Tuesday, November 16, 2010

House Rules

When my brain is not fogged by my weird cold/chesty thing that I have going on I have to update my list of books to include this one:  House Rules.  It is by the woman who wrote My Sisters Keeper.  It was a hard book to read.  Not in syntax or anything, but because the lead character is a boy not too much younger than my eldest.  He is accused  of murder.  He also has Aspergers.  So much of the character of Jacob is my son.  We have house rules too (except we call them family rules).  I have had to have the conversations that the fictional mom did with her son with my other kids in regard to Chet's disability.  With the exception of the soothing song that Jacob in the book uses, and Jacob's particular interest in forensic science (Chet's is the environment), they seriously could have used Chet as the model for the book. 

It is good though that at least now there is a lot more awareness surrounding Aspergers.  It used to be I practically had to do a mini educational seminar when we went somewhere and something weird happened.  Now I just say Aspergers, or that he is on the autistic spectrum and most people are better about things.

But I still worry.  I worry that because for the first few minutes you meet him that he seems NT that people will then assume that the inevitable non NT behaviors that will show  up are meant as rudeness, disrespect or worse.

2 comments:

Todd said...

It used to bother me more when people said what I'm going to, but it's true. *smile* Even if the occasional person does think he's just being rude, they'll get over it. *hugs*

Mama Drama Times Two said...

Ummm. I'm think rude is the new neurotypical (based on my recent observation today at the bank, gas station and Walmart) Not to worry - from what you have said, Chet has many positive qualities - and the occaisional stranger thinking him rude is no big deal.