10/15/2026
**Sometimes the best thing you can do for your child is throw the rulebook out the window. ❤️**
I came across these old photos today, and they brought back so many memories.
Anthony was about 10 years old, and life was really hard for him back then. School was a daily struggle, and we were constantly going from one appointment to another, trying to figure out how to help him navigate a world that didn't always understand him.
As a parent, the worry can be all-consuming. Are you doing enough? Are you making the right decisions? What will their future look like?
I remember this particular day so clearly.
We were at one of his weekly therapy appointments in Seattle, and Anthony was becoming increasingly distressed. I could see he had reached his limit.
So I told the doctor we were leaving.
Instead of another hour of therapy, I took him to Gas Works Park. It was one of those absolutely gorgeous Seattle spring days, and I figured we both needed some fresh air.
Of course, Anthony had his little cars with him. He ALWAYS had cars with him. 😂
I handed him my iPhone and let him do what made him happy.
And something pretty extraordinary happened.
When I looked through my camera roll afterward, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
These weren't just pictures of toy cars. They were little works of art. Somehow, through that tiny camera, my 10-year-old son was showing me the world as he saw it.
And it was beautiful.
That day changed something in me.
I had spent so much time worrying about what Anthony couldn't do, what he needed to learn, and what all the experts said we should be working on, that I almost overlooked what he could do.
Sometimes, as parents, we're so busy trying to lead our children down the right path that we forget to let them show us where they want to go.
I shared those photos on Facebook, and to my surprise, they went viral. People all over the world were seeing what I had seen that day.
What made Anthony happy was making other people happy, too.
And that's how this whole crazy adventure began.
Fast-forward eight years, and that little boy with his toy cars has grown into a young man who has traveled Route 66 in a 1957 Ford, photographed thousands of miniature cars, and created a beautiful coffee table book celebrating the 100th anniversary of America's most famous highway.
And yes, I'm still here posting his photos, telling his stories, and probably driving a few people crazy with my endless enthusiasm. 😂
But here's the thing.
I remember that little boy sitting in that doctor's office, overwhelmed by a world that felt so difficult to him.
And I remember the joy on his face when I handed him that phone.
So if I seem a little relentless about helping him chase his dreams, now you know why.
His new book, *Small Cars, Big Adventure*, is another one of those dreams coming true.
Buy one or don't. No pressure. ❤️
But if you do, know that you're supporting something that began with a little boy, a handful of toy cars, and a mother who finally learned that sometimes the best way to help your child is simply to follow their lead.
And who knows? Maybe his photographs will make you a little happier, too. ❤️
www.AnthonySchmidtPhotography.com
