OMG your not really going to light it up blue are you? Do you know how “that” organization makes autistic individuals look? and my personal favourite was you really shouldn’t be involving the schools in this kids don’t get it and should not have to be subjected to grown up issues. “That” organization is autism speaks for those of you that are not fluent in autism, There are some in every bunch, the critics that pick apart a good thing just because they can’t see the bigger picture they choose to let their negativity about one thing out way the greater good. So lets take a walk back through time and learn a bit of history along the way shall we just for the fun of it. Lets make one thing very clear I don’t feel the need to justify my actions to any of you that choose to send me not so nice e-mails, what I do think is that it is important for the rest of the world to understand why a very large group of us autism parents do choose to show our support and create awareness on this day and for the rest of the month of April. Yes they did start the campaign to light it up blue in 2010, however World Autism Awareness has been celebrated every year since 1989.
From Wikipedia --World Autism Awareness Day has been held every year since 9 September 1989. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution "62/139. World Autism Awareness Day," adopted on 18 December 2007, proposed by Qatar, and supported by all member states.[1][2][3][4] The resolution had four main components:
- the establishment of 2 April as WAAD
- participation of UN organizations, member states, NGOs and all private & public organizations in WAAD
- to ask the UN Secretary-General to deliver this message to member states and all other UN organs
“That” organization was founded in 2005, and since being founded (16 years after World Autism day was established) they have managed to get over 1000 buildings around the world to light it up blue to show their support and share some awareness for autism,( and remember their campaign to light it up BLUE only started in 2005. ) I have never had to deal with “that” organization and though I may not like some of the things they have said, there is no denying the fact that what they have done for autism awareness can be seen clear around the world. Buildings such as, the Empire State building, Times Square, The CN Tower, Sydney Opera House, Niagara Falls, churches, museums, bridges, airports, world wide landmarks are all lighting it up blue on April 2nd to help to create awareness for the autism community. So yes I did ask the schools to go Blue on April 2nd, because around the world people that are not a part of the autism community are seeing a world that lights it up blue, they don’t associate it with “that” organization, they are now seeing it as one of the symbols for awareness. Blue is not the only way the world see’s autism awareness they see puzzle pieces and brightly coloured ribbons in the primary colours of red, yellow and blue, they see campaigns with so many slogans showing what autism is and what it isn’t, adults, kids and yes schools are becoming autism aware, because we as a community of like minded individuals are saying this is autism, my child is autism, and just because they are different does not mean they are less, we want the world to know that our kids are awesome and that they can and will succeed with the proper therapies and help along the way, we want the world to see that each and every child on the spectrum is different and unique.
That is what my campaign to light the schools up blue is all about, creating awareness and teaching the children about autism, because they are the ones that really and truly can make the difference in how the world see’s people on the spectrum by teaching acceptance and telling them a little bit about how autism affects people we can show them that different is not bad, we can teach them that just because our kids act a certain way that doesn’t make them weird or strange, we can help them to understand something that is often hard to grasp because of how different each individual with it is, we can explain to them how a spectrum works. So that they can better understand, and so that they can see that it takes all kinds of people working together to make the world the amazing place that it is. We are incorporating puzzle pieces at the kids school, each student is creating their own unique puzzle piece to make one beautiful mural, a masterpiece that would not have been possible if they had not all worked together to create it. We do not give kids enough credit, they understand much more then we as adults realize, and regardless of whether you believe autism is just an adult issue or not the numbers show otherwise, roughly 1 in 68 kids are now being diagnosed on the spectrum, that works out to be one student for roughly every 2.5 class rooms , and in my sons school I can actually say the numbers are probably much much higher as his class alone had 3 diagnosed, the kids my son goes to school with are great they don’t see him as autistic they see him as G that funny guy that sometimes, doesn’t like to talk and chews on his shirt a lot, they see him as the boy that sometimes hides in the corner and is scared of loud noises, but they are in grade 1 and as they get older they are going to know that he has autism and they are going to be curious and have questions, heck I live with it and I still have questions. So with the rates only increasing why not teach them, they are going to see it regardless of those that think it should not be brought into the schools, it’s there and there is nothing we can do about that, but we can help to spread awareness and teach acceptance, and we have the opportunity to do so at a level that truly matters. These kids they are the ones that are going to change the way the world views people on the spectrum, it’s not going to be the grandma in the grocery store that thinks your kids a brat, it’s definitely not the guy that told me a good smack would stop my lil man from slamming his head into the floor. These kids have the power to make a big change if we allow them to, and more than likely a lot of them are going to be the next generation of autism parents ( if the rates of diagnosis keep rising) so educate them, make them aware and maybe help to prepare them so that they can change the world, so that when they have kids the world see’s autism as just another way of processing and not as a horrible disease to be feared. I really don’t care how you choose to spread awareness, light it up blue, rainbow infinity symbols or puzzle pieces, whatever you choose you are helping to create change, and that, that is the reason I choose to go to the schools so that I could help to create change and spread awareness for my kids and for all kids on the spectrum and for those parents that are raising kids on the spectrum now and in the future.
That’s me for today living life one puzzle piece at a time and trying to create change.
J.
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