We're letting it all hang out. We realized, as we shared our experiences, emotions and observations with each other, we'd usually end the conversation with something like:
- "But I could never say that on my blog."
- "I've never said this out loud before..."
- "It feels so good to be able to share this without being judged."
- "I wish I'd known that five years ago."
- "Why is it that when we talk about the challenges of raising an autistic child, we have to constantly justify how much we love our children? Of course we love our children, but this is really, really hard."
The Autism Underground is our community sandbox, where we will explore our deepest, darkest thoughts. Whether you come here for support, education, controversy or commonality, welcome!
All we ask is that you contribute respectfully.
Who Writes This Stuff?
Well, we can't say much having signed the blood covenant and all, but here's the summary. Some of us are using our real names. Some of us are using our real fake names. Some of us are under deep cover using silly names. But we are all real. And we all are posting here because, sadly, we don't feel comfortable sharing our stories elsewhere...like with our nosy neighbors, our kid's teachers, or our mothers.
Well, we can't say much having signed the blood covenant and all, but here's the summary. Some of us are using our real names. Some of us are using our real fake names. Some of us are under deep cover using silly names. But we are all real. And we all are posting here because, sadly, we don't feel comfortable sharing our stories elsewhere...like with our nosy neighbors, our kid's teachers, or our mothers.
If one of us claims we penned a post or two, assume one of the following:
- We're lying.
- We're already using a fake name...or are we?
- We are honest, confident and self-aware enough that we have nothing to hide.
- We trust you. Don't blow it.
What's Your Angle? What Will I Read Here?
This is a community blog, so you will hear from a number of different parents and voices. We will not all share the same perspective, worldview, writing style or opinions. We all, however, are parents of at least one autistic child. We also all know, without question, that we are writing from a place of love and respect. Parenting is hard. Parenting a child with autism is harder.
You might find our posts, respectively, thought-provoking, cathartic, funny, heart-wrenching or completely anathema to your own experiences. We're okay with all of that. (These are our stories. Don't like them? Feel free to start your own blog!)
I Love It! I Want In: "One time, at band camp..."
If you have a story from the trenches that you think would be a good fit for Autism Underground, we'd love to hear from you.
