United we stand…divided we fall

I’m having a down day today, partly it’s the weather (I got soaked on the school run, drowned rat is not the word), partly it’s because I’m tired, partly it’s because I’m still on Lent (day 15) but mostly it’s this:

The shopping centre manager STILL hasn’t come back to me. Not even an email saying “no” or a returned phone call. Just agreeing to display the leaflets would help. I’ve got a reporter phoning me today from a local newspaper who has agreed that 2nd April would be an ideal time to run something, whether it’s an article or a blog extract. Someone else is going to give me a contact in Radio Berkshire – so I should be feeling positive, right?

And it’s more this, if I’m being honest:
I had a reply on twitter last night from a new follow (remember the fact that they followed me first, so obviously had a read a little bit of blog etc) and it said
“my two sons are teens….I don’t need awareness….”.
When someone new follows, I go back to them, thank them, follow back (after checking through their tweets) and then reference my blog. It is then up to the new follow if they choose to read/RT/comment. I don’t force the matter.

This has felt like “I’m dismissing you and your blog because a) you have a daughter on the spectrum, b) she’s 7 and c) you can’t help me”. Because this “dismissal” came from another autism parent, it’s hurt more than some random troll calling my child “r**tards” – I’m not spelling that word, I HATE it.

She was also after adult transition services info so I RTd her message and I saw afterwards that she was tweeting with another follower, so I’ve helped put two (or more people) together with that RT.

Like I said in my “penny for your thoughts” post, I am so grateful for the support and information you can find within the autism community here on Twitter, amongst the people who follow me and I follow back, there are:

Mums with toddlers newly diagnosed or waiting for a diagnosis
Mums who already have a child on the spectrum and are either pregnant with another child and wondering how they will cope – or wanting another child
Parents whose children start “big” school (primary or first grade) in the autumn
Parents whose children CAN’T not WON’T attend school – due to anxieties and lack of support
Parents of teenagers and young adults
Autism parents who are parents themselves (that is something I always wonder, will D form a relationship)
Individuals who are on the Spectrum and blog about their experiences and how they view things – so insightful, so useful
People who work with autistic children and young adults
Individuals and companies who genuinely want to help raise awareness.

If I haven’t name-checked your particular circumstance, please don’t take offence 😃

What I’m trying to get across is, this community is SO useful, gaining and sharing information, bouncing ideas off each other, sharing a joke, empathising with an experience.

There is so much negativity and worry around at the moment: the savage cuts the Government are enforcing; the statementing process proposed overhaul; the potential removal of Aspergers as a diagnosis if DMS5 goes through and the general indifference and lack of awareness out there – after all, as we know you can’t see, smell, hear or touch autism.

So..I think it’s helped writing this down, still feel like having a damn good cry though.

Comments/RTs as ever welcomed and I hope you’re having a better day J 😘😘