New website

Post Reply New Topic

I'm the mother of a wonderful little girl with Autism. I just found this website and I think it's great. My daughter is a wonderful child and I wouldn't trade her for the world. It is hard sometimes to watch her struggle in a world that's difficult for her to understand. Though I wouldn't change her for the world, I do sometimes wish her life were easier and resent kids and parents who seem to have it so easy. It's nice to be able to talk to other parents who understand. I also am part of another website, www.shutupaboutyourperfectkid.com that's really fun and offers a special place for us special parents. It's fairly new, but it's good.

Welcome, welcome! I hope you enjoy it here on WP, as it is a very enjoyable site to be on! I don't know how old she is, but i'm going to take a guess at around six or seven, but I won't press the matter. I am 16 years old, and have found this to be a very nice place to come to. I'd say the most useful forum for you would be Parents' Discussion, and also General Autism Discussion. My journey with AS has been a bit bumpy in some point, but great in others (such as this site, for instance!)

I'm new at this. So bear with me. My duaghter is actually eleven, though I didn't really believe the Asperger's diagnosis until she was about 8. I was so confused about the symptoms, etc. I think this site is great and when my daughter gets a little older and a bit more Internet saavy, I hope to have her come on. She started a new school this year with kids with ADHD, Dyslexia, and Asperger's. It has changed her life to be with other kids like her. She's thrived socially and academically. Of course, I know that the road is always bumpy and that there will be difficult times ahead. I do, however, think she is a gift. She's taught me to appreciate so many little things in life. I personally think that there's nothing wrong with her or Asperger's kids in general. It's our society that's messed up.

I have the same opinion here. It's like "It's not that I have a problem being normal, it's that you have a problem being different"! I like being away from the norm, with ideas that nobody could ever come up with (a good example being that I came up with the idea that the Universe is shaped like a pine tree, right down to the needles).

That age thing was just a guess, just so you know. It is hard to detect symptoms and stuff until a later age, although I don't know whether you couldn't tell or wouldn't beleive it. In any case, it's nice to have you here, and I look forward to when Katie joins this site. I've had a mum similar to you. Once, when my mum found out that I wasn't going to be in a class with anybody I knew during Primary, she went right up to the principal and told her the reasons why. The principal, being as ignorant as she is, just said "Oh, he's just a bit difficult, he'll get over it like all the others", and then mum went "Well then you clearly don't have any idea about his condition, do you?!". Needless to say, sever students I was friends with were moved into my class thanks to that. Also, the teacher I had was very nice, and when my mum explained why I was different, the teacher was like "Oooh! That explains a lot about some of my other students as well!". Too bad not everybody is like that.

I remember as a kid how I would be a bit curious as to why people didn't do the things I did, such as following others and trying to fall asleep on the bench next to the flying fox in the playground and hiding in cramped nooks and crannies. I like myself, and am proud to be the way I am.

*gets down on the dance floor*

That's truly beautiful. Growing up (as a neurotypical) I was always afraid of standing out and being different. It was my worst fear. And now I have this daugther who stands out every day, but who is comfortable being who she is. It took me a long time to stop looking at her through my own fears and expectations and to see her for who she really is -- a beautifully, funny, quirky, and wonderful person. You're Mom is lucky to have you. It has been a sincere pleasure speaking with you!

Same here! It's nice to talk with you, and compare notes in a strange sort of way. I've noticed that my mum strokes her fingers through my hair when she's talking about something in a soothing sort of way (for example, if I'm upset for whatever reason), and I like it because it feels nice (she's also taking advantage of stimming, heheh!). I remember one time during a school trip to the museum and how there was literally no-one else but our class there, and I felt really comfortable and relaxed and I wanted to run around all over the place. It was better than going when there were a lot of people there.

Hi!

Welcome to Wrongplanet!

You have a very nice website!

I hope you enjoy posting here!

I look forward to chatting with you all. This is really great. My daughter was interested in it as well.

Hi! I'm Pyth, a teenager from Canada with very mild Asperger's Syndrome. I'm still kinda new here, but if you've got any questions you can ask me.

Welcoem to the Wrong Planet, since we dunno where the right one went.

Hi and welcome to the forum its great and really helpful too. The new website looks brilliant, the blog is amusing and honest.

I looked at that website, and I noticed that in the "About Us" area they refer to AS as a "disability". I'm a bit troubled by that.

I appreciate your feedback. My daughter also has Non-Verbal Learning Disability and ADHD, so from day one, her doctors have always referred to AS, NLD, ADHD as disabilities. I understand your point. I guess we got used to that term, though I would admit that I've never considered my daughter disabled. She is quite bright and capable. We want the site to appeal to children and parents of a wide range of conditions and disability was the term we used.

I've quickly learned while the site appeals to many people there are terms that can push peoples buttons. I, for example, can't stand when people refer to my daughter as "challenged." My daughter is an amazing gift. We've received our share of criticism and praise for the site and the book, however their both about a personal journey. As much as I hate to admit it, I used to view my daughter's AS as the greatest disappointment of my life. It was because I was looking at her through society (this perfect kid thing) and my own childhood experiences. When I truly began to look at her for who she is, I realized that her AS was the greatest gift we both could have received.

I look at her so differently now. I've stopped worrying about her and holding her back and letting her be herself. She has thrived. There are some that will be insulted by the site and book, but the message is very good -- to look at the gifts of each and every child. I wanted to share this life-changing experience with others, but I'm realistic enough to know that we are all in different places at different times. It will resonate with some, but others will not want to hear it. Humor has always worked for my family, but it may not work for others.

I really appreciate your honest thoughts and hope you know that I did not want to offend with that term.

cool site

welcome to wp

You're welcome!

I appreciate your feedback. I just looked at the "about" section of the website, so I know that there is no way I could possibly know about everything ever posted there or about the whole contents of the book. I'm not offended at all by your sharing that website, and I definitely don't want to discourage other WP members from sharing resources that they have found helpful in the past. However, I view anything that refers to autism as a "disability" or promotes a cure for autism (which this site doesn't do, but the curebies are out there) with some scepticism.

Thank you for your honesty. I really appreciate where you're coming from and will be more mindful of using that term. I so appreciate your honesty.

Best.