Sana
While there is growing awareness and understanding of autism, individuals with autism and their families still face various challenges and misconceptions.
For many families, a trip to the zoo is a fun and exciting way to spend the day. However, for families with children on the autism spectrum, it can also present unique challenges. Recently, a mother shared her experience of navigating a trip to the zoo with her autistic daughter and how negative comments from another family about her daughter’s screen time use sparked a larger conversation about autism and the need for greater understanding and empathy towards those who have it. Scroll down for the complete story.
The title reads:
OP and her daughter, who is autistic, have a process when visiting the zoo which involves starting at the back, taking a break for her daughter to decompress and allowing her time to collect herself before leaving.
OP’s daughter was listening to music and using her phone to decompress at the zoo but another family came and made passive-aggressive comments about her daughter watching a screen at the zoo.
After enduring this for 10 minutes, OP spoke up and explained her daughter’s condition, asking the other family to stop talking negatively about her in front of her daughter.
The other family asked what “spectrum” meant and suggested that OP should have come on a sensory day instead, prompting OP’s fiancé to step in and educate them before they left.
OP expresses frustration in having to announce her daughter’s autism in public and urges people to mind their own business when it comes to other children’s use of devices in public settings.
The incident has shed light on the challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families, particularly when it comes to navigating public spaces and interacting with strangers. Despite greater awareness and education about autism in recent years, there is still a pervasive stigma around the condition that can lead to misunderstandings and discrimination.
OP thanks everyone for their support and kind words regarding the incident at the zoo:
The woman overstepped the boundaries:
OP’s daughter had headphones on and didn’t hear any of it:
This photographer has a big clientele of families with autistic children:
This mom has a disabled child and an autistic child:
OP should have used these words for the other family because some people really need a reality check:
We can all do our part to be more understanding and empathetic towards individuals with autism and their families. This means refraining from making assumptions or judgments about their behavior or screen time use and being open to learning more about the condition and how we can support those who have it.
We encourage you all to leave your comments below and continue the conversation about how we can create a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
The dog tax:
“Meet my dog dora (her name makes sence) she is a 10 year old Belgian shepherd my she is best friends with my dad when she was a puppy and we decided to keep her she is very friendly to people (unless if they are bad people) she may be old but she has the same face as a young dog and we love her”
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