The month of April is best known for the explosion of Easter
Bunnies, obscene amounts of chocolate as gifts for children and a magnificent
feast to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. To many people April is Easter,
They plan, they organise, many months in advance sometimes, Children have the
time of their lives, gorging on chocolate, receiving gifts from extended family
members, but to me, April is Autism Awareness month.
So to celebrate this, I am going to dedicate my blog for a whole
month to families who wish to share their Autism Journey with you. Some of
these people have autism themselves, some are autistic parents to autistic
children. We have teachers with autistic students and even Bloggers who want
share their journey with me, which I am very grateful for.
And we are odd?
One
of the very reasons that both my daughter and I got diagnosed later than we
probably should have done is because, well, to us, the things that make us
‘different’ to society, are our ‘normal’.
Since
we have both been diagnosed I have been baffled by the things that are
considered social communication or social interaction ‘issues’.
* Being too honest.
Hang
on! What happened to ‘honesty is the best policy’?! Also why do non-autistic
people ask an autistic person for their opinion and then get upset when we give
it? It isn’t easy to understand when that rule applies and when it doesn’t, and
shouldn’t it really apply all the time considering that we are told from a
young age that lying is bad?
* Talking and taking things literally
In
an already confusing world, why would people say things that have multiple
meanings? Unless you want people to misunderstand but then what is the point in
intentionally causing miscommunication… ?!?
* Difficulties with small talk
This
is one that I try to explain to non autistic people about breaking down what
they do and showing them how strange it is to do small talk the way they do:
A:
How are you?
B:
Fine, you?
Actually ‘A’ would be baffled if ‘B’ had of told the truth, they
may not be fine, but it is a conditioned response. ‘B’ asks in return out of
‘courtesy’ hoping that ‘A’ says ‘fine’ because that is how it is done.
A:
Fine thanks, wow it is raining outside, did you get here ok?
B:
yeah the rain is bad, I got here ok, you?
‘A’
knows full well ‘B’ saw the rain as they came to the same place, and obviously
got there ok, because they are there and they are ok!
But
apparently autistic people not understanding the point of this interaction is
odd! I mean, do non-autistic people even understand the point in this?
* Eye contact (lack of)
Why
is it not considered more odd to stare at other people’s eyes? If people said
what they mean then people wouldn’t have to try and convey meaning by
expression!
* Not liking physical contact
Well,
I don’t go into the shop and hug and kiss the cashier because we have had
enforced social interaction, why do family insist that it is essential that we
hug on seeing and leaving eachother? Sometimes that can just be more enforced
social interaction, I never asked to be one of 5 kids!!! (haha)
There are tons more and if you are not
autistic, next time you witness social interaction and communication, see if
you can break it down and see if you can see it from an autistic person’s point
of view- you may just find it a little entertaining!
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