Spring is here! This means that it’s time to pull out some shorts, tank tops, flip flops, and engage in some outdoor fun. Well, that’s exactly what my daughter and I had planned for the TGIF a week ago. We made our plans to go on a girls’ date, just her and I. I’ve been working hard lately, so I really wanted to give her some quality time and my undivided attention. We both got dressed up in our sundresses and headed out to have lunch.
Lunch Date
I arrived at the venue and ordered our food to-have. The excitement of being outdoors and seeing all the goodies to choose from caused my daughter to stim.
Stimming is repetitive or unusual movements of the hands or body or unusual noises made by an individual. This action is common in people with autism, and it is a way in which some autistic children or autistic adolescents express their emotions or cope with overwhelming situations. In this case, my daughter was overjoyed and was expressing her happiness of being out with mommy. As she harmlessly stimmed in front of the counter, the awkward stares she received from the workers made me so uncomfortable. I would have understood the awkward stares from the customers, but the workers? Shouldn’t they have better customer service training or at least have common courtesy? I tried to calm my daughter down to bring the atmospheric discomfort to an end, but she was too happy to not express this joyful feeling, so I allowed her to enjoy the moment.
However, I immediately requested to have my order to-go and quickly dashed out of the building because the awkward stares (from grown adults) were as lengthy as the stimming. Therefore, I made my daughter have her lunch in the car. I did not do this because I was ashamed of my child. I did it because I was offended by the unprofessional actions of the workers. In addition, I did not want my emotions to have gotten the best of me, where escalating words would have been exchanged. So peacefully, I exited the premises.
Autism Awareness
This short-lived scenario just reminded me of how important it is to bring awareness about autism to our society. Autism awareness is vital if we want to have an inclusive nation, a nation of equity and equality. Awareness helps people to understand how one fits into the community and the world. Autism awareness aids those in our country to understand what it means to be a child, an adolescent, or an adult living with autism.
Given that opportunity, people have a chance to learn about people like my daughter. They can understand that she is not all that different from them. Awareness and understanding lead to acceptance. When people understand autism, it opens the door for them to accept people like her. Before I became autism aware and before I became a part of the autism parental support group through Autism Belize, I feared that my daughter might get teased or would not be accepted in society for being a child with special needs who physically looks “normal.” Now, I see things in a different light, and I am a proud of how far we have come on this journey. I use my voice and my resilience to spread autism awareness, and I want others to do the same.
Like the quote from Maya Angelou says, “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” People need to know more about autism. We can all do our part in ensuring that everyone from proud Rio Hondo to old Sarstoon becomes aware of autism. As we kick off Autism Awareness Month, let us all be in support of every person with autism living in Belize. May we know them, and may we love them. Together we can make a difference!
