“Nevermind” Why You Should Never Say This to Your Autistic Loved One
“Nevermind” may be one of the worst things you can say to your autistic child because you are stealing their ability to be independent right out from under them!
Jaime A. Heidel - The Articulate Autistic Blog
“What Is the Motivation for This?” – The Question That Saves Lives
“What is the motivation for this?” Before you have an emotional reaction to something your autistic loved one has said, not said, done, or not done, ask yourself this question, and save yourself serious heartbreak and trauma on both sides.
Getting One Social Expectation Down Doesn’t Mean We Suddenly Know Them All
If an autistic person learns one neurotypical social skills, we learn ONE neurotypical social skill. ONE. We’re not pretending or fooling you, and this is how we need you to explain things to us.
“I Don’t Know What That Means” Is a Request for More Information
“I don’t know what that means.” If you hear this from an autistic person, they probably need more information from you in order to understand what you’re telling them.
Just Because We Don’t Like Your Car Doesn’t Mean We Don’t Like You
Why doesn’t my autistic friend even notice what I drive? Material things don’t mean that much to us, but you do!
“You Know What You Did” Is Emotional Blackmail to an Autistic Person (And Anyone, Really)
“You know what you did.” No, your autistic friend or family member does NOT know what they did, and the only thing you’re doing by saying that is traumatizing them. Here’s how to communicate with an autistic person more effectively.
We Honestly Think You’re Messing With Our Heads
Why does my autistic loved one think I’m lying to them when I explain my emotions? We literally think you’re messing with our heads.
“Nobody Can Tell You Anything!” – Yes, You Can. You Just Need a Different Approach
“Nobody can tell you anything!” Does your autistic loved one seem defensive or frightened when you confront them about something? Try this helpful approach!
Why Autistic People Can’t “See” What’s Right in Front of Us
Your autistic loved one is not lazy, unmotivated, or pretending to not see what’s right in front of them. We literally CAN’T see it!
Why Your Autistic Loved One Has Trouble Leaving the Shower (Or Getting Into It)
Does your autistic loved one have trouble starting a project but then can’t seem to stop when it’s “time” to? This is autistic inertia.