The Navigating Autism Today conference is over, and my daughter and I have thankfully decompressed. Unfortunately, I had spent so much time gathering everything we would need for our table that I missed my self-imposed deadline for my next post. At the same time I was trying to think of a topic, my husband asked me if I would sign up to sell my book again. I had to ask myself:
As vendors, was it a valuable use of our time? Was it worth getting up at 3:30 to pack the car with a banner and books and everything that goes with setting up a booth and then leaving before light? Was it beneficial to drive an hour and twenty minutes and endure the horrendous traffic? Could I calculate the return on investment one day after we spent six hours together talking with strangers?
My daughter and I met many attendees, and I found that it was quite easy to talk about my book and about our program that had been based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Some were parents (and grandparents) who were not sure where to begin, and I was happy to relate my experience of managing a home program. Of course, my daughter’s circumstances were unique as her therapy took place in the ‘90s, but the tenets haven’t changed. Most seemed interested in what my daughter had accomplished since her therapy ended, and she was happy to apprise them.
I cherish the time I spent with Katie, and I am proud of her willingness to talk with people and to help wherever she could. She’s actually a pretty cool person, and I am so happy that she is able to feel proud of her own accomplishments. It is impossible for me to measure the worth of that realization.
So, would I do it again? You bet. And my “partner in crime” would, too.
Featured Image by Natalia Lavrinenko from Pixabay.
Kathleen Jae 
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