The sun sets earlier now, the days are slowly cooling down. All around us the trees gradually change from green to varying shades of reds, oranges and yellows.

I love this time of year for so many reasons. I embrace the cooler temps and the cozy sweaters. I happily trade in my flip flops for a pair of cute boots. I look forward to making a cup of hot tea before I sit down at the desk in the morning to write and actually drinking it without breaking into a sweat.

I love everything about fall.

Or at least I did until I had kids.

Spring and Fall are seasons of transition, at least in this part of the globe. While I may be thrilled to change over my entire wardrobe, there are others in my home who are considerably less enthusiastic about changing theirs.

As a mom to a kid with autism, even high functioning, I anticipate some of the challenges I will face from day-to-day while other challenges still seem to hit me completely off guard even when I know they are coming.

Even when I start giving warnings in mid- September with concrete boundaries. As in, “On October 1st, I am putting away the shorts and we will have to wear long pants.”

Period. The end.

It’s still a struggle. Who knew that long pants could cause so much revolt and strife? To me, they are simply shorts, only longer. Yeah, okay, it feels a little weird on my legs after so many months of being bare, but I adapt to the funny feeling quickly enough. To me, it’s more important not to freeze.

But maybe I’m just an odd ball?

For my son, who doesn’t adapt quite so easily to different sensory inputs, the day I declared it “no more shorts day” I might as well have been heralding the apocalypse. The world will never be the same. How will we go on?

Yes, even with the warnings that this day would come, my morning was met with screams and resistance.

Why do I love this time of year so much?

When my brisk walks through the park kicking dry leaves under my feet are overshadowed by the constant fight to get dressed in the morning?

Because you know, long pants are only the beginning.

There will be coats. (shudder)

Sigh. No matter what, being a mom is never easy and there are always going to be battles whether they are battles of will or battles of routine and sensory perceptions.

Put on the pants and maybe, just maybe, I’ll treat you to a cup of hot chocolate to make up for it? 😉

Just breathe… And let there be pumpkins and Halloween decorations! It’s October!