To think that it is in rather poor taste to put your child in a T-shirt that says

[smellyeli]

.... 'I'm not naughty, I'm autistic'

Printed in big black letters on a red T=shirt, front and back.

If it is true and said child is indeed autistic? - I'm not sure he should be labelled so obviously. Poor taste.

If it is not true and child is merely naughty? Very poor taste, IMO.

AIBU?

[UndertheBoredwalk]

I don't think it's poor taste at all, I think it's a great way to deal with the inevitable moaners and idiots out there who think that you're DC is naughty and you're a terrible parent without having to stop and explain to everyone!

And I can't imagine anyone putting one on a child that didn't have autism tbh.

[EccentricaGallumbits]

I think the NAS sells T-shirts which say that.

Perhaps said child's parents got fed up with having to explain every 5 minutes on days out anywhere that he wasn't naughty.

[UndertheBoredwalk]

Meant to add, yabu.

[Curiousmama]

Well if the said child isn't autistic then they have very odd parents

I've heard of these Ts think they're a good idea. They must get sick of the tutting.

[twinkletoescare]

umm i personally dont see anything wrong with it....
Having worked with and currently working with Autistic child(ren) i can say that a lot of people do see the child as merely being "naughty" and by wearing a T.Shirt explaining this is not the case i find perfectly acceptable.
Thats my opinion anyhoooo!

[LukaLadybird]

YABU!
You don't have a child with autism I take it?

[smellyeli]

Fair enough. If the NAS sell them, then they must have thought about it pretty carefully and IABU. I suppose I would hope that at a soft play, people wouldn't be the tutting sort, but can appreciate that out and about they might be helpful.

[luckylady74]

YABU - just try and put yourself in the shoes of parents with autistic children and the children themselves-it's an invisible condition-there are no physical markers.
The NAs are a highly respected charity and it is them who sell them.

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

If the child did not have autism then YANBU and the parents are odd on many levels.

If the child did then I think its a great idea

[porgie]

YABU and also naive.

People at soft play (hovering over their PFB's) are the worst tutters, and also will come over and tell you that your tiny 2 year old DS with Autism is very violent and that you should watch him more!

The staring and tutting is exhausting and makes you feel like shit.

The childs parents are probably sick of explaining themselves.

[Goblinchild]

YABU There are a lot of Tshirts along those lines being sold by NAS and other organisations.
If you have an invisible disability, relying on adults to behave in a civil and sympathetic manner can wear thin. There are cards that some parents of ASD children hand out when they are attempting to control a panicking child in meltdown with the virtuous and opinionated standing around enjoying the show.
Poor Taste?
Implying someone would buy one if it wasn't a necessity? You'll fit right in with the Daily Mail

[Goblinchild]

shop.cafepress.com/autism
Have a look and learn something.

[nicknameidlike]

YABU my son 16 has autism and so ive has about 13 years of stares and tuts so i think these t shirts are a great idea

[smellyeli]

OK, definitely BU - apologies

But 'fitting right in with the Daily Mail'? Ouch!

[nicknameidlike]

personAlly id love one that says SEEING PLENTY? YOU OLD HAG

[Goblinchild]

Thinking about it, in 14 years I've never been judged and hissed at and accused by a bloke.
It's always women.

[PersonalClownisaShoeWhore]

YABU
I have one for DS when he's in having 'one of those days'
Makes life so much easier than having to hear stage whispers of 'Can't she control her child?' 'All he needs is a good smack' (my personal favourite BTW) and 'How rude!' when DS refuses to uses his manners/speak to people/barges through a crowd etc

[saintlydamemrsturnip]

My son has an 'I have autism please be patient' badge. He's hardly ever worn it because I always forget, but they can have their uses.

You would think that most people would be able to recognise a severely autistic 10 year old. He can't even talk FFS, but no we bring the tut tut brigade out in force when we go out.

I've had a man (a father of two young children) shake his head very slowly at ds1 once goblin (having sneered at him for over an hour on a ferry watching me stumbling around after him at 5 months pregnant). Had I been closer to him I would said something but I was too busy wrestling with ds1.

[saintlydamemrsturnip]

My recent favourite personalclown was 'you could say excuse me' to ds1. I didn't bother to explain that actually no, he can't. He can say Mummy, but nothing else. What's the point though?

[WorzselMummage]

Not bad taste atall.

I am thinking about printing something simelar for DS myself actually.

[lisad123wantsherquoteinDM]

I would say YABU but can see you already know you are think they are great.

Could I get one that says "Please be careful Im sleep deprived"

Or for DD "if found please return to the woman that looks like pooh"

[specialmagiclady]

Some of those t-shirts made me well up. I loved the "What, is my autism showing?" one.

[nicknameidlike]

saintlydamemrsturnip dont know why but your post has made me cry

[WhatFreshHellIsThis]

I think these t-shirts are a great idea - to use your example, saintlydamemrsturnip - if a child of mine who didn't have autism barged someone out of the way, I would darn well hope they'd say something about it and pull him up on it. And obviously they can't tell if a child has ASD or not, so there's huge potential for mistakes like the one you mention - assuming the child is just being naughty when actually they can't help it.

These t-shirts could really help.

[MaggieBeauLeo]

Well, I might have thought so once, but in the last week, two fucking biddies have made nasty comments about my kids. One is autistic and the other has mild ADHD, so they aren't angelic little statue kids.... but one woman muttered that my kids were obnoxious.. not their behaviour at that moment, but THEY were obnoxious, that hurt for days. Then this morning, my son accidentally knocked over his drink in a cafe and then in a fit of petulance he knocked over his sister's too. She started to cry. A woman in her 60s three tables away muttered 'idiot' and then started bitching to her companion about 'that carry on'. But really, this is so normal. There'll be another bitch to make a nasty comment the day after tomorrow.