What it is like to be 'autistic

Autism is like moving to a country with strange customs and a language you do not understand. You must learn the language over time but until you reach a certain point you will always be known as a 'foreigner'. Some will be 'racist' towards you some will not tolerate your customs. and some will be there to help you learn the language and customs of 'normality'. 
I had help learning the language but the customs and laws I had to learn on my own. People were at times not so tolerent of my behaviour. I felt as if I was not allowed to be the way I was. So I looked at how others behaved and I learnt from that. 
Even though it is a hard lesson to learn as such, If you can send your children to a mainstream school. They might struggle and it will be hard but they will grow stronger in the end. 

Parents
  • Meg the egg said:
    Even though it is a hard lesson to learn as such, If you can send your children to a mainstream school. They might struggle and it will be hard but they will grow stronger in the end.

    This is the one and only part of your post I don't agree with.

    But I don't think that one should not send ones autistic child to a mainstream school, but rather, it is the 'they will grow stronger in the end' bit I disagree with.

    I went to a mainstream school, and I did not 'grow stronger', I merely became 'more hardened' - I built up a shell to protect myself and I withdrew from 'normal' society - I did not 'integrate'.

    However, I'm 39, was only diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of years ago, and went to school at a time when Asperger's was not well understood, so got absolutely no support.

    So, it would be better to say "If you can send your children to a mainstream school where they will get support. They might struggle and it will be hard but they may grow stronger in the end."

    Or, in other words, the mere act of sending your autistic child to mainstream school may not be enough - they are likely to need support if they are to grow stronger, and even with support they will find it hard, will struggle, and may, in fact, not flourish.

Reply
  • Meg the egg said:
    Even though it is a hard lesson to learn as such, If you can send your children to a mainstream school. They might struggle and it will be hard but they will grow stronger in the end.

    This is the one and only part of your post I don't agree with.

    But I don't think that one should not send ones autistic child to a mainstream school, but rather, it is the 'they will grow stronger in the end' bit I disagree with.

    I went to a mainstream school, and I did not 'grow stronger', I merely became 'more hardened' - I built up a shell to protect myself and I withdrew from 'normal' society - I did not 'integrate'.

    However, I'm 39, was only diagnosed with Asperger's a couple of years ago, and went to school at a time when Asperger's was not well understood, so got absolutely no support.

    So, it would be better to say "If you can send your children to a mainstream school where they will get support. They might struggle and it will be hard but they may grow stronger in the end."

    Or, in other words, the mere act of sending your autistic child to mainstream school may not be enough - they are likely to need support if they are to grow stronger, and even with support they will find it hard, will struggle, and may, in fact, not flourish.

Children
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