29 Jan 2013, 7:09 pm
hartzofspace
Supporting Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,138
Location: On the Road Less Traveled
29 Jan 2013, 8:09 pm
Well, hand over the tissues. I am in tears, too! 
29 Jan 2013, 10:53 pm
Meistersinger
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Joined: 10 May 2012
Gender: Male
Posts: 3,700
Location: Beautiful(?) West Manchester Township PA
29 Jan 2013, 11:57 pm
30 Jan 2013, 1:12 am
30 Jan 2013, 6:57 am
In tears, absolutely and also really, really surprised!
When we take our eldest out in public, he attracts many stares and comments (not usually directly to us, it isn't imagined though- you can tell when someone is talking about him/us). I do also feel very awkward in that kind of situation if he starts roaming around or making loud noises/ stamping. I usually interpret the looks as negative, I think people don't want us there... that our family is a little too much to handle. Seeing that clip makes me think differently though, maybe they can't help but look because he is definitely unique. Maybe, people don't mind us being there after all. Maybe they would stand up for my boy too. When I think about it, there must be so many people who have a personal connection with autism, who would understand. Sometimes it can feel lonely though, it would be nice to just blend in.
I'm going to remember this clip when I take my son out, I'm going to assume those looks are curiosity, not negativity. That is a break through. Thanks 
30 Jan 2013, 7:33 am
Unfortunately, AS is still very poorly misunderstood (as seen in the video.)
AS kids (and adults) don't appear to have as severe or obvious traits as many autistic kids do and don't receive the same tolerance. 
Neither I nor my boys certainly do.
30 Jan 2013, 7:53 am
When we take our eldest out in public, he attracts many stares and comments (not usually directly to us, it isn't imagined though- you can tell when someone is talking about him/us). I do also feel very awkward in that kind of situation if he starts roaming around or making loud noises/ stamping. I usually interpret the looks as negative, I think people don't want us there... that our family is a little too much to handle. Seeing that clip makes me think differently though, maybe they can't help but look because he is definitely unique. Maybe, people don't mind us being there after all. Maybe they would stand up for my boy too. When I think about it, there must be so many people who have a personal connection with autism, who would understand. Sometimes it can feel lonely though, it would be nice to just blend in.
I'm going to remember this clip when I take my son out, I'm going to assume those looks are curiosity, not negativity. That is a break through. Thanks
When my daughter was younger she stimmed a lot. And made squeaking and squawking noises. People used to stare and it upset her brother. He would always ask why everyone was staring. I told him it was because people were curious, and because she was cute.
To be honest, I do think some people were disturbed by her behavior, but I also think that MOST people were curious.
And she is stinking cute!
It did help me to feel better. I actually got the idea in a round about way when I read a story about a woman who had a baby with a very obvious physical disfigurement (don't remember what it was anymore, but I remember it was severe and involved the face). She explained that when people would stare in public, she would muster her courage, smile, and break the ice by saying "he's cute, isn't he?" What she found was that most people really were only curious, most people were kind, and most people did, in the end, smile and agree he is cute.
30 Jan 2013, 7:58 am
AS kids (and adults) don't appear to have as severe or obvious traits as many autistic kids do and don't receive the same tolerance.
Neither I nor my boys certainly do.
I know this is not politically correct to say, but sometimes I feel like life would have been easier for both of my kids if they had classic autism. Please no one flame me. I am not saying it is an easy road. It's just that for my kids, other people and their judgement will cause them more problems than their actual wiring ever will. They both look typical enough that everyone assumes the worst possible things about them when their issues are apparent: they are lazy, they are spoiled, they are immature, they "need a good spanking," they are "just trying to get attention," etc.
So, I do hear what you are saying BlueMax, but this video is one of the first times I have ever witnessed something and thought to myself "huh...maybe things are getting a little better."
30 Jan 2013, 8:18 am
I didn't mean to take away from that very good point! There is hope yet...
hartzofspace
Supporting Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,138
Location: On the Road Less Traveled
30 Jan 2013, 3:35 pm
When we take our eldest out in public, he attracts many stares and comments (not usually directly to us, it isn't imagined though- you can tell when someone is talking about him/us). I do also feel very awkward in that kind of situation if he starts roaming around or making loud noises/ stamping. I usually interpret the looks as negative, I think people don't want us there... that our family is a little too much to handle. Seeing that clip makes me think differently though, maybe they can't help but look because he is definitely unique. Maybe, people don't mind us being there after all. Maybe they would stand up for my boy too. When I think about it, there must be so many people who have a personal connection with autism, who would understand. Sometimes it can feel lonely though, it would be nice to just blend in.
I'm going to remember this clip when I take my son out, I'm going to assume those looks are curiosity, not negativity. That is a break through. Thanks
When I first saw this video, my initial impression of the people who were staring was that they were being judgmental. Then I was confused when they spoke out against the hostile customer. This just goes to show that because of my Asperger's I often misread facial expressions. I was so glad to be proven wrong! I have a severely autistic sister, and used to dread when we went on social outings when we were children. We were always attracting attention and it was sooo embarassing.
hartzofspace
Supporting Member
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,138
Location: On the Road Less Traveled
30 Jan 2013, 3:38 pm
AS kids (and adults) don't appear to have as severe or obvious traits as many autistic kids do and don't receive the same tolerance.
Neither I nor my boys certainly do.
I know this is not politically correct to say, but sometimes I feel like life would have been easier for both of my kids if they had classic autism. Please no one flame me. I am not saying it is an easy road. It's just that for my kids, other people and their judgement will cause them more problems than their actual wiring ever will. They both look typical enough that everyone assumes the worst possible things about them when their issues are apparent: they are lazy, they are spoiled, they are immature, they "need a good spanking," they are "just trying to get attention," etc.
My husband, who is also Aspie, was saying the same thing. As higher functioning Aspies, we get much less sympathy because we "appear" normal up to a certain point. So when our Aspieness breaks through, there is little sympathy for us.
30 Jan 2013, 6:57 pm
31 Jan 2013, 11:36 am
