Happy Easter for those of you who celebrate it!
Welcome to another stop in RJ Scott’s yearly autism awareness blog hop. I’m happy to join the hop again and hope you enjoy learning a bit along the way. If you know someone with autism feel free to leave a note about them in the comment section.
I knew well before the age of three that something was different about my younger son. He didn’t meet my eyes and showed no interest in anyone around him while he was putting together puzzles supposedly too difficult for his age. Sometimes he would come up for a snuggle but he didn’t try to start a conversation like his older brother had at that age. Although I told myself not to compare one child to another it’s hard not to when you suspect something might be wrong.
I’d like to say I was immediately an understanding and compassionate parent when I found out my child was autistic. I wasn’t. Although I tried not to show it, I mourned for the child that could have been. Of course I got over that stage but I would be lying if I didn’t say it still causes a pang every now and then when I see my son struggling.
It took me a while to understand there is nothing wrong with processing things differently. He is a bright and cheerful child who has a wicked sense of humor and an interesting mind. Sure he doesn’t necessarily understand instructions the first time they are given but he can build intricate things with Legos, explain the barely discernible difference when a company changes logos (while explaining why one is far superior to the other), and occasionally give back a snappy comment to his brother. My older son claims it is his duty as a big brother to make sure youngest can carry on the torch of sarcasm when he leaves to go to college.
I have great hopes for both of my sons’ futures. I don’t know what they will be when they grow up, but I just want them to be happy.
If you meet someone with autism show compassion. Think of what it would be like if you couldn’t get your mind to focus, or words to collect together to speak your thoughts. There are all kinds of people on the spectrum which can go from completely non-verbal to others who talk quite a bit (some days my son is one of them). Just like us each is an individual with their own hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future. With a little help they can have long, fulfilling lives too.
Amber Kell's Blog 
Thank you for participating in RJ’s Autism Awareness Blog Hop.
I recognize so much in your story. My son is now 30 years old and lives a happy life. He has a job and has a lovely girlfriend. He used to play and still does with Lego, he has also a wonderful sense of humor. My son is a talker. Sometimes he has no boundaries what he says to whom. We had to tell him when he couldn’t say anything to others about specific family related topics. For the most part we just let him talk.
We let him be who he is. That is the most important part in my opinion. That counts for everyone, but especially for people with autism. All that (in other people’s eyes) quirkyness, makes him the unique person he is.
Great blog. We knew after MJ (my grandson) turned 1 year old. My son and his wife are wonderful with him. His mommy is amazing and was able to get him into classes twice a week which have vastly improved his verbal speech while expanding his world.
thanks for the great blog post. my dad has asperbers but he was born at a time when it was unherd of and when my brother and i were born and were diagnosed w/ add and learning difficulties it dawned on him he might have issues. and it was thanks to a therapist he was seeing that he got diagnosed at age 50. it has been 7 years since he died and i have always wondered what he could have done if he had had the help that i got at a similar age and not left struggling and feeling stupid
Thank you so much for this.
Hugs
Thank you for taking part in the hop and sharing your family with us.
Thank you for the post your son sounds wonderful and a great character it so great that his older brother understands him too and “claims it is his duty as a big brother to make sure youngest can carry on the torch of sarcasm when he leaves to go to college”. So funny.
Thanks for sharing your experience. People need to learn to understand each other better.
Thanks for sharing your story.
We all can show better cmpassion when dealing with others.
It really only takes one person to show how easy it is to respect and care for another person. If every person just takes one second of their day by smiling at another person or saying Hi, just recognize their existence, it creates a chain reaction. Imagine if this happens every day. How much happier we would all be… xoxo
I always learn so much on this hop, and it’s great how authors can really bring forth awareness!
Thank you for the post. My best friend’s older son fall into autism spectrum. It was difficult for me at the beginning, because I did not know how to engage him in conversation, but I learnt with time. Now that I know him, I can say that he is a wonderful person, only somehow different
That sounds like sibling behavior!