Six years ago, I put my 2 year old son on a school bus for the very first time. Norrin was still in a diaper, had no language but I had no choice but to send him on his way. Then I went to work and spent the entire day wondering if he was okay. Norrin still takes a bus to school but it hasn't gotten any easier for me. Every morning I kiss him goodbye, tell him I love him and wish him a good day. He boards the bus to his school nearly 2o miles away and I don't see him again until I get home from work.
Having a child with autism, Norrin's safety is my greatest concern especially as he gets older. Last year, Avonte Oquendo, a young autistic (non-verbal) student walked out of his public school and was missing for months, until his body was found. Avonte was a painful reminder of how vulnerable our kids are and how easy it is for a kid to get lost in a city like New York.
While Norrin may not have a smart phone, Joseph does and I had him download the app. He's training for the marathon and he's been running almost daily. It's getting darker earlier and on evenings when he has his long run, I like knowing that I can use Folr to keep track of his whereabouts.
