Mom was ‘heartbroken’ after seeing autistic daughter playing by herself — until stranger’s revelation made her the happiest
Children who have special needs or certain conditions like autism have a tough time making friends and fitting in with others. Nothing hurts a parent more than seeing their kid left out due to a natural condition that is out of their control. A mom, who goes by u/JessBeck96 on Reddit, shared that her 5-year-old daughter is autistic and has a hard time mixing in with other kids. It breaks her heart when her child is left alone to play. When she was feeling hopeless one day, a stranger approached her and gave her a message that was a game-changer.
“She is right between levels 2 and 3 on the spectrum. Meaning she has the ability to function but is going to be delayed,” the mom noted. She added that apart from this, her daughter was “smart and empathetic” and had all the qualities of a loving, kind child. Being a “pandemic baby,” the little girl was home until the age of three. With no daycare or other socializing, her parents took her to the park when she turned 3. “She always tried playing with other kids but kids can tell when someone is different from them, so most avoided her,” the mom recalled. After having shifted, she decided to take her daughter to the building playground every day with the wish that she'd play and interact.
Nevertheless, the kids would often leave her secluded. “Many of the kids avoid her when she tries to play with them and it breaks our hearts,” the mom noted. She was exhausted by the heartbreaking treatment her daughter received until hope stepped in. “A couple of days ago, this little girl—who's about 6 or 7 years old, started playing with her. Just the two of them chasing each other and having fun,” the mom mentioned. She was delighted to see the girl join her daughter and only hoped it would not be a passing moment. “This is the first time she's played with anybody that wasn't us,” she said.
When the mom returned the next day, she was approached by a stranger who delivered the most relieving message. The man turned out to be the girl’s mom’s boyfriend and had something to say that the mom had been longing to hear. He spoke “about how the little girl couldn't stop talking about my daughter and how much fun they had together a couple of days before. She sees my daughter as her best friend.”
The news was music to the mom’s ears. “I have worried from day one that she wouldn't have any because she is different. That she would end up like me, struggling to make basic human connections and just feeling hurt when friendships didn't work out (note: I am also autistic but in a different way),” the mom poignantly noted. Having had things turned around for her daughter was a life-changing visual that was healing and heartwarming. u/williamiris9028 said, “I hope their friendship continues to grow and that your daughter has many more joyful moments like this.” u/_AdditionalDoubt_243 noted, “So happy for you and your daughter. Many blessings!”
