to start a positive autism thread

[smoothy]

To counter the dehumanising and ignorant attitudes i’ve seen expressed on here lately?

And I don’t mean “some genius eccentric scientists are autistic!”. You don’t have to believe that autism is some kind of superpower.

I mean, if you are autistic, what are you proud of? If your child is autistic, what makes you proud of them?

For all my many weaknesses I am kind, creative, and brave. And I want all autistic people are able to feel good about themselves in a world which, for the most part, tells us that we are a problem unless we have some kind of savant ability.

I work with many children who have autism. They are kind, caring, sensitive, funny, creative, engaging and patient. Sure, they find some things about the world difficult but if you work to make those things less difficult for them, they shine.

I am really good at knitting. I can hold a complicated pattern in my head with very little effort.

I’m kind. I try to understand people because I know how it feels not to be understood.

My seven year old has the most amazing ability to build things using Lego, blocks, whatever he has. He says he sees them in his head and then just knows how to put them together from the pieces.

He’s funny and loving and awesome.

My children are both autistic.

My son is the kindest, most gentle and most caring and loyal person I have ever known. His special interest is trains and we spend a lot of time going to steam events where he gets into conversations with other (often elderly) rail enthusiasts that leave them as he knows so much - he's 16. I've been told many times what a great lad he is and that I should be proud to have a son like him. I am,I really really am

My dd is hilarious, makes the sharpest observations and is loyal to her core. Sometimes she comes out of school angry because there's been bad behaviour and she hates it as "we are lucky to be in that school Mum and it's not fair on the teachers". She works hard and gives school 100% even though she finds the social side difficult. She loves dogs, baking and gaming. Hates insects, especially daddy long legs and will minutely inspect the ceilings of old buildings for them before she will enter. Family members know this and do a sweep of their homes before she comes and it's all so matter of fact "so we are looking forward to seeing you all, I've got the paddling pool out, made a cake and checked the house for insects"

My children are the nicest people I have ever met. I can't think where they get it from

I’m autistic.

I like that it’s almost impossible for me to become offended. I laugh at myself and I genuinely find it funny when people have a joke at my expense (as long as it’s not malicious).

DH thinks I have a great sense of humour. I am quite the feminist but when the women’s football was on, DH was making sexist jokes about the players and I was in stitches. DH said he thinks it’s brilliant that he can have a laugh with me about stuff despite my feminist opinions.

I don’t judge people either. I’m just as likely to ask a big hairy man with tattoos for the time as I am a little old lady etc

I believe I have unique interests. And my passion for dogs is out of this world.

I should add that the sexist jokes were a deliberate attempt to wind me up. He’s not sexist really.

My autistic daughter (nearly 18) is the apple of my eye. I adore that girl. She's funny, kind, intelligent (lazy as sin, though ).
I am hoping with all my heart that uni will be better for her than school ever was, and that she'll make good friends who are worthy of her.
As far as parenting goes, she's much easier than her neurotypical younger sisters!

I was very proud of dd1 at her CAMHS assessment this week. She was so brave, open and honest about her feelings - and it wouldn't even have occurred to her to lie or minimise anything. This is a fantastic quality and I really admire it.

My son and daughter have autism they make me see what really matters. I love their insights, I love their humour, I love that they are kind, honest and respectful young people and they make me very proud.

What a lovely thread. DS and DH are both on the spectrum.

DS doesn't have the same self esteem issues as many kids his age. He thinks he's the best thing ever to have graced this planet! And so do we 😊

DH's love of routine means that he makes me a cup of tea every morning without fail. I'm such a lucky woman 😂

Thank you for starting this thread. I saw the aforementioned thread and it tapped into all my fears. My son is in the process of being diagnosed. He is 3. He is adorable and people are forgiving of a cute 3 year old being developmentally behind or acting in a way they perceive as strange. I am scared of the future though. When he is not a cute 3 year old but a 20 something year old man will people be quite as forgiving? Judging by that thread I doubt it. I hope that in the coming years there will be more awareness on autism/disabilities so that my son won't be judged so harshly for his personality.

Although my son is obsessed with rocks. He was brought to tears the other day by his absolute love for them. I could do without my living room looking like a rockery but thats by the by really
Can anyone recommend toys for a child obsessed with rocks..?

Thanks for the beautiful, heart warming post. My gorgeous DD is under investigation. She's certainly not without her challenges but the most loving, funny, brave person I know. Its her bravery that never fails to impress me. Anxiety often floor's her but she manages to our-brave it much of the time.

Both my sons are awesomely autistic. They are poles apart, one is hyper and keeping up with his endless energy is tiring but fun, the other loves his comfort and cosiness. Finding a middle ground is sometimes difficult, but can be done.
My boys have opened my eyes to a new world, a different and lovely world. They accept everything and everyone as they see it. No judgement from them ever. Just wish the world could reciprocate.

I should add, that is just a tiny snippet of our world, there is so much more...

My son is 20 and has ASD. He is kind, gentle and quiet. He is very calm and laid back. He feels things very deeply but struggles to express them. He is the best brother in the world to my 9 year old daughter.

