Being different is normal
Jude’s been asking a lot of questions about Charlie lately, even more than usual. He wonders why Charlie can’t talk and why he doesn’t play with him like his friends do at school.
I don’t know yet if I have good answers to his questions. I tell him that Charlie has autism, but that doesn’t mean much to a four-year-old. I also tell him that Charlie has different abilities and different needs than his other friends—that Charlie loves him even though he doesn’t say it or show it in an obvious way.
To be honest, having Charlie as a big brother has had a positive impact on Jude in several ways. With anyone he meets, he accepts differences in them, naturally and immediately. Jude is compassionate and he really cares that the people around him are happy. For example, I love the way that Jude understands how certain situations are overwhelming for Charlie, even if they’re not overwhelming to him. When things get too loud, Jude reaches for Charlie’s ears just as fast as Charlie himself does, covering them with his little cupped hands to help block out the noise.
Read the full article here https://theautismcafe.com/autismthis-holiday-season-we-celebrate-our-differences/
