When mama goes away, the kids don't always want to play. Sometimes they're upset and distraught, though they may not even realize it.
In the seven years that my son has been on the planet, I have been lucky to be (mostly) around. Working from home, I never suffered the cruel, sudden separation that some moms have to go through when they head back to the office.
And I counted my blessings. My son always parted ways easily for drop-off activities and later, school, safe in the knowledge that I would be back in a few hours to collect him.
If you have a child with autism or a similar condition, it's all too tempting to avoid going out. After all, who wants the stress and hassle of dealing with possible behaviours in public? (Not least of which the glaring eyes from ignoramuses who just assume you're a crap parent.)
