Mothers Day
Mother's Day At StoryCorps: An Animated Chat
text size A A A May 6, 2010
Mother's Day Video Bonus:
When Sarah Littman visited StoryCorps with her son, Joshua, he was a seventh-grade honors student who was having a tough time socially. Joshua, who has Asperger's syndrome, had some unique questions to ask his mother:
Q & A from StoryCorps on Vimeo.
Sarah Littman's StoryCorps conversation with Joshua ranged from familiar young-boy topics — including Mom's views on cockroaches and snakes — to issues that seemed to come from much deeper inside Joshua's fertile mind.
"Have you ever felt like life is hopeless?" he asked.
"When I was a teenager, I was very depressed," Sarah said. "I think that can be quite common with teenagers who think a lot and who are perceptive."
"Am I like that?" Joshua wanted to know.
"I would say you're very much like that," his mother said.
Asked if she had any "mortal enemies," Mom demurred.
"I would say my worst enemy is sometimes myself," she said. "But I don't think I have any mortal enemies."
Then came a tough one for any parent to field: "Have you ever lied to me?"
"I probably have," Sarah conceded. "But I try not to lie to you, even though sometimes the questions you ask make me uncomfortable."
"But you know what?" she adds. "I feel it's really special that you and I can have those kinds of talks even though I feel myself blushing a little bit."
Joshua's final question was equally challenging:
"Did I turn out to be the son you wanted when I was born. Did I meet your expectations?"
"You've exceeded my expectations, sweetie," his mother replied. "I really had to learn to think out of the box with you. It's made me much more creative as a parent and a person ... you are just so incredibly special to me, and I'm so lucky to have you as my son."
text size A A A May 6, 2010
Mother's Day Video Bonus:
When Sarah Littman visited StoryCorps with her son, Joshua, he was a seventh-grade honors student who was having a tough time socially. Joshua, who has Asperger's syndrome, had some unique questions to ask his mother:
Q & A from StoryCorps on Vimeo.
Sarah Littman's StoryCorps conversation with Joshua ranged from familiar young-boy topics — including Mom's views on cockroaches and snakes — to issues that seemed to come from much deeper inside Joshua's fertile mind.
"Have you ever felt like life is hopeless?" he asked.
"When I was a teenager, I was very depressed," Sarah said. "I think that can be quite common with teenagers who think a lot and who are perceptive."
"Am I like that?" Joshua wanted to know.
"I would say you're very much like that," his mother said.
Asked if she had any "mortal enemies," Mom demurred.
"I would say my worst enemy is sometimes myself," she said. "But I don't think I have any mortal enemies."
Then came a tough one for any parent to field: "Have you ever lied to me?"
"I probably have," Sarah conceded. "But I try not to lie to you, even though sometimes the questions you ask make me uncomfortable."
"But you know what?" she adds. "I feel it's really special that you and I can have those kinds of talks even though I feel myself blushing a little bit."
Joshua's final question was equally challenging:
"Did I turn out to be the son you wanted when I was born. Did I meet your expectations?"
"You've exceeded my expectations, sweetie," his mother replied. "I really had to learn to think out of the box with you. It's made me much more creative as a parent and a person ... you are just so incredibly special to me, and I'm so lucky to have you as my son."
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