Yesterday, I volunteered for my middle school student’s Field Day. When I wasn’t monitoring the relay race, I spied on my son. Who was he chumming around with? How was he behaving? When he came home, we talked about the day and I made some suggestions about choosing friends.

Joining me on the start line of the track were two women from the town. I found out that one also had a  younger son with autism. We compared notes about schools and planned a playdate between our children. One of the women thought that this volunteer opportunity was so important that she rearranged her work schedule and worked until 2 in the morning in order to sit on the hot field with the other parents.

 That experience gave me information about my son. When you have a teenager, any information that you get is useful, because they certainly don’t provide information willingly. It gave us fodder for discussion. I found a potential playmate for my younger son and compared notes about specialized autism schools. I met people who I normally would have never crossed paths with. They told me about their lives and their kids, which made me a smarter human being. 

Volunteering does have its perks.