Changes and Emma’s guest post #ThisIsAutism – Thurs 3rd April 2014
By Jeannette | April 3, 2014
We are very close to the end of Spring term and I must admit, this week has been difficult for both T and D.
For T, he’s found the fact that they “haven’t been doing proper lessons at school” tricky, he is a child who thrives on an autism-friendly routine and, whilst I would imagine everyone else in class has been excited about watching DVDs, the impending holidays and chocolate (!), T – in his eyes – goes to school to learn and that’s that.
D finished school today as she has a hospital appointment tomorrow and she was really sobbing on the way home because she’ll miss school. No matter that we have some fun activities scheduled (including seeing Rio 2, which she’s really excited about), it’s all changes for her.
This Is Autism:
Talking of changes, tonight’s guest post comes from Emma, who is on twitter at @emzamy. I instantly connected with Emma as we both have daughters with autism and, as D is a couple of years older, we exchange emails about having girls on the spectrum and the future.
Over to Emma (and thank you from me for writing and sharing this very honest post):
“My 7 year old daughter has Autism ..would I change her? No.
Would I change myself? In an instant.
I am the best Mum I can be to her, I have the patience of a saint, I can function on very few hours of sleep, I can sit out a 2 hour meltdown in the middle of a shop like it is nothing .. but what I can’t do is see the world through the eyes of my child. That is what I would change.
I can’t understand what it is that makes her anxious, I don’t understand what causes her to meltdown or to bite me, I can’t understand the constant need to control that she has, I don’t know why she can be so mean to her brother and I will never, ever understand why people feel the need to judge her behaviour or disbelieve her diagnosis.
I can, however, be her advocate. I can educate people about Autism and I can grow a thick skin and take people’s comments on the chin.
I can do these things because my daughter is amazing. She is bright, cheerful, funny and captures the hearts of many.
She may not be perfect to everybody (especially when her blunt honesty tells them things that they don’t want to hear!), but she is perfect to me.
Amy doesn’t suffer from Autism, she has Autism and everyday I thank my lucky stars that I was given such a unique and individual child.
Yes I face challenges, yes most
days I have to soldier on after having only 2 hours sleep, yes some days I am sore from the violence that arises from the frustrations Amy encounters, yes my days are filled with phone calls and fights for things we can never get access to, but would we change anything about Amy? NEVER.
…oh well, maybe just one thing…….I wish she would use cutlery for baked beans! (photo below)”
2 Comments
rebecca beesley on 26th April 2014 at 9:19 pm.
Love that photo! My son doesn’t use cutlery much either. What a lucky girl to have a mum like you and I wish I had more patience. I used to pre-diagnosis but then it was like all my patience ran out by the time we got a diagnosis and I was hoping things would get easier with a diagnosis but they didn’t. I really need to grow a thick skin too. Great guest post – thank you x
Jeannette on 1st May 2014 at 9:40 am.
It was a fantastic photo! Such a cheeky expression, loved it. My two don’t use cutlery either unless we’re out, I’m very proud when they do x