Autism: Twas the Night Before Christmas

Post Reply New Topic

Hi All,

This made my wife and I laugh and cry in equal measure last night.

Some of the verses are bang on in our experience, some not so much but it covers the range of things that we deal with and that we hear from other parents.

Can’t tell you the amount of times we have been in a park or restaurant and we get “the look” from some person who is judging our parenting and our loud weird kid, the wonderful, amazing, smart, affectionate and loving Ben (9).

Some times, you'd love to tattoo this poem to their heads.

However, those people will never know the joy of hearing his pearls of wisdom like: “Jesus is a zombie becuase he rose from the dead”.

Never mind the most thought provoking question I ever heard "Dad? Do deaf people hear their inner voice?"

Happy Christmas all you Aspies and your families and friends.

From,

DUB76

Autism Night Before Christmas:

Twas the Night Before Christmas
And all through the house
The creatures were stirring
Yes, even the mouse

We tried melatonin
And gave a hot bath
But the holiday jitters
They always distract

The children were finally
All nestled in bed
When nightmares of terror
Ran through my OWN head

Did I get the right gift
The right color
And style
Would there be a tantrum
Or even, maybe, a smile?

Our relatives come
But they don’t understand
The pleasure he gets
Just from flapping his hands.

“He needs discipline,” they say
“Just a well-needed smack,
You must learn to parent…”
And on goes the attack

We smile and nod
Because we know deep inside
The argument is moot
Let them all take a side

We know what it’s like
To live with the spectrum
The struggles and triumphs
Achievements, regressions…

But what they don’t know
And what they don’t see
Is the joy that we feel
Over simplicity

He said “hello”
He ate something green!
He told his first lie!
He did not cause a scene!

He peed on the potty
Who cares if he’s ten,
He stopped saying the same thing
Again and again!

Others don’t realize
Just how we can cope
How we bravely hang on
At the end of our rope

But what they don’t see
Is the joy we can’t hide
When our children with autism
Make the tiniest stride

We may look at others
Without the problems we face
With jealousy, hatred
Or even distaste,

But what they don’t know
Nor sometimes do we
Is that children with autism
Bring simplicity.

We don’t get excited
Over expensive things
We jump for joy
With the progress work brings

Children with autism
Try hard every day
That they make us proud
More than words can say.

They work even harder
Than you or I
To achieve something small
To reach a star in the sky

So to those who don’t get it
Or can’t get a clue
Take a walk in my shoes
And I’ll assure you

That even 10 minutes
Into the walk
You’ll look at me
With respect, even shock.

You will realize
What it is I go through
And the next time you judge
I can assure you

That you won’t say a thing
You’ll be quiet and learn,
Like the years that I did
When the tables were turned…….

~ By Cindy Waeltermann

LOL Thanks for Sharing.

Bravissimo!

Love it! I can't relate to each and every part, but most of it is spot on. I am dreading the Christmas dinner this year - but we are hosting. While that is more stress for me (20+ people!) I know it will be less stress on my SPD/ADHD son, who is much more comfortable in his own environment. I'm sure we will still get comments from "well-meaning" family, but what else are the holidays for???

All the way to the moon Rocket Mom. Have a wonderful Christmas. Do not worry about the comments well meaning or otherwise. Pinch of salt and all that. You know what is best for you and your boy.

You are also a great parent. That is self evident by the fact that you use this site instead of ignoring the issues that your little professor has to deal with.

Since Ben was diagnosed ASD/ADHD and I started to educate myself, I have made loads of armchair assessments of other family situations (which I know is hypocritical and I shouldn't do). However, I find it really frustrating that we work so hard to learn about and from our ASD kids to help them get on in this world while others either deny or do not care enough to address what is going on under their own roof. Those some people are only to happy to look down their noses at my gorgeous Titanic, Dinosaur, Battleship, Star Wars, Science, Nature and Minecraft obsessed Hero. It is all the worse when I see so many ofr their kids who get no support and are labelled, trouble, weird, difficult and just plain daft and it breaks my heart.

Rant Over and back to my point, you are a great parent. Do not EVER let anyone undermine or cast any shadow of doubt in your mind on that front.

When it comes to family, friends, and the outside world in general, I urge you to make the following New Years resolution which my Wife and I made last year and we will repeat this year and it has really helped our Aspie Son and our Neuro Typical daughter. Here it is: "In 2015, sod the rest of the world, we are putting our family first and taking care of our own".

Instead of trying to save the world, you are entitled to be selfish for you and for your family. Those who "get it" will understand and support you and those who don't....well...put them in the "sod the rest of the world" category. If they do not understand or care enough to try to understand, then you do not need them in your life. Life is too short, you kids are too important and your time is too valuable to have to spend it justifying yourself to the "well-intentioned" but "ill-informed" or sorting out everyone elses problems at the expense of you and your family.

Happy Christmas to you and yours.

Be warm, be safe, be well, be different, be crazy, be sane, be whatever..just be.

DUB76

Well said DUB
Not religious anymore ( unfortunately) but always loved two bible quotes that really tie in with this " judge not lest ye be judged" and my dad's favourite in my fathers house tgere are many mansions which I always took to mean that there are many different ways of being all equally valid be it belief systems sexuality or ways of thinking