Let Them Be What They Are

I had an interesting conversation yesterday while at Katherine's Bible School concert and it stuck with me. I was watching the concert with Caroline sitting beside me and I was trying to manage Ben, who would only be still when he had a lollypop (I gave him 3 over the course of the event). Ben was just being himself, examining everything, running around, laying down on the bench and the floor and in general perfectly normal for him. I admit, I was embarassed, because I know most people don't know he has autism, they simply would think I have no control over my own child. A man and his wife had a little red haired baby and they sat next to me during this whole ordeal, clapping for their own children as they got up to sing. As the concert ended, I ended up following them with K, B and C over to the reception area and I tapped him on his shoulder and thanked him for being so understanding about Ben's distractions. He smiled and said in a thick accent, "I have six children of my own and I know that sometimes you just have let them be who they are. " So my mission is to support Ben in being who he is. He's not a cookie cutter kid, as he gets older it is becoming very obvious that he is not a "typical" three and half year old. He may never be a "typical" person, but then again, who wants to be just typical?