Sedentarian wrote:
...and I don't care. When anyone says what I do is weird or that people don't think that's normal, or that it's rude to say things like that, etc. I simply don't care. I don't know why, but I don't want to learn what is socially acceptable. I do want to learn what metaphors mean so I don't take them literally, and I am making progress on that. But the social part I don't care about. I don't want to learn to make eye contact, and I don't want to learn about tones of voice, word choice, body language, or facial expression. Anyone else experiencing this? Thanks!
Well you're 12 so I will go easy on you instead of being harsh.
Everyone, even NTs, have to learn what is socially acceptable.
Learning skills will make your life easier and it will be less frustrating and have less misunderstandings and you will get along better with people.
It's not fun thinking someone is mad at you when they are not because you mistook their tone for them being mad at you because they raised their voice or thinking someone is criticizing you when they are not or even thinking someone thinks you said something because you unintentionally implied it so you end up with that misunderstanding and then you are upset they took what you said the wrong way. Or how about embarrassing yourself because you thought someone was talking to you and it turns out they were on the phone or there was another person in the room so they were talking to them, not you. If you look first when you hear someone speak, you would know they are not talking to you if they are not looking at you or you talk to someone and they ignore you because they don't know you are talking to them due to you not looking at them. This isn't changing who you are when you learn these skills.
If you still enjoy Legos or action figures, even at age 15, you don't need to stop playing them. Same as for watching kid shows. I don't think everyone needs to follow every single what is socially acceptable but when it comes to learning tone or body language, etc. then you should learn it. It will help you down the road and you will be able to get a job and be able to work.
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Son: Diagnosed w/anxiety and ADHD. Also academic delayed.
Daughter: NT, no diagnoses.