I always wanted to be the mom who could surprise her kids, but for a very long time our circumstances made that impossible. My kids required priming—talking at length about any kind of change. Visual aides of where we were going. Calendar countdowns of how long we’d stay. To be honest, even exciting changes like Christmas were always accompanied by increased scripting, anxiety, and stress. But here we are, hours away from boarding a flight, making their dreams (and ours) come true. Surprise, kids. You get a trip you’ve waited three years for and Mom and Dad get the good fortune of watching you progress. #autism #autismfamily #neurodivergent #autismmom #girlswithautism #boyswithautism #specialneedsmom