In our house we are always aware and try to stay positive
In this week alone I have attended appointments, analysed behaviour, dealt with anger and anxiety by lying down on the floor. And when not talking a lot about buses, I have volunteered with a charity supporting parents and attended online seminars to help us. Because everyday in our house is an Autism day. So as I celebrate World Autism Awareness day, I think that about how it makes our lives in some ways a little different. It also keeps us busy and on our toes.
Even in the busiest weeks like this, I think about the other elements that are just joyful. We love stimming in our house, self-stimulatory behaviours like bouncing, flapping hands, humming that gives lots of feedback to his sensory system. It can soothe, help processing and just be for fun.
He loves to bounce on an OT ball because it feels good. He asked me to video how high he was going on the ball now because he thinks he almost touches the ceiling. It is alarmingly high now and the images are a blur of excited body bouncing. There was so much to celebrate with school term finished and a new update for a game he likes. And I love to see him happy like this.
We also like to celebrate neurodiversity in our house. He has such indepth knowledge around his special subjects. The great long lists of motorways or bus types or bus routes that litter our house capture him with an admirable passion. I love how his type of brain can focus on its interest and learn so much. Steve Silberman talks about in his book Neurotribes. I don’t of course prescribe to the Rainman stereotype of autistic intelligence, but where brains do work differently, surely we can value that. When I think of what he is able to remember, because his visual skills are stronger than mine, and how despite his attention impairment, he can sit at something he likes for hours, I can’t help admire this trait.
Finally, we are a house that tries to stay positive but I hope also honest. I have written before about sleep disturbances and anxiety issues that do impact our life. World Autism Awareness Day is not a day to complain that it is hard. More to say I wish some elements of his condition didn’t make his life hard. I am reminded of a meme that says “He’s not giving me a hard time, he’s having a hard time.” Some of the challenges can be very wearing and I don’t always handle them well. But there is one thing I am certain of, our lives are so much better for our excited, bouncy, joyful bus-lover. And the World is much better for him too.
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