spectrumom

There are lots of things you expect from autism. You expect difficulty making friends.  Sensory issues.  Eating problems.  Not sleeping.  Late talking. There are books written about the common symptoms of autism. But, we're getting outside the common blog topics and chapter headings now. What about deciding that hard rock is THE new obsession.  AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.  Not that I mind!  I'm cool as long as Justin Bieber is not among the purchases.  We could have Sam write the Encyclopedia of Rock history, chapter one. Strangest ways to make money:   - Selling raw products to Ikea.  Frankly, cotton will not grow well in Pennsylvania.  I know, I made him research the latitude and conditions at which it grows.  Did you think that all those flat boxes are made in Sweden?  Most products are outsourced to third world countries to save money.  I made him look that up as well.   - Copying all those hard rock albums onto reel-to-reel tapes and reselling them.  Ignor

Today, I read that one way I am damaging my children is by sometimes saying I 'dislike' autism.  This is just one of many ways I contribute to their future mental health issues, I'm sure.  I've reiterated on this blog that one of the recurring themes of parenthood is the requisite guilt. I honestly believe that parents contribute to the world economy by ensuring the continued health of the antidepressant and therapy markets. Thus, I am contributing to the recovery of world markets. I see parents who support this premise of damaging their children instead remark on their lives with sarcasm.  Instead of saying 'I dislike autism because we never fucking sleep,' they instead make a pithy remark on yet another sleepless night. To me that is akin to saying 'Gosh darn, I hit a deer and my insurance is going up' instead of saying 'God dammit , that damn deer jumped out and left a fucking great dent in my car.'  It is the same statement, but said wi