Reply to People I didn't expect to put my kid into a 1-dimensional DISABLED category

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Reply to "People I didn't expect to put my kid into a 1-dimensional DISABLED category"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I know. If I mention to someone that I have a child with autism, they assume low-functioning. He's in a mainstream classroom, in AAP, and has friends. Autism is a broad spectrum.[/quote]

THIS. My child was at a level 4 school in AAP. I had a mother who's oldest child has autism look all confused at Open House. She informed me her NT son was in AAP so this must be the wrong classroom. I told her it was AAP and she looked at my kid and then looked confused. She actually let a big ol "HE'S in AAP?!!!" It's like she had just lumped him into some big DISABLED pile. If you live with a person with a disability, be it a child, a sibling or whatever, I would assume you know that person is so much more than the disability and people with disabilities can have strengths.
[/quote]

I had a similar experience at a park when my daughter with Down syndrome was 15 months and scooting around on a Fly Bike. A mom at the park with a very NT looking daughter just flipped out because she told me her daughter wasn't doing that yet. Completely ridiculous reaction... she keep shouting "SHE can do that? SHE can do that?" My husband and I moved away from her because she was making a scene.

Just because my kid is disabled doesn't mean she isn't going to be GOOD at some things and maybe even better. Anyhow, my daughter starting reading at 3 1/2 and has just taken off from there. I'm sure that mom would be ripping her hair out if she knew. You can't know what a disabled child is capable of not capable of until you give them a chance.

But as my Asian-American friend told me, her kids are half-white and NT. She said sometimes people are shocked that they can speak English! She said she gets unbelievably ignorant comments all the time.

And for the parents of NT kids who are smug, they have no idea if their kids will become drug addicts, lazy moochers or criminals. It unfortunately happens. I don't wish it on anyone but with kids you just never know what will happen. So I'm thankful for what I have. I plan for the future but I appreciate the here and now more than I used to do. [/quote]

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