Dinosaurs and Broccoli
Another thing about autistic people is that we have special interests. This is where we intensely study a certain subject until we are satisfied that we have all the information on said subject. This could be a favorite animal, book, plant, or any number of things. Some parents worry that their child's special interest will prevent them from relating to the outside world. However, these interests can be used to make the outside world more interesting and relatable to an autistic person. Let me illustrate.
Up until second grade, I went to public school, but I knew from kindergarten there was a reason I didn't like it there. Actually, fifteen reasons: and each of them was a different classmate. Kindergarten was where I first learned I was different, so it was an odd year for me. Still, I loved learning... especially about dinosaurs.
Seriously, is there any five-year-old who doesn't like dinosaurs? My favorite was the brachyasauorus, the one with the really long neck. That became my special interest that year, and I didn't just like the brachyasauorus... in my mind, I was one.
I stared into the mirror and stretched my neck out as far as I could. I smiled in satisfaction as I convinced myself that my neck was getting longer. Now, these long necked dinosaurs ate the leaves from trees, so imagine my excitement when I realized there was a short fruit tree in our yard.
I walked up to the tree and stretched out my neck just like a dinosaur and grabbed a leaf with my mouth. I pulled it from the twig, triumphant, and chewed the leaf. My triumph turned to disgust, and I spit out the leaf, wondering what I was thinking. It tasted like dirt. Well, I couldn't eat a leaf from the tree, so my dreams of being a dinosaur were shattered.
A few nights later, while my family was eating dinner, I noticed a strange vegetable on my plate. Before this moment, I was against trying new things. But that night, when I stared at that piece of broccoli, I realized something: it looked just like a tree. Without giving a thought to what it would taste like, I took a large bite and smiled. I was eating off a "tree" just like a brachyasauorus.
To this day, I love broccoli. So remember, a special interest can give your child a unique perspective, and can actually encourage them to try new things.
Up until second grade, I went to public school, but I knew from kindergarten there was a reason I didn't like it there. Actually, fifteen reasons: and each of them was a different classmate. Kindergarten was where I first learned I was different, so it was an odd year for me. Still, I loved learning... especially about dinosaurs.
Seriously, is there any five-year-old who doesn't like dinosaurs? My favorite was the brachyasauorus, the one with the really long neck. That became my special interest that year, and I didn't just like the brachyasauorus... in my mind, I was one.
I stared into the mirror and stretched my neck out as far as I could. I smiled in satisfaction as I convinced myself that my neck was getting longer. Now, these long necked dinosaurs ate the leaves from trees, so imagine my excitement when I realized there was a short fruit tree in our yard.
I walked up to the tree and stretched out my neck just like a dinosaur and grabbed a leaf with my mouth. I pulled it from the twig, triumphant, and chewed the leaf. My triumph turned to disgust, and I spit out the leaf, wondering what I was thinking. It tasted like dirt. Well, I couldn't eat a leaf from the tree, so my dreams of being a dinosaur were shattered.
A few nights later, while my family was eating dinner, I noticed a strange vegetable on my plate. Before this moment, I was against trying new things. But that night, when I stared at that piece of broccoli, I realized something: it looked just like a tree. Without giving a thought to what it would taste like, I took a large bite and smiled. I was eating off a "tree" just like a brachyasauorus.
To this day, I love broccoli. So remember, a special interest can give your child a unique perspective, and can actually encourage them to try new things.
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