Do you know someone with special needs that has a favorite person? My son who has autism has a favorite person. This beloved person is his aunt Emily, and I mean absolute favorite… I know I’m his momma and that will always hold a special place in his heart. But I understand who his person on this planet is, and Auntie Emily holds that special place in his soul.

Unfortunately we live 3 hours away, so visits are not weekly, but we do try to make them monthly when schedules work out. But regularly I get asked, “Emily please?” And when I have the unfortunate luck of having to tell him not today, he responds with the saddest face, “But she’s my friend.”

These two really do have a special connection. Mr. L has been known to FaceTime Emily to play hide and seek, or he will set the phone down, propped up so she can watch him play with his trains for quite a long time. Recently my son has discovered texting emojis and will send her emojis mixed with letters or short words he can figure out by himself, she responds when she can and they will do this for hours. Emily hasn’t complained yet, so she must not mind 🤷‍♀️😅

I think part of their connection comes from the fact that his Emily has always understood him, even in the early days of diagnosis she ‘got him’ when others didn’t. And if she didn’t understand, she would put on her detective hat and take the time to figure it out, instead of shrugging him off or ignoring his frustrations. She has always taken the time for him, and he knows it. She also has a gift of being aware of situations before they get escalated. She recognizes when others are becoming over stimulated and can redirect.

Mr. L is blessed that he has other relatives that take the time to get to know him and are willing to learn how to interact in a way that works for him. And I guess you could say that I’m lucky to have relatives that are willing to listen to me teach/advocate for how my son works.

I gotta be honest, there is a fine line between advocating for your child and not wanting to hurt family’s feelings. There are so many factors to consider like traditions, pecking orders, feelings, parenting styles, momma bear-ing, relationships, and the bottom line of your child’s needs. But Auntie Emily has been team mr. L since the beginning, and my son knows it.

Do you have a child that has a favorite person? Tell us about it 😊