One thing of beauty about being an inclusive person is that it can lead to raising empathetic children. Having a conversation with your kids about disabilities does not have to be difficult or daunting; simple and direct is best. Explain what it is: Autism is a developmental disability where an individual thinks, senses, moves, communicates, and socializes differently. Every individual on the spectrum has different strengths and different challenges. And how it may affect an individual: through eye contact, stimming, repetition, difficulty with social cues, use of PECS or an AAC device, etc. A snippet of the conversation may sound like, “While they may have some differences from you, I bet you can find lots of things you share in common!” Jones profoundly remarks that “exclusion takes more effort than inclusion.” This is especially true if empathy, patience, and understanding are instilled as habits when kids are young. More than just a nice buzz word in the month of April, inclusion should be a model to live by and lead by every single day. In all facets of life encourage your family to accept differences, celebrate individuality, and most of all, always be kind.
certain activities? Join in. Does the autistic child have a favorite snack? Offer it. Treat the autistic child like any other child, with kindness, respect and the assumption of competence. EVOLVE As an adult, there are millions of resources out there! Research is your friend and knowledge is power. Read up on works from trusted medical sources, dig into “actually autistic” content creators who use their voices to educate and simply familiarize yourself with the world your friend exists in. We all start from somewhere and we all have a lot to learn. In your research, you may find there are strongly varying opinions within the autism community, for example “child with autism” vs. “autistic child.” Jones notes that the vastness of resources can sometimes be overwhelming and it is a wonderful idea to go straight to the source! “The disability community is always evolving and all humans are always learning. Simply ask the person’s preference re: language or
It hurts. The good news is that many veteran been-there-done-that parents will tell you they develop thick skins to thwart ignorance, they become immune to a vast majority of strangers’ side eyes, and that they even enjoy joining in on their kids’ happy stims. Additionally, having people who accept and embrace their whole family unit is the biggest blessing of all. Kelly Jones reminds, “As a friend, you have a lot of power to change someone’s day. One small act of inclusion or kindness could be a life-changing or hope-saving event for a family with a disability. Never underestimate the rippling effects of your choice to include—not only do you positively impact the child, but the parents, and others who may make a choice of inclusion after they see how easy it can be!” The best feeling for a family with autism is simply being accepted with open arms. Having a safe space to exist, unjudged, feels like a sigh of relief. Be a safe space! Simply accept your friend and meet them where they are with patience and love. Every individual on the spectrum is unique and finding the path to connecting will certainly vary. Get to know the child and be a model for positive behavior and inclusion. Does the autistic child have a special interest? Enter their world and ask all about it. Does the autistic child enjoy
description. If you get it wrong, apologize, make the change, and move forward.”
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