Autism Parenting Advice
from my delays , either way , this was a very relatable situation for me . And you know what ? To this very day , whenever I trip , I almost always giggle to myself .
Because laughing it off is ALWAYS better than getting down on yourself ! Moral of the story : it is so important to show your child that no matter what they do , they should NOT feel bad or self-conscious for being themselves and having those “ silly ” moments !
Distinguish between being laughed at and laughing with
Once your child is on the same page and can laugh at themselves , it is important that he / she can distinguish between friends laughing at vs . laughing with him or her .
I wish I could say the world is 100 percent rainbows and sunshine , that no one would laugh at someone who has learning disabilities , but unfortunately , I would be wrong . It is important to explain to your child that if someone laughs at something that actually is embarrassing or that causes him / her some kind of harm , it is never okay .
Lord only knows the number of times I had my mom help me navigate these types of social situations . Tell your child to tell the person laughing at them : “ Hey , that ’ s not very nice !” or some other quick response . But if it ’ s a situation where he / she is extremely embarrassed or hurt , he / she is probably not able to think about an appropriate response to being laughed at .
Some individuals with an impulsive personality , like my younger brother , would probably give such a person an ear full — as he has actually had to do on my behalf . However , for someone like me , with my Type A personality , or for someone who struggles with verbal communication , let your child know he / she can always come home and confide in you , and together , you will come up with a plan .
Full disclosure , I don ’ t think I grasped the whole “ it ’ s okay to laugh at yourself ” idea until middle school . I spent too many years throughout my early childhood crying about doing anything that society didn ’ t view as “ normal .”
I have tripped up the stairs during my first week of middle school , asked my grandfather in a room full of people what it was like to fight in the Civil War ( he
Once your child is on the same page and can laugh at themselves , it is important that he / she can distinguish between friends laughing at vs . laughing with him or her .
was a WWll Marine Veteran ), and arrived home from school in the 4 th grade and told my mom that I got into an argument with another girl on the bus because she said the stork did NOT drop off babies to people ’ s doors . I had said : “ No ! that ’ s not what my mom told me ! You ’ re wrong !” You can imagine my surprise to figure out there could be another way to have babies besides being delivered by a stork .
No matter what the reason , I would cry whenever I had those moments and debated if I should live under a rock due to mass humiliation . It took years to grow confidence in myself . In addition , I had endless support from my family who taught me that my “ flaws ” are really not the end of the world , nor are they really flaws , and it ’ s okay to smile and laugh it off !
You know your child just as well , if not better , than they know themselves . You can determine when they are ready to comprehend what it means to “ laugh it off ” and you can lead by example ! As always , I believe in you my warrior parents , you got this !
Claudia Rose Addeo , MS is an inspirational speaker and award-winning freelance writer who currently works at one of the top-rated school districts on Long Island . Having her Master ’ s Degree in Literacy Education , Claudia writes and speaks about her personal journey on the autism spectrum , and shares additional information through her social media platform .