Children on the autism spectrum can be a handful at times, but like all of us, they have their own passions and interests too.
On Wednesday (22 Jun), a mother of two boys with autism took to the Singapore Hikers Facebook group seeking volunteers to hike with the brothers.
Source: Facebook
She shared that the boys are 11 and 14 years old, and as such, hiking with them could slow the group down.
But instead of being deterred by this, Singaporeans flooded the comments section to volunteer and inform the mother of communities that support families like hers.
On 22 Jun, the mother shared that she has two boys on the autism spectrum. One of them is 11 years old and the other is 14.
In her Facebook post, she asked if any hikers would be alright with the three of them tagging along on a hike.
Source: TheSmartLocal
She explained that when her sons join a hiking group, it might slow the group’s pace down.
She also added that they will turn back and go home if the boys have have difficulties following instructions.
If the mother thought the fact that her sons with special needs would deter people from volunteering, she would be pleasantly surprised.
Within hours, her post garnered over 60 comments — some gave suggestions while others directed her to suitable hiking communities.
Some individuals who volunteered to hike with them even had relevant experience working with kids with autism.
Source: Facebook
One netizen told the mum that it was good that she reached out for help. He reminded her that she was not alone in this and that Singaporeans will do their part to help.
Source: Facebook
On Wednesday (22 Jun), the mother posted a comment thanking netizens for their kind response. She also shared that she and her sons had gone hiking at Dover earlier that day with someone presumably from the group.
MS News has reached out to the mother for more information.While going for a hike may seem like an ordinary activity, it can be a daunting experience for children with special needs, and consequently, their caretakers.
It is moving to see how Singaporeans banded together to not just offer their help, but also reassure the mother that she is not alone on this journey.
These netizens have certainly shown us what it means to not just empathise but also turn words into action and offer practical help.
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