If you read the New Paper today, you will see an article about a mother who compiled a collection of true autism stories in Singapore and got them published. The book costs $18 and we have bought the book last month. I have read a few stories and I must say that it is inspiring to read these stories. You can't deny the fact that you feel better knowing that you are not alone. You will read about the dedication of the parents and caregivers of these children, you will read about how these parents accept the child's differences and how these children make them better people.
It is good to share our experiences, to let others know they are not alone, to share tips and ideas... We can indeed learn from each other.... which is why I started this blog...to share... I've had a couple of parents who wrote to me to ask questions or tell me they are inspired after reading my blog... thank you parents for taking time to write to me. I am glad that this blog is somewhat useful to some of you... And I know that there are many silent readers of my blog too.
I understand that some of us are just not keen to talk about our own children but I really wish that more parents will open up. It is really hard to find a blog that is written by a Singaporean parent, sharing about the journey of their autistic children. So far, I have found only two, one stopped writing in 2009 and the other writes only once in a while but I still managed to gain so many useful tips from her blog. I have joined a support group but I realised that most share about products or medical aspects of autism, seldom share their personal experiences.
Many parents prefer to be silent, to hide behind this invisible shield. I am not saying that this is bad. It is just that I know that there are many dedicated parents out there, parents who work tirelessly to improve their child's condition, parents who have a wealth of knowledge and ideas. I just wish that we would take a bit of time and effort to.... share, especially in terms of teaching and learning.
It will be really great if we can read about the progress made by the children, to give support to each other simply by commenting, to share ideas and tips and better still, meet regularly to bond and again, share. That is the wish that I have for all autistic families here in Singapore. To bond and help each other, all in the name of helping our children and making our voices heard....
So thank you Brenda Tan for making the effort to compile the stories and have them published. I am sure many parents will find the book useful and inspiring... I did... :)