@whitedust, I agree with you about the humour! my son is very funny.
@Dieu I asked my son what he did yesterday when I got home and he said with a big smile, ''literally nothing, I achieved NOTHING today''.

I remember when he was 7 and I was so tired of reading ''the smartest giant in town'', every single night, one night I said ''Will I still be reading this to you when your forty!?'' and he laughed and quipped back ''i'll ask my wife to read it to me''. Such a stereotype that people with autism can't be funny or can't get humour! Some do some don't. I know some humourless NT folks.

me and my DH are both autistic. I also have dyslexia, dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder. I went through the most terrible times as a child mainly due to lack of understanding about autism and how it didn't mean i was broken etc, I was just different.

Despite everything, through my teen years I didn't even think I would live to reach adulthood. Every day was wretched and my anxiety meant that ordinary things seemed unsurmountable to me.

However because of my mum and dad and now DH i have achieved things I never thought I would. We are a neuro-diverse family so have made our own world that works for us.

I have my own home, drive a car (something that still gives me anxiety!) and am about to qualify as a social worker! My dream is to work with families who have autistic children to teach them that autism means amazing things can happen and that we can work on making the world more inclusive

this is a great thread :)

My son is 7 with HFA.He is a true fighter; the hardest working person I've met in my life.

He is kind, cuddly, affectionate, loyal, extremely talented at music, reading amd maths. He is incredibly caring, he has massive collection of teddy bears who he takes care of :-D he is great with younger kids and patient with his tornado of a 3 year who is pretty aggressive (working on it..).

He is a pleasure to parent.He does almost everthing asked of him, he is so well-behaved wherever we go.

He doesn't have a spiteful bone in his body.He now has friends.Took him a while, but he got there!He is in mainstream school and is top of the class and working a year ahead in English and Maths.

He is amazing.I want to be him when I grow up

Thank you for this thread OP.

I'm autistic, my children are autistic and I work with young autistic adults in a support setting.

DS1 makes me proud because he's finding his own feet and proud of who he is despite horrible bullying in the past. He's become a gentle, loving and thoughtful young man despite enduring horrid bullying for many years which made us have to move house. He works hard at his goals, and is learning to be proud of himself.

DD makes me proud because she's screamingly funny, dry humour and just quick as a flash with her wit. She's also very protective and caring.

DS2s whole demeanour makes me laugh on a daily basis, he's funny and loving and just hilariously funny in the loveliest of ways. He is very literal and his facial expressions are bloody brilliant! He's a wee character and I want him to keep that as long as he can!

I'm proud of myself that I can work in the job I do and overcome sensory processing disorder to manage huge amounts of info (support plans, descalations, meds etc) in order to do my job.

My service user is non verbal but his communication through facial expressions and humming music are a privilege to be allowed to see. When we get it right and he smiles it's like the sun has come out. My other service user is gentle, sweet and wants to please everyone. He's incredibly vulnerable and it makes my heart happy to know that he's in a place where he is a priority, his lovely family are so kind and involved on a daily basis too. Forming those kinds of bonds is what makes our job so bloody wonderful!

So I eat sleep and breathe autism, it's literally every aspect of my life, and I wouldn't change a single thing.

Well, not with the autistic people anyway

Like WhiteDust I teach in mainstream secondary and my students with autism are definitely among my favourites!

I love their humour, honesty and trustworthiness. Most of them develop a passion for my subject and it is an absolute joy to teach young people who appreciate the inner workings of the subject matter. Teenagers can be a pain in the backside complicated and students with autism often provide a safe haven of sanity amongst all the hormonal madness!

My ds (14) has asd. He's very bright and would have had an Asperger's diagnosis if they hadn't got rid of it in DSM v.

He's very funny (very dry so sometimes you have to check it was intentional). He's kind to everyone (even the weasel kids who don't deserve it). He's great in a crisis (doesn't get detailed by panic unless he has to deal with spiders, then he's useless).

That's not to say he doesn't have challenges, but we think he's awesome just the way he is.

Ideally, the world would be more accommodating of neuro-developmental difference, but exclusionary fuckers are the ones who lose out on knowing our awesome boy: the loss is all theirs.

This is lovely to read.

My DD has so much resilience - I always tell her she is tougher and braver than many of her peers because she has to deal with so much.

She does not give a single shit about being popular and collecting friends for the sake of it, and is happy with her group of friends - who she is very loyal to.

She has an amazing quirky sense of humour, with sharp one liners.

She is emotionally articulate and is able to recognise when things are too much for her.

She has such passion for her interests - some of which have now taken over my life too :D

Every day I am in awe of her, whilst being frustrated that the world is not easier for her.

This is where I wish there was a like button. I'm agreeing and liking everything here. Lovely thread OP.

My son who is 14 has autism and severe/profound learning difficulties. He responds to people based purely on how they are with him. Absolutely no prejudice or preconceived ideas.

I'm a SENCO and my kids with asd are wonderful. The misconceptions and generalisations do them a massive disservice. For example asd means you have no empathy, never make eye contact and don't like people is such a load of bollocks. They are all so very different from each other. It's impossible to generalise about autism.