"We don't want Jack and Dash to go to college."

Leaving a Brother Behind

My brother and I are Calder's closest and dearest friends. He knows he can come to us when he feels hungry, or when he just wants a snack. He knows he can count on us to help him brush his teeth and get him fashionably dressed. He knows that we will be there for him when he needs us. But unfortunately, both of us have to go to college and Calder will be left without two of his best friends.

It'll be hard for Calder when we are gone. He will have lost two people who truly understand him, his emotions, and his actions. It is difficult for Calder to make new friends because most of the people who do not already know him don't understand his struggles. They just see a non-verbal autistic kid who is off in his own world and oblivious to his surroundings. Calder is so much more than that and he knows it. The issue is that he has trouble showing it. He needs his brothers to show people that the non-verbal kid they are talking to, understands what is going on. He needs to help people understand why he is angry because a complete stranger has no clue why Calder is freaking out. But we do. And if we don't, we can always find out.

This is part of the reason why I write this blog. Because I know that the blog can share information about Calder with people who are not in front of him. I write it because it gives me joy knowing that I can tell more people about Calder's struggles and help them understand him than I would otherwise. This blog is all about helping Calder share his world.