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I am Jealous of my Brother

12/31/2020

By Clara H

This post is going to be focused on how my autism affects my relationship with my younger brother. I'm also going to be sharing some tips on how to explain autism to siblings based on my own experiences. Things that went well for us, and things that went poorly will be included.

Before I began, I want to share how awesome my brother is so the information shared will make more sense. My brother is a person who has a significant impact on why my story is the way it is. Who I am, has an effect on him as well, but you already know a lot about me, so I don't need to explain all that.

1 Comment

Understanding Meltdowns

11/27/2020

6 Comments

By Clara H

Meltdowns might be one of the most difficult things that caregivers of those on the spectrum have to deal with. They are for me too. They're just as confusing for the person who's having the meltdown. I know because I've been on both sides. Don't worry, I am here to provide you with as much guidance as I can. I'm not a professional, but none of us really are. If we come together as a community, we can make challenging moments a bit easier one step at a time.

6 Comments

The Bright Side of Autism

10/23/2020

6 Comments

By Clara H

Ever since I was young, most of the things I've heard about autism seemed to be negative. People are always reminding me of the things I struggle with instead of the great things. I thought now would be a good time to share some of my favorite things about being a part of the autism community because it seems like we all could use some happy thoughts in our lives right now. Many people don't realize that there is something good in everything even if it's difficult to find.

6 Comments

The Walk I Never Hoped For

9/28/2020

8 Comments

Recently, on the 26th of July, as the sun was going down, the grass was green, children were laughing, and I was taking my therapy poodle, Presto, on a walk. It seemed to be what a great evening would look like, but little did I know that I was about to be traumatized.

When I walked around the corner, there was another dog, Sophie, having fun playing fetch with her owner in a high school field. She was a big dog that was white and had some darker colored speckles on her. I'm guessing she was an American Bulldog or a mixed breed of some sort.

8 Comments

Special Interests Are My Life Savers

7/31/2020

2 Comments

By Clara H

A Special Interest is something you are passionate about to a higher level of intensity than what you would define as a hobby.

They can be helpful among the autistic community in many different ways.

Sometimes, they can get to the point where they could almost be described as a personality trait. We may do as much research as we possibly can and never be able get it off our minds.

2 Comments

I Don't Know

6/23/2020

2 Comments

By Clara H

Decision making is something I often find to be difficult. When people disagree with my choices it doesn't help me get better at making them. If someone tells me to pick whatever I want, I assume that all answers are correct. Even when they say there is no wrong answer one of the options is still better than the rest. The question is, how do I know which one it is? If you already have something picked out in your head then what's the point in asking me?

2 Comments

How I View TikTok's Autism Trend

5/21/2020

3 Comments

By Clara H

NOTE: This writing piece discusses a highly sensitive topic. If you are easily triggered by ableism and/or bullying please avoid reading on.

Recently I was informed about a new trend going around the social media platform, TikTok called the "Autism Challenge". Those participating have been making videos mimicking autistic traits such as, stimming, having tics, meltdowns, and are even faking seizures. It was created attending to celebrate those on the spectrum as they may struggle through the current crisis but quickly transformed into a huge bullying scandal across the entire internet.

3 Comments

Face Masks Feel Funny

5/18/2020

1 Comment

By Clara H

As of the current situation in the world, you cannot walk out of your home without any sort of protective gear. I don't know about you but I am not enjoying it. The smell of hand sanitizer is too strong and face masks are uncomfortable. The only way to avoid it is to stay inside away from people, which is not as easy as I initially thought. You need to leave your home at some point to get things like food and medications.