This is a hard topic as my life will not be what it is without these people. Their love and support means everything to me. And there are opportunities that can result in an even stronger bond. I have faced baby talks, talking about me as if I am not around or taking time to get used to my new means of communication recently.
My parents do their best to educate and never miss opportunities to provide on the spot feedback. And yet this journey of understanding and acceptance takes time. Sometimes, I struggle with contradicting thoughts – while I feel happy with my parents advocating for me, I also deeply empathize with the loved ones that struggle to learn.
The easiest way for others that have an autistic loved one to reflect on this is to take someone else in the family that is neurotypical and is of a similar age to your autistic loved one. Are you treating both alike? If not, why not? What needs to be true for you to presume similar levels of intelligence and competence in both? What is your journey to get there?
