Friday, March 12, 2010

NEVER under estimate the power of plastic!!

Recently another Autie mommy pondered on the question of friend or stranger, would this person have frowned on her child's tantrums or offered her the hand of friendship? I assume that all people frown on my children's behaviour as we get many a dissaproving stare when out in public such as the dreaded one below.





I am sure I am not alone in getting these looks from strangers who have absolutely no idea what it is like to live in our shoes, we all know the look, its feels like daggers between the shoulder blades and you feel the panic rise up inside you and think 'God I have to get out of here now or I will scream'!!  One such incident happened to me about a week or so ago when my affore mentioned little darling decided to throw one hell of a tantrum in Lidl's and proceeded to end up on the floor just at the checkout, bless him!!









Within minutes the lady in front of me gave me the most withering stare possible and I wanted the ground to open me up and swallow me but then I remembered I had in my possession my flexible little friend which I had acquired only the week before and my palpitations and panic lessoned as I suddenly knew what to do with my new found friend, you see the powerful piece of plastic I had acquired was the IAA card and this was the perfect opportunity to give it the first airing out of my purse, so I smiled sweetly at the scowling vision before me and calmly pressed the card into her hand, a look of embarrassment spread across her face and a glow of crimson started at her neck and spread quickly to her cheeks until I am sure her face felt as if it was on fire, she now understood the panic I felt when people like her make assumptions and think I have a badly behaved child. I took back the card without even uttering one word to this woman and calmly got my groceries and marched out head held high, the sense of power that one little plastic card gave me that day was amazing and it saved me from having to converse with the scarlet woman and gave me back my dignity.






To all other parents with children with Autism I would urge you to get this card for your child, it will be the most important card in your wallet, it is my new found friend and a life saver when panic strikes and you want to preserve your dignity

17 comments:

  1. andra - you rock!!! pure genius. Would love to have been a fly on the wall for that! I've had similar experiences, but to be honest, I've never let them get to me - i just smile sweetly and say "Button has autism" however, when Belle throws a wobbly it's a completely different matter! I've no explanation for her behaviour, other than the fact that she's 3!!! xx

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  2. 3 cheers for Andra!!!! i'd love to have seen her face! xxx

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  3. Well done Andra. Those stares and smart comments really do upset me too. I'm finding it hard to keep calm and have so often wanted to do the whole flailing arms and legs of the woman in the tv add. I'm still waiting on the 'professionals' to tell me my lil man is autistic but as soon as they do I'll be getting that card... Well done again. A brill blog. XX

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  4. I want to be you when I grow up!! Handled with such dignity, when words might have made the situation worse. Well done you:) Jen.

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  5. Hah! Nice one Andra....and all done without the need to utter one syllable, let alone the "A" word. Love it!

    Oh how I wish I had that card when WiiBoy was younger....but I'm so glad you guys get to feel empowered by that little piece of plastic. Well done!!

    Welcome back ! :-)) xx Jazzy

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  6. Thats excellent!! I often think how come we still get those "looks" when everyone is much more aware of kids on the spectrum? Maddening. That card is brilliant, I put ours on a string round my beautys neck going to london and he got the royal treatment even got to meet the pilot on aer lingus!

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  7. id have loved to have seen her face!!!! well done you!

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  8. Well done Andra - its so true. We have a new flexable friend. LOL

    Loved the blog,

    Hope this increases the requests for them as it is worth is weight in gold.

    From one flexable friend holder to another great blog posting.
    Adrienne

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  9. Must remember this one for the next time I get one of "those" looks. Well done missus!! Love love love the new pic :) xx

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  10. Fab Andra, talk about using your brains xxx

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  11. Andra - had a smiliar incident on a flight home from DLP when a lovely understanding French woman *cough* turned round and told me "Will you please shut that child up he is going through my brain"

    I was so gobsmacked that I actually asked her to repeat herself - which of course she duly did !

    ..... going through her brain - I was ready to go thro her bloody brain - but instead I smiled sweetly & handed her my wonderful little piece of plastic & like u it worked a treat !

    - Her true complexion was hardly noticable thro the red tinge that spread across her face.

    Most certainly NEVER underestimate the power of that piece of plastic xxxxx (fab post as always)

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  12. Grufalo mum thats brilliant, well done you:) I would love to have seen her face!!

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  13. Hiya, I have tagged you for an award over at mine:)

    http://thekingandeye.blogspot.com/2010/03/happiness-every-day.html

    Jen

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  14. I have done that too and boy does it work! Here the Autism Society has paper cards that can be handed out for the person to keep that explains autism and what the person is witnessing as the child is having a meltdown.

    It is a great help isn't it?

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  15. Hi just came accross your blog and I really like it :)

    I wish I coild have seen that womans face :)

    I so want one of those cards, where can I get one?

    I have 2 children on the spectrum and it would come in handy :)

    I'm off to read some more of your blog :D

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  16. Plastic cards are a pleasure to deal, they slide across the table felt very easily.
    Plastic Business Cards
    Plastic Card printing

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