Posts Tagged ‘special needs adult’
An Open Letter to Those who Bully People With Special Needs
Dear Bully, When I was in public school I used to be bullied by people like you. You would see me in the corner, usually trying to keep to myself and wonder why I was there. Other times you would see me having issues reading out loud in class and snicker while I tried to pronounce different words. You’d take my inability to understand sarcasm as a way to get me in trouble. Worst of all, you’d make me feel like an outsider when more than anything I wanted to…
Read MoreDreams Don’t Die, They Change
We all remember that day. The visit, the phone call, or the letter. And you hear or read those words: “Your child is on the autism spectrum.” I know I will never forget. I can still hear the Dr. saying, “We can go two different routes here. We can give the diagnosis of PDD/NOS or Autism.” I think he was truly trying to spare us that ominous word. I voted for Autism. I knew enough to know that the diagnosis of autism was our ticket to services. See, this all…
Read MoreI Don’t Mind You Staring At My Brother’s Disability
Living 36 years of my life having a brother with a disability has made me embrace the things I can’t change. Being the sibling of a brother with a disability has taught me many life lessons, and one of those lessons I’m sharing today in this blog. There is one thing that all families who have a child/sibling with a disability have experienced more often than not…….People who stare. When they notice a difference in the people around them, they stare. When they observe or hear a different form of…
Read MoreEach Person With ASD Is A Raw Gemstone
I wrote an essay recently about how my 16-year old son Jack got a job, and then a promotion, at local restaurant. This might not seem like a big deal, but Jack has autism. He struggles with regulation, executive functioning, severe anxiety, and communication. In other words, he jumps around a lot, he has little to no working memory, he’s afraid of loud noises, and he can be a little, uh, abrupt. A few days ago, I got an email from a lovely young woman, describing her own journey to…
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