to tell them until their understand

[Mollyweasley2]

I am a mum, a wife with a loving DH, a teacher and I am also autistic. Yesterday was World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) but I didn't see much happen around me, so I was disappointed, is everybody ignoring us again?
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects so many people, but we tend to be bad a communicating to non autistic people so I guess that's why nobody is getting the message. We just want people to know what we are going through and show empathy.

Before I carry on please note that there are a lot of different people on the spectrum some are highly depend on the people around them, some like me, are completely able to function independently.

What I would like is WAAD to be a day to celebrate difference, I want to redefine normal so it becomes normal to be different.
I'll tell you my normal and perhaps you can tell me yours. All together we can stop trying to be normal and become more tolerant to everybody's difference?

So this is a sample of my normal:

I get up and get ready for the day and remind myself what I have planned.
I get my children ready and set them off to school.
I get to the school gate wave goodbye and chat for a few minute with the mums there.
I walk home and spend all my time worrying about what I have said to one of the mums…did I offend her, did I say too much/not enough. I can't think of anything else, I feel sick and can't concentrate on anything
I get home and call DH to ask his opinion. He reassures me for the millionth time that it is ok, not to worry. I feel a bit better.
It is now lunchtime, I have finally stopped worrying and I can get on with what I had planned.
I try to think of a suitable career, that would fit my needs and my children's . I can't work as a teacher because schools are the wrong environment for me, they are a social mayhem and a sensory nightmare (too noisy!). I think I am getting there though, I have a few projects on the go…so I spend a bit of time engrossed in them, that makes me very happy .
I go to pick up, avoid the mums so as not to repeat the morning event.
I do the usual chauffeuring of my children to their activities, try to motivate them to do some homework and then collapse on the sofa, utterly exhausted, with a good TV series….and my noise cancellation headphones

that's my normal, what's yours….?

www.autism.org.uk/get-involved/tmi/film.aspx

Hello Molly!

Sometimes for something to be super big and celebrated, it needs a strong patron to stand up and drive it. The autistic trait doesn't lend itself to that sadly. Would you want to front a campaign? I can try and help you.
Thank you for sharing! Super insightful for me and brave for you.
Never been diagnosed as autistic, not sure I am. However I too mess up social situ's, analyse, avoid, get exhausted. Hate school run! Arrive late and hide.

From what you've said I also think my boyfriend might be autistic, he's super crazy bothered and anytical over every detail of his appearance and communication - is that a trait?

Have a lovely weekend

X

Molly, I made this, among other things yesterday. I put it on my organization's Facebook page. People didn't forget. I also wore my red sparkly dress, I don't like blue because of autism speaks.

Unfortunately there are so many days to raise awareness of things that they all get lost.

Here is the list of international observances:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_observances

To add to the confusion there are also things like food days:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_food_days#United_Kingdom

Molly without seeming rude, do you know when mental health day is?
world cancer day?

Hills, when are they? I can only remember world AIDS day I think which is 1 December? And international Day for people with disabilities which is December 3. I remember that one very clearly since I was asked to speak on that day.

OK I googled them mental health 10th of October and cancer fourth of February. Sometimes it's confusing knowing what happens on what day. Eighth of March is international women's day for example, but in Vietnam we celebrate both 8 March and the 20th October as Vietnam women say. In the US you have teacher appreciation week in May and in Vietnam teach your day is 19 November. International children's day is June 1 but in Thailand it is not. April 18 is the day for the visually impaired in Vietnam but World site day is October 13? I think. So many things to remember

hi! thanks for answering!
Scotisshdiem/sobbey: I am so sorry. This was not meant as a criticism but just a statement, to point out that the great difficulty with autism awareness is that our lack of communication and interaction skills means that it is not only difficult to explain how it affects us but also very hard to raise awareness!

Hellokitty: brill! I agree with the blue thing. I think we could do with a famous patron…like Daniel Ratcliffe!

Heebejeebes: There are loads of traits and attention to details is one, going to great length to fit in (to the point of mental health issues) can be one too.I think a lot of late diagnosed adult with autism have always felt different to others, not knowing why and have suffered from it. Finding out about autism for me was a relief that I was not crazy.