autism, caregivers, communication, family, Morgan, relationships, travel

Car Conversations with My Copilot

“In Life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with.” – Charles M. Schultz

Driving around town with Morgan can be entertaining and intense. Although she does not have a drivers license, she’s a bonafide, certified backseat driver. She offers endless commentary to keep me aware of our surroundings. She’ll say “Look out for cones. Look out for cars. Be careful, Don’t Break Morgan’s car,… S T O P spells stop.“ When I’m distracted, from all of her help, and miss a turn. She’ll say “Uh Oh! Better try again!”

S T O P Spell Stop!

Morgan questions our schedule and how many stops we need to make, then she recites it back to me, to make sure nothing’s changing. If she repeats it too many times, I give her a side eye, letting her know I need some quiet time to focus. She’ll giggle and say “Take a Deep Breath”, which is what I tell her when she gets anxious. We take a few breaths together and keep on rolling.

I do love being on the road with Morgan seated by my side. There’s something about the hum and motion of the car that gives the scenery and me her full attention. We discuss the sights, sounds and smells; the blue sky, a hawk flying, a distant siren. Some smells are nice, like fresh cut grass. Some are not so pleasant. When we catch the scent of a skunk, she’ll groan, wrinkle up her nose, and say “Oh, My Nose Burns! A Bunch a Skunk!” Whenever she spots roadkill, “Oh dear, He died. He’s a Goner.”

At every intersection, Morgan announces her disappointment with red lights. “Oh no. Where’s the green light?” Then she reminds herself out loud, “Let’s be patient. We are taking turns… Come On Light!”

Let’s Get This Show On The Road!

Sharing the road, And Sharing Life with others can take lots of patience. Whether we are riding or walking, Morgan is always telling me to “Watch your stepping”. It’s her way of saying take your time and be careful. We wrote a little song to help us be patient with others and others be patient with us. The lyrics are below:

WATCH YOUR STEPPING by Morgan & Mom

We need to S T O P. We need to L O O K

It’s best to L I S T E N to what’s coming both ways

Watch your stepping. Stop, Look and Listen

Watch your stepping. Stop, Look and Listen

Everybody’s in a hurry

Everybody’s got somewhere they need to be

We’ll have a better chance of getting there

If I look out for you and you look out for me

Watch your stepping. Stop, Look and Listen

Watch your stepping. Stop, Look and Listen

We need to S T O P. We need to L O O K

It’s best to L I S T E N for what’s coming both ways

Watch your stepping. Stop, Look and Listen

Watch your stepping, Stop, Look and Listen

Until Next Time,

Be Safe and Kind Out There

Know The Hope!

Standard

2 thoughts on “Car Conversations with My Copilot

Leave a comment