Editorial #286: Autistics In Stores and Restaurants

Autism Politico would like to go on record as stating that, as autistics, no matter where we function on the spectrum, most of us can control our behaviors in restaurants and stores. We also want to tell you that there is a difference between a tantrum and a meltdown.

When we have a tantrum, we are just being bratty. When we have a meltdown, we are completely out of our minds and cannot be reasoned with.

A HEARTFELT MESSAGE TO PARENTS OF AUTISTICS:

Dear Parent of Autistics,

This letter does not apply to all of you. Only to some of you. No bigoted generalization is being made here. Only observations and suggestions.

To whom this applies…

Because you tend to indulge us, we have come to realize that the more of a stink we raise, and the more embarrassed we make you feel, the more we will be indulged in order that you might save yourself a considerable amount of frustration and embarrassment. Therefore, many of us autistics have mastered the art of making our tantrums look like meltdowns. This is so that you will be hoodwinked into doing what we want when we want you to do it. In other words, we are training you to do our bidding the same way you train pets to do YOUR bidding. This means that if we want something from you, we equate you with dogs, and train you as such until you do our tricks.

You mothers and fathers of autistics sometimes tell other people that they shouldn’t get in your faces or your kids’ faces when your autistic kids throw a tantrum or “have a meltdown”, but it is important to keep in mind, that your autistic kids are in the minority, and as such, it is important for your kids to conform to society, and not to make society conform to autistics.

You should not ruin the shopping experience or restaurant experience for others, just because of your child throwing a tantrum or having a meltdown. If your child is upsetting customers or patrons, no matter what the inconvenience to you may be, it is your duty to remove your child  from the environment, because you and your child are imposing on other people and their experiences.

It is not anyone else’s fault that you decided to have children. It is not anyone else’s fault that your child turned out to be autistic. It is not anyone else’s fault that your autistic has trained you to cater to him or her like a servant. If you are a single parent, the same rules apply, because it’s not anyone else’s fault that you are single.

Take it from autistics: You are being made a fool of when your autistic acts up in public, and you make a fool out of yourself a second time when you argue with people who try to set you and your child straight.

In this day and age, there are forums on the net where people on the autism spectrum laugh about how they have deliberately embarrassed their parents, and how they have managed to manipulate so-called autism self advocacy organizations to side with autistics, rather than the general public, on these issues.

Wise up! Learn how to parent! And learn when you are being played for a fool!

Replies to this editorial are welcome.