Thread by @OrigGrumpyDad

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk It’s a really interesting conversation. I must admit I can’t be arsed with celebrating ANY days except Christmas and family birthdays. Oh, and pancake day! But i do stuff to support bloggers if it’s the right message. Done a few things for this year and all are about kids with...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...significant needs (careful with the language eh!). It’s showing the positives in their lives and ours as parents. I refuse to ‘celebrate’ autism but I don’t think that’s what it’s about, certainly among my huge circle of online friends. But we can’t just spend our lives in...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...mourning. Not trying to one up anybody but I have it pretty tough, and Ben is certainly very severe, will need 24/7 care his entire life, mostly 2:1. But he’s also my son, he makes me laugh, we share magical moments even though he’s never muttered a single word. In his own...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...way hes totally amazing. He isn’t ‘autism’, he’s Ben, but he’s absolutely autistic, it’s an enormous part of what he is. I’ve done my crying, I still wish for more for him, I’m terrified about what happens when I drop dead. He doesn’t let anyone else look after him, feed him..

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...he has only ever drunk at home when me or his mum feeds him. He could die, he’s been hospitalised with severe dehydration twice for not drinking. Search for our #CupForBen story here and on google for all the news articles trying to help him. I’ve got plenty to be down about..

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...but Im not sure what spending my life upset and angry will achieve. I wish hed had a different life, he was going to be the UKs biggest ever F1 champion, but that was my dream for him, and instead I’ll just accept the amazing moments we share when hes in the mood to interact..

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...For me this autism awareness day/week/month stuff should be ACCEPTANCE, not awareness. I don’t celebrate my son or his autism, and I also have 2 other children who are autistic with LDs too just less needs than Ben but still high needs and unlikely to live independently...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...I’m just humouring everyone as I think it’s ok to celebrate if people want, but everyone I know is just trying to raise awareness and share the knowledge to help everyone. Interestingly a good friend has made a video feat lots of our kids including Ben and Ayesha. The first...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...comment it received was from a mum with 2 adult children with less needs on the opposite end of the spectrum to about 90% of kids in video. She said ‘why is it always about kids on the other end on the spectrum?’. So people see it from different places. I see it as a chance...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...to maybe raise even the teeniest bit of knowledge within a few people, I really don’t like ‘awareness’ as I said, it should be ‘acceptance’, and I abhor ‘light it up bloody blue’ as that’s a campaign owned by the horrible AS. Just maybe though it will spur on some new...

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...campaigns and help with legislation or policy change. Maybe some people will finally make that push to get their child assessed. And maybe it will make a few parents feel just a little bit less isolated- even if just for 1 day. I don’t ‘love’ autism, I don’t celebrate it, but

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk ...Im not going to fight against a day simply initiated by the UN purely to try to make a difference around autism. I dont think it’s a bad thing, and it’s incredibly easy to ignore. The fact I’ve spent 20 mins tweeting my thoughts shows it gets people talking. #AutismAcceptance

@serverusautismo @tclementsuk Hey @threadreaderapp unroll this for me please