some dialogue:
“There’s Miss Cathy going to school!”
“Here comes Miss Jennifer! She’s ready for school!”
“There’s Mr. Brian. It’s his turn to go into school!”
They made an arrangement with the school so he can go in a few minutes early to avoid the rush of kids, but while they waited for HIS turn to walk into school, they ate breakfast.
His schedule is very busy now with school. Mom went back to work, so she’s busy, too. But everyday, like clockwork, she has breakfast with her son in the parking lot of his school. And every day, without hesitation, he walks into school when its his turn, ready to start his day. No difficulties with transitions. No meltdowns. Just a happy kid excited to be at school.
My heart is full, and when I wake up Monday morning, I’ll be smiling knowing that in a school parking lot somewhere, there’s an amazing mom having a breakfast date with her little boy.
Let's share this story to celebrate this mom and inspire others!
