I, too, must have my #boodschappen do it. Unfortunately, we have to do this together with Robin. Just now.

Shopping, O help.

Right now? Why do you have to go shopping with your child right now? That was a comment on the Internet. Well, I could react a little pissed, but let me explain it quietly. In the hope that someone understands that you don't always have to choose how to get the groceries in your house. Let me say first that I would have preferred to leave Robin home safely and responsibly. With Robin shopping is already a challenge and now even more. I have to keep him close and I have to call Robin loudly more often than I love to make sure he stays with me and explain that he can't just grab everything. Really it does not go by itself and tools are very difficult and actually not to use. Besides that, I have never done my shopping online and I don't really want to do this now. Unless I really have no choice but it seems to be very difficult that way right now. Long waiting times late delivery delay on the websites.

What about it again?

Okay, let's go back to the beginning. I can (must) raise Robin on my own. I didn't choose this any more than I chose for the fact that he has autism. My husband died two years ago, and our son goes to special education. What does this usually mean for me? If I can, I'll do my errands with Robin. This is to teach him certain skills. Stay with me, listen to me and learn to deal with larger groups of people. Not everyone I can use to watch out and Robin speaks his “own language”. Often I have to repeat certain sentences in a different way so that he understands me. Also, it's hard to hear me because his brain doesn't have the right speed of processing information. In ordinary times it's pretty good to do because I've learned to live and communicate with this, but in times like this it's a bit more difficult.

Do only groceries.

Can I leave Robin alone? That was kind of a question. It was actually a comment from leaving your child at home. Question do you leave your child of almost 7 years at home alone when you do shopping? At least I don't. In addition, Robin has a developmental lag on several points. He also has a dis-harmonic development profile. It is also true that I can't just let anyone watch out and the people I trust with Robin are all people who either fall into the risk group or their family members. There goes my rear guard. Well, not so, I decided. More clearly, my one neighbor is over 80 and the other is over 65, and my friends have one or more family members who are vulnerable. My parents don't live nearby and are vulnerable for health reasons. Letting an unknown person watch someone out is impossible. But would you do the same yourself, let someone you don't know watch out for your child? In addition, Robin needs such a specific communication to be understandable and to understand him. That is excluded!

That's how we go shopping now.

While shopping (well I don't even shop I get my groceries) it is no longer possible to put it in the cart. Apart from the fact that the corona virus can be on this, I just can't put it in the cart anymore. That's dangerous because he's clambering out. Fine Robin falls out of the cart has been everywhere with his hands in that cart and has to go to the GP for inspection. Those floors are very hard. So the only thing possible is to let Robin walk next to me in a store where there's a lot of walking space. Keep an eye on him that he doesn't run too far away from me and very quickly shout Robin's name and roar the command “come here”. Explain to him often enough why he should stay with me and take him by the hand if we need to grab something. A harness doesn't work anymore. Like a wristband that I also attach to my hand. In both cases, Robin starts shouting me to tie him up. This quickly results in loosening, screaming, crying, shouting and if he is not allowed to go he drops so I have to untie him.