World Autism Awareness Day

Today, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day. People are encouraged to wear blue as a symbol of supporting Autism Awareness. For me Autism celebration day is every day. I am not just aware of what impacts Autism can have on families I breath it everyday. I have been working and teaching children with Autism for almost 10 years now. I grew up with a relative with Autism. I saw the changes he went through and I had a good relationship with him. I love his brother and his parents in a way I don't think they could every know. I am drawn to these kids. God placed a gift of reaching these kids in my heart. I have made life long friends with families I have worked with and I know that Christ places me in specific situations for his glory.
I think of how blessed I am to be teaching these kids, I praise God everyday. I think about FAME and what an impact it may be and how the inspiration for FAME has and always will be because of my relative.  I think about how to be a better teacher to these kids everyday.
As a teacher I build them up to becoming better versions of themselves, pushing them academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally. Because I know they can reach potentials that are untapped. I infused art, music, creative writing, dancing, joking, and laughing in all areas of my classroom. I teach to their age and am not ignorant of kids growing up. In the past I've seen classrooms where everything is not to the age, immature. Kids aren't forced to speak up, or to request correctly, kids a coddled and not taught to be flexible. Depending on their age kids must be taught accordingly. If a kid is 18, the expectation should be texting on a phone, having a conversations with others, riding a bus and reporting back to parents they got to their job or got to college. The sky is the limit! 

Everyday at work I celebrate these kids. I serve them. I teach them. I mold them into being a better version of themselves. This should not be confused with "fixing" them. I do not fix these kids because I don't believe there is anything to fix. I've worked along side people who want to fix things, fix stimulatory behaviors, fix sensory, fix their entire being. I don't believe in fixing these kids. There is nothing to fix. God made them a certain way just like he made all of us a certain way. They all have their own personalities. They all have their uniqueness. They all have a beauty in them about the world. Why should I squash what makes them wonderful. I have been around so many different kids and they are all different and remarkable in their own way. I celebrate who they are and push them to their limits. We must meet them at who they are and mold them into being better versions of themselves. We must meet them at their personalities and get to know each and everyone of them. We don't need to "normalize" these kids because what is normal really? Who is normal? And who set the standard for "normal." I know I am not normal and to be honest I don't want to be. I don't want to be another faceless person in society. We are all so wonderful and we all have differences that make us wonderful. Same goes with kids and people with Autism. They are all so wonderful. I love my kids. They make me laugh. They make me want to be better. They make me excited about my job everyday. To watch them progress into amazing people while still holding on to who they are. Beautiful
Meet them where they are or else you might just miss out on getting to know some remarkable people!