Are You Free Now?
Are You Free Now? For years now, I haven’t been able to carry a conversation through without Kende interrupting. No matter how many times I say, “Wait a moment,” or “I can’t talk right now,” or “You need to wait until I’m finished,” it makes no difference. He keeps...
The Guru Was Right
The Guru Was Right The guru once said that this girl would be “more or less okay” by the age of 16–17. She’s eighteen now, and I can confidently say: she really is. Of course, she’s still autistic—but that was never the goal. She is whole, complete, and wonderfully...
Housework
Housework Autistic children have to be taught everything separately that others learn by imitation — often with a lot of patient repetition. Very patient, with much repetition. Repetition. That is, repetition. For years I’ve been telling Kende to put his clothes in...
Goo(d)bye, Kid-Free Beer
Goo(d)bye, Kid-Free Beer This summer marked the first time that Kende and Kíra stayed alone at my parents’ house by Lake Balaton, where they reside during the warmer months. For as long as I can remember, we’ve spent our summers in the Káli Basin, nestled among the...
When August Hurts
When August Hurts August. For me, it’s perhaps the hardest time of the year. Sometimes I go as long as two weeks without my children. Right after the divorce, it actually felt like fun—being free again, having time for myself, traveling, not having to adjust to...