Re: interacting with parents of autistics in public

[Guest guest]

I would just say that you have autism as well and ask if it would be ok to talk with their

child and simply share that sometimes you feel like the only person with autism in the

world... that should open a door to conversation. You could also ask the parent/care giver

if they would like to talk with you sometime. Perhaps get a business card made with your

first name and e-mail address to share with the parent.(Be careful how much info you put on there

for your personal safety/security, of course.) Sometimes it might not be the best

time to talk right then and giving them a card lets them consider without feeling pressure right

at that moment. You can get free cards made at Vistaprint.com that are very nice and really,

truly free. They just have their logo/website on the back as advertisment in exchange for

making your free business cards.

Simple honesty shouldn't be offensive, as far as I can tell. I would find it refreshing and welcome.

As a parent, I would enjoy sharing your experiences/insights into autism, too, so sounds like

a win-win situation for everyone.

Belle

I'm autistic, and I'm one of those autistics who usually isn't considered disabled by people who haven't been told I'm autistic.I've heard a lot of parents complain about people staring at their

kids if the kids are acting odd or visibly disabled. And this makes me feel kind of guilty because very often I stare at disabled kids.The reason why is that I'm lonely. I feel like everyone else is all the same and I'm the only one who is different. So when I see a

disabled person out in public, I feel glad that I'm not the only one, and I want to interact with them. But I don't really know how to do that. With little kids, sometimes I'll just try to talk to them like

I would to any other little kid, but the parents tend to get all tense and try to get their kid away from me, whereas they don't do that if the kid's not disabled. So instead I usually just watch them,

but I keep worrying about if the person or their family has noticed and if they're offended by it.Awhile back I saw an adult man running around in a store acting very autistic, and I asked the woman with him (presumably his mom) if he

was autistic, and she said yes, and was acting really tense, and I thought about telling her I'm autistic but figured she'd probably think I had no reason to feel like I had anything in common with him

and I ended up just leaving without saying anything else. So that's an example of one of my attempts that didn't seem to work out well.Does anyone have any advice?Ettina

[Guest guest]

Advice? Not really but just a personal note, it would be cool if someone noticed that my son was autistic and not possessed and said, "Hey...that's cool. I'm autistic, too." Definitely would be a welcome change from people telling me that there's nothing wrong with my son that a "good ass whoopin' won't fix."abnormaldiversity wrote: I'm autistic, and I'm one of those autistics who usually isn't considered disabled by people who haven't been told I'm autistic. I've heard a lot of parents complain

about people staring at their kids if the kids are acting odd or visibly disabled. And this makes me feel kind of guilty because very often I stare at disabled kids. The reason why is that I'm lonely. I feel like everyone else is all the same and I'm the only one who is different. So when I see a disabled person out in public, I feel glad that I'm not the only one, and I want to interact with them. But I don't really know how to do that. With little kids, sometimes I'll just try to talk to them like I would to any other little kid, but the parents tend to get all tense and try to get their kid away from me, whereas they don't do that if the kid's not disabled. So instead I usually just watch them, but I keep worrying about if the person or their family has noticed and if they're offended by it. Awhile back I saw an adult man running around in a store acting very autistic, and I asked the woman with him

(presumably his mom) if he was autistic, and she said yes, and was acting really tense, and I thought about telling her I'm autistic but figured she'd probably think I had no reason to feel like I had anything in common with him and I ended up just leaving without saying anything else. So that's an example of one of my attempts that didn't seem to work out well. Does anyone have any advice? Ettina "Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler" - Albert Einstein

[Guest guest]

Ettina,

I think many parents are a little anxious when in public. Especially when

someone

approaches them about their child. I would think many parents would be

appreciated to

know that you also have autism. I think it is important for parents to see

adults on the

spectrum being successful in the community. Many worry extensively about how

their

children will be as adults. Most attention in autism is directed with children.

It is nice for

families to be aware of the adults living with autism in their community.

Bill.

I'm autistic, and I'm

one of those autistics who usually isn't

> considered disabled by people who haven't been told I'm autistic.

> I've heard a lot of parents complain about people staring at their

> kids if the kids are acting odd or visibly disabled. And this makes

> me feel kind of guilty because very often I stare at disabled kids.

> The reason why is that I'm lonely. I feel like everyone else is all

> the same and I'm the only one who is different. So when I see a

> disabled person out in public, I feel glad that I'm not the only one,

> and I want to interact with them. But I don't really know how to do

> that. With little kids, sometimes I'll just try to talk to them like

> I would to any other little kid, but the parents tend to get all

> tense and try to get their kid away from me, whereas they don't do

> that if the kid's not disabled. So instead I usually just watch them,

> but I keep worrying about if the person or their family has noticed

> and if they're offended by it.

> Awhile back I saw an adult man running around in a store acting very

> autistic, and I asked the woman with him (presumably his mom) if he

> was autistic, and she said yes, and was acting really tense, and I

> thought about telling her I'm autistic but figured she'd probably

> think I had no reason to feel like I had anything in common with him

> and I ended up just leaving without saying anything else. So that's

> an example of one of my attempts that didn't seem to work out well.

> Does anyone have any advice?

> Ettina

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> " Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler " - Albert

Einstein

>