Odd Things People Say to Me

      Often time’s people say really odd things to me or ask me odd questions. Here is my list of all-time favorites.

1. “You just obviously need less sleep than most people. If my kids slept like yours, there is no way I could handle it.” No really we do need 8 hours of sleep, just like most people. If your kids didn’t sleep, you would handle it because you don’t have a choice.
2. “Is there something wrong with you or your husband, or the combination of your genes?” Umm… I’m not really sure, but that is just really rude to say.
3. “Being around your kids makes me feel better about the fact that I couldn’t have kids.” Wow, I just don’t even have a response. I’m open to suggestions…
4. “I just couldn’t handle kids like yours, and all that you have to do.” Again, we weren’t exactly given a choice. Parents of special needs children do not have a special gene that makes them better prepared. We are just like you, and I’m certain, if you had to, you would handle it.
5. From a teacher – “I think maybe we should just give up on this whole waving hello and good-bye thing now. I mean do you really think she is ever going to get it?” I believe you never give up on your child, especially since she was 6 years old at the time. And there has got to be a better way for a teacher to speak to a parent.
6. “Don’t you think it would be better and easier if you just put her in some type of institution or facility?” THIS IS MY BABY REGARDLESS OF SPECIAL NEEDS. SHE WILL LIVE WITH HER FAMILY AND BE LOVED AND ACCEPTED.
7. From a service coordinator when Ashley was 7 years old: “I know Ashley is non-verbal, but can she use a phone?” Okay, I will leave room for the fact that there are devices that help non-verbal people use the phone. But at the time she was 7 and only using PECS (picture exchange communication system) and sign language.
8. A minute later from the same service coordinator: “But in an emergency, could she use a phone then?” No, she is still non-verbal even in an emergency; we are not really turning to Ashley for help in an emergency.
9. At the ER, “This is just part of the autism.” She’s running a 104 fever because she has autism???
10. “How does she know when she pushes the button with the pretzel on it, that it will say ‘pretzel’?” She has autism, but she is not stupid.

I could go on and on, but we have to stop somewhere. I know some of these comments come with the best of intentions and I don’t really find them offensive, however, they are still odd things to say. Some of these things are just really stupid and offensive. They are perfect examples that there are times it really is better to just say nothing at all. Like us on Facebook       Originally published February 2012