When you have a family member who suffers from autism, people tend to try to make sure the member with autism is happy and that the family can still join in with other activities with other people, as a whole family. Here is a very good example of what I am talking about:The amount of times friends and family have told us to bring the whole family to out bar-b-q party. The family will say that too many people at this party might be over motivating for their autistic family member and we will have to find someone to look after them. Then the host of the party will ring back and say “Our guests will be more than welcoming and will entertain and play with the child. This way we can let our hair down and enjoy a social party with friends and take a break from caring for our kid for a few hours.
So after some discussion and thought, we decided we would show our faces at the party. After we get there, there is total madness as our kid, George, gets over stimulated and the guests who said they would help to look after him and play with him, don’t want to help. So we, his parents have to spend the whole party calming him down who is on sensory overload. Not only did it ruin what was sounding to be like a great party for us all, but while we were looking after George, we got a great audience for other guests. This party event made us realize, why we should we put George through this when it is exactly what he hates the most. While we felt pressured and felt we had a duty to go to the party, most people who have never known someone with autism, will never understand how hard it really is. Most of the times we get invited out, we have to say, thanks for inviting us, but I cannot come as my two children don’t like to be around lots of other people. So we turned to the net and we talked more there. See if there are any other people who share the same experience as we go through.