ADVICE&REAL LIFE Essay
Kathy Heath, a mom in Edmonton whose son is on the autism spectrum, writes about autism awareness, advocacy and creating a more inclusive society on her blog, theautismedit.com
This is our normal
IN THE BEGINNING of the pandemic, Canadians were ready to stay home, buckle down for a few months and take the shutdown as an opportunity to pause and do some self-exploration—then get back to life as usual. But as time passed, we became more weary and exhausted. As I write this, life is still heavily restricted. In Alberta, where we live with our three kids, a polar vortex winter, a cancelled spring break without travelling to a sunny vacation spot, followed by a third wave of COVID (and the return of school closures) took a toll. The wor-
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todaysparent.com Summer 2021
PHOTO:TRACEY JAZMIN
If missing birthday parties or not going to the movies really bugs you, remember that for parents of kids with disabilities, it’s always been this way. For us, there’s no “going back to normal” when the pandemic is over.
