Will's World

April is autism awareness month and several of us here at Jerrol’s have a personal connection and reason to honor this month. 

My son, Will, is on the spectrum and Rolf asked me to write this article to give my own unique insight into what it’s like from a parenting perspective. The funny thing is, I almost didn’t get this finished in time, because I was too busy guiding Will through his spring break.  A week where the loss of school structure can mean big feelings and even bigger struggles. 

At his best, Will is bright, silly, incredibly funny, extremely passionate and highly entertaining. He likes to try on different personas and will remain “in character” for several hours. The other day he came up to me in what he would describe as a Parisian accent and said, “my name is Eugene Paris and I’m here to sell you napkins”. Eugene Paris is one of my favorites from his long list of characters.

On the tough days, Will feels deeply misunderstood. He is very rigid in his play and can easily frustrate his peers. He is inflexible when it comes to even the most subtle change in schedule and has a very difficult time controlling his anger when things don’t go his way. 

Even though he doesn’t typically look you in the eye when you talk to him and often feels uncomfortable saying hi, he craves deep connection just like anyone else does. When he considers you a friend, he is loyal to a fault. You will have his love and support forever! 

For everything that can be frustrating about autism, there is so much that is endearing and magical. We all just want to be seen and known. That is universal, no matter how you navigate this world.

You can reach Brooke at Brooke@Jerrols.com

or (509) 925-9851

-Brooke Buckingham