Comments on: Autism – Life in the Company of Not-So-Strangers http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/06/15/autism-life-in-the-company-of-not-so-strangers/ Parenting, Autism, and the Pursuit of Being Awesome Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:51:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Tim http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/06/15/autism-life-in-the-company-of-not-so-strangers/comment-page-1/#comment-7908 Tim Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:08:34 +0000 http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/?p=815#comment-7908 I've actually caught myself observing kids at Target (about the only place we shop anymore) and regularly seeing kids who have similarities with the J-Man or other kids we've met through school or elsewhere. Obviously I can't diagnose them from behind a shopping cart, but I've had a couple of occasions when I've been able to talk to the parents and discover their kids really are on the spectrum somewhere. It's common that we run into at least one other family at a birthday party for kids - the ones outside our 'autism circle' - usually because someone introduces us to them as fellow parents with autistic kids. Other times, I think it's because we often stick out a lot at these parties now. Parties tend to bring out the more 'stereotypical' behaviors in him - like the repetitive picking up of dirt and watching it fall thing he's into outside now. In general, he just has a hard time in crowds and noise, so parties often aren't much fun for any of us. We try to go as a sort of practice in addition to celebrating their birthdays, but it doesn't feel like it's getting any easier. I think it's both a small world and a bigger community of people than we sometimes realize. I’ve actually caught myself observing kids at Target (about the only place we shop anymore) and regularly seeing kids who have similarities with the J-Man or other kids we’ve met through school or elsewhere. Obviously I can’t diagnose them from behind a shopping cart, but I’ve had a couple of occasions when I’ve been able to talk to the parents and discover their kids really are on the spectrum somewhere.

It’s common that we run into at least one other family at a birthday party for kids – the ones outside our ‘autism circle’ – usually because someone introduces us to them as fellow parents with autistic kids. Other times, I think it’s because we often stick out a lot at these parties now. Parties tend to bring out the more ‘stereotypical’ behaviors in him – like the repetitive picking up of dirt and watching it fall thing he’s into outside now.

In general, he just has a hard time in crowds and noise, so parties often aren’t much fun for any of us. We try to go as a sort of practice in addition to celebrating their birthdays, but it doesn’t feel like it’s getting any easier.

I think it’s both a small world and a bigger community of people than we sometimes realize.

]]> By: magicdrgn http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/2009/06/15/autism-life-in-the-company-of-not-so-strangers/comment-page-1/#comment-7781 magicdrgn Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:38:59 +0000 http://www.bothhandsandaflashlight.com/?p=815#comment-7781 We were at a fast food indoor playground a month or so ago and were approached separately by two other moms of autistic kids. Very small world. We were at a fast food indoor playground a month or so ago and were approached separately by two other moms of autistic kids. Very small world.

]]>