Speaks: “What Trait of Your Child…?”

Image: jarcaj, Panoramio

Today’s responses from the forums are to the question: “What trait of your autistic child would you most like to see more in yourself or in others?”

“His genuine smile,” said one respondent. “His innocence,” said another. “Laugh, just because it feels good,” replied a third. “Spend the whole day playing, with no other cares in the world.  View people as strangers only as long as it takes to greet them with a hug, then they are instantly my friends.  Take everyone at face value, no assumption/concept of hidden agendas or ulterior motives. Courage to take people by the hand and show them what I want or need to be happy.”

Another parent admired “his amazing ability to tell it like it is. I find that most of us in the world tend to sugarcoat things to make seem better than what they actually are.  In our society it’s a deficit, but should it really be one?” Said another: “My boys are generally happy, smiling kids. I’m working on that trait myself trying to shed the worry about the future and find joy in the simple things in life as my boys do.”

“The can-do attitude.  A positive self image is a great asset,” said another. ”The overwhelming need to tell the truth,” said another. “Painful at times, or wonderful, but only the truth.”

“His ability to analyze, and his perseverance,” said another parent. “Most of the world gives up too easily, and doesn’t go deep enough in topics that interest them. This is a really great question for parents by the way. Our ability to help our children hinges on our capability to realize that what we call deficits are simply traits, that are seen negatively or positively depending on context. By identifying the traits for what they are, we can use them to derive situations (educationally at first, later on socially) for our kids in which their traits can be an asset.”