If you are reading this it's most likely you brought here because somehow you found me on social media. Probably Facebook but I am branching out more on Twitter. (Although between you, me and the lamp post, I mainly use Twitter to cyber stalk reality "stars". I will not rest until I get a tweet back from Jeff Lewis of Bravo's "Flipping Out" and I now consider "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant Bianca Del Rio my new BFF as she actually tweets me back!)
As a stay at home mom, social media is my virtual water cooler in a cyber office. It's been that way since the Kiddo was a baby and quickly learned my neighborhood became a ghost town once everyone jaunted off to work and the buses rumbled off with the kids. That day would be stretched ahead of me with nothing more than some tummy time with the Kiddo and the latest Baby Einstein DVD. (Hi! I'm Julie Clark, founder of the Baby Einstein Company. You think your kid is only going to watch these DVDs for a little while but I know I will be your ASD child's DVD crack for quite some time. Enjoy the show!)
I embraced social media for the much needed adult conversation that I needed in order to survive that first no longer working outside of the home year. When autism rolled on in, I grabbed it tight and swore my undying love to it. Sometimes I need the touch stone it provides. Even when I want to take said stone and throw it at someone.
I won't complain about the "Vaguebooking" status updates. My eyes gloss right over those anyway. You burnt your lunch? Oh well, the office microwave generally stinks to high heaven to begin with, I doubt your offering made it any worse. You'll live. Your favorite sports team is playing tonight and you are excited about your bracket or pool or whatnot? That's nice. Are you getting mini hot dogs in puff pastry to serve? Tailgating is important folks. My cousin just downloaded 93 new pictures of her vacation to the Dead Sea? Don't mind if I do. I scroll through all those pictures and then some. :-) My girlfriend took a picture of her new sandals? Honey! Those toes are cute. What's that nail polish color?
As the years go on though, I am still shocked when some stupid little update or picture pops up that kind of slaps me upside the head with a moment "Oh will my kiddo ever do that?" So my escape from my reality becomes once again my reality. Facebook won't give us that "dislike" button, so I doubt the special needs social media filter will be invented anytime soon. I know I shouldn't be all doom and gloom but I am also a realist here. I don't think there will ever be a shot of him driving his first car. I'd be happy if he just figured out how to play Mario Kart by himself without needing my help. I'm not sure prom will happen but I never say never. He's pretty cute and seems to be a big fan of the ladies at his school. One of the moms of a student told me her daughter likes him because "He doesn't say much but he's a good listener." Yeah, that's right. This Mama is raising that boy to be a good prom date someday. I'm really hoping someone sees that. Dammit, I want that prom picture up on my newsfeed with my kiddo in it. I also want him to want it but I can't really control that can I?
I never thought I would be taking pictures of the things he types in school. Not a few years ago. I never had the hope. So maybe. He's not writing War and Peace but man he's got some serious stuff floating around that head of his. I love how he comes home from school and hops on the computer to journal. Like a little Doogie Howser M.D. Granted most of the enteries are about DVDs he watched, vacuuming and our dogs but it's a start. It's important to him. It's things that make him happy. That makes me happy. You bet your sweet ass I'm posting those brag worthy pictures. If I can type a "Yay! Good for your kid" under your shot of them at T ball, indulge me my kid's love letter to the Easter Bunny.
All I know is my cyber tribe lives in my computer. In order to chill with my flappy happy clan, I have to balance the happy and sad feelings I feel when I see an update that leaves me momentarily speechless. A cyber fist bump to you if you are reading this in the middle of a sea of prom pictures or graduation announcements and you're biggest worry this week is just making it through this Spring Break without a trip to the ER or having to replace your tenth copy of "The Polar Express". Come sit by me at my lunch table. Make your way through the "typical" crowd. A side of fries awaits for you.