My Three Sons

Being a mother is the hardest job in the world.  You could never be paid enough. I had three sons who were all very different. 

My Three Boys

The oldest one liked rice and the other two didn’t really care for it.

One liked potatoes and the others didn’t.

The youngest one ate everything except the rice and potatoes. I can’t believe I remember all of that. 

The differences made it hard to remember certain things about each of them, but I made it through until they all left home.

I had to be there for my boys in different ways. My oldest son; you couldn’t ask for a better one. All I had to do is say to him, “Don’t do that again,” and he wouldn’t do it again. When it was time to go to school, he was so good that I never had to go to his school for anything but parent teacher conferences.

My middle son was diagnosed with a Developmental Disability at three-years-old.  This was after he was developing like any other three-year-old. He would count, sing songs from Sesame Street and more. 

I observed that he was becoming nonverbal.  The counting had stopped.  He was singing television commercials. That also stopped.  I took him to his scheduled doctor appointment and let the doctor know my concerns. 

My son was then tested by a Psychologist and was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

This was devastating to me as I cried for many days before finally getting him the help he needed.

It wasn’t easy raising him to be an adult. I made many mistakes.  He went to many schools in Western New York and got kicked out of all of them.  Severe behaviors were his problem.  

I never saw these behaviors at home. So, we had to send him to a residential school in Poughkeepsie, NY.  It was hard for me to let him go but when I saw he was thriving at the school it made me feel better.

While he was at residential school, my oldest son signed up for the military. 

He went to the Marines and was stationed mostly In Jacksonville, NC where he made his home and married. 

The behaviors were at a minimum for my son in residential school.

Finally, my baby who is now 30-years-old, married with a wife and children.

Writing about him is going to take some time.

With my older two boys only coming home to visit, it was as if I only had one child.

Most of his childhood he was the only kid I had at home. 

During this time I was a better person able to do more for my baby because at the time I was able to work and I was more established financially.

I must tell my readers this was my hardest child to raise. Yes, raising a child with Autism has its challenges but, a normal child really put me through a lot of changes. 

During this time in my life I had a good job and I worked overnights.  I had to leave him home alone. 

One night I came back in home because I forgot something, and they’re was a girl standing in the driveway throwing rocks at my upstairs window. 

By this time, my son was in high school.  The girl was trying to get in the house but, my son was sleep. 

Thank God I came who knows what could have happened.  He continued to get in trouble.  I constantly went to school for his behavior.  He was suspended so many times.  I just knew he was not going to graduate from high school. 

He managed to make it through.  Even after high school he caused problems but, I must say I wouldn’t change a thing. 

Being a mom is the greatest thing I have ever done. 

I thank them for the five wonderful grandchildren they gave me. 

They are my joy.