"Q&A" from StoryCorps

Joshua Littman, a 12-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome, interviews his mother, Sarah. Joshua's unique questions and Sarah's loving, unguarded answers reveal a beautiful relationship that reminds us of the best—and the most challenging—parts of being a parent.

Credits:

Directed by: The Rauch Brothers
Design & Animation: Tim Rauch
Producers: Mike Rauch & Lizzie Jacobs
Audio Produced by: Michael Garofalo

Music: Fredrik
Label: The Kora Records
Publisher: House of Hassle

Major funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• storycorps
• mother's day
• asperger's syndrome
• motherhood
• parenthood
• mothers
• sons
• stories
• family history
• personal history
• animation
• rauch brothers
• growing
• up

[tobinjordan]

This kid has social skills!!!!! He asks questions that most people NEED to ask eachother and don't. He's more self aware than half the college kids I know. lol

[rhnpeterson]

Why am i crying to this one too!?!?!?!!

[hbbmobile]

my brother has asbergers syndrome as well.

[edactori]

@kastewMrsDinosaur and it also helps if he explains to new people he meets his condition so they can understand- so they dont think he is just mean/ weird/ or a little know it all. cause A LOT of people do not know what aspergers is.and do not understand, and what you say to him would not be meaningless. and all you can do is be there when he is sad, and assure him believe that people WILL like him. it make take time- it did for me, but it happened. and it will happen for him too.

[edactori]

all i can honestly say is assure him that he is normal for a person with aspergers. i always felt like everything i said and did was not normal, but it was normal for ME and other people who have aspergers. as he gets older his social skills will improve- i am 26 and i still have trouble interacting with people. as he gets older he WILL find people who like him, and assure him that it will happen. i only have a few friends but they are good friends who understand.

[kastewMrsDinosaur]

@edactori My little brother is going through this too.Recently he told my mom "I am never going to fit in. No one is ever going to like me." Do you think, as someone who has gone through this yourself, that there is anything I might be able to do for him? I feel like, since I do not have Aspergers that anything I say to him is meaningless...

[x3chris]

I love this kid

[edactori]

i have aspergers this hit home for me. i do not feel like i am 'special'. if anything i always felt like i am on the outside looking in- that people will never understand me, nor i can feel like i ever understand them. childhood was lonely, i felt like i could never connect with people and no one wanted to be my friend. i feel like i can never truly understand people even though i learned to connect better with people.

[CashCreep]

hehehehehehe aspies

[austinnzach3]

Also people with Asperger;s tend to have higher IQs than most people.

[austinnzach3]

I have Asperger's Syndrome, that doesn't mean I am a "special" person, its a condition where basically you have trouble socializing with other people. It can be difficult when you're a kid because you need to make friends and if you don't socialize then you don't make friends. It was difficult for me but I got over that. What I hate though is that people think and treat it as"Oh this guy needs special attention, he's kinda mentally challenged" NO I'M NOT. Don't belittle me or anyone who has it.