Sunday 4 October 2015

DARIA: I KNOW I'M DIFFERENT...

Reader Daria has autism, a condition which makes her a little different from most of her classmates. Find out what that means and how she copes…

Daria says:
Autism is a condition which can really divide a person from the rest of the world. Many people on the autistic spectrum feel weird or different, but so what, they are both great things to be! Each autistic person is individual, and I for one love being 'different' and 'interesting'. When the weather changes, so do my moods… I get especially uncomfortable when there is pollen in the air, so I don't go out much then. I do like to go to the beach in summer though!

One thing that is very important to me is to be appreciated when I do something good. Even small things, like folding my clothes or brushing my teeth. These things may not mean much to you, but they do to me, and to be acknowledged when I do these things really matters. I also like everything around me to be in good order… I hate it when I find something is out of line. I am always trying to fix things in the house that aren't quite right or aren't in order. What also annoys me is that people do not see things the way I do. They sometimes think that what I say to others can be rude or abrupt, but I don't see that. I don't mean to be rude and always think that what I have said was acceptable.

I like to stick to a routine because it gives the day a structure. I wake at 6.30, shower at 6.31 which takes ten minutes, then at 6.42 I go and make breakfast. That takes seven minutes and a minute to get back from the kitchen and make sure everything is where it should be. I triple check my backpack, which takes eleven minutes, and then watch my favourite TV show at 7.00… this kind of routine carries on for most of the day and helps me feel more secure!

Autism has never held me back and it never will. One day I want to travel the world and become famous and do other crazy things. I know people will try to drag me down and hold me back, but I am confident I can get past that and be who I want to be.

The awesome illustration for Daria's blog post is by reader Skye… thank you!

Cathy says:
Daria's account of being on the autistic spectrum is fascinating… and enlightening. I am pretty sure that Daria will make her dreams happen, too! Do you know someone who is a little different from the crowd? Or are YOU? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more...

2 comments:

  1. I think it's brilliant that you believe in yourself! You are fantastically strong and you know what you want! You are an inspiration to this world! <3

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know a few people who are autistic, and they are all amazing, kind people. I don't think that you should let your condition stop you from achieving your dreams, and congrats on speaking out! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete

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