Friday, December 5, 2008

Before You Yell or Curse at a Child (Or Anyone Else), Please Check This Out

Megan Bayliss, mother of an Aspie, knows how frustrating it can be sometimes to deal with Aspies (especially the small fry). They interrupt you when you so obviously (at least obviously to you and to others around you) are busy. They are blunt and can sound disrespectful. You sometimes have to hear complaints about them.

But please don't curse or scream at an Aspie anymore than you would curse or scream at anyone else. As she's learned, once the words are said (or yelled), you can't unsay them. Sticks and stones may break one's bones, but bones heal faster than many minds do after tirade upon tirade from angry or just impatient adults - and the children they implicitly encourage.

Ms. Bayliss' message, in effect: Count to ten if you have to, but make not the children suffer.

Please, set the example.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Jeff...that almost made me cry. I am so sorry that I yelled at my beautiful boy but I am VERY grateful to you for helping to get the message out. People with Aspergers are still people and they DO NOT deserve to cop our frustration or tantrums.

Yelling IS abuse. We don't yell at other people who annoy us so why yell at a person with Aspergers who is just doing what they normally do.

My gratitude to you Jeff and my very best wishes for a happy and peaceful life.

Stat Mama said...

Good post, Jeff.

Anonymous said...

Good reminders for all of us, Jeff. Thanks for posting about this.