I borrowed this headline from Seth Godin’s book.
It literally leapt out at me from the shelf.

 

As a parent:

 

What will you do when you’re faced with the autism diagnosis?

 

What will you do if a family member or outsider is disrespectful to your child?

 

What will you do when your child is bullied at school?

 

What will you do if your adult son or daughter is discriminated against at the workplace?

 

As a teacher:

 

What will you do if the autistic child in front of you is just not learning?

 

What will you do if s/he engages in behavior issues?

 

What will you do if s/he is hyperactive?

 

What will you do when other children bully him or her?

 

 

Will you take action or will you let it pass? Perhaps somebody else will arise and do something…

 

There is no judgment here.
Nobody will coerce you to do anything.

 

You can fight the situation or you can flee from it.

 

If you take the responsibility to do something about each of the scenarios, you will achieve plenty.

 

Whether you’re a parent or a teacher-

 

1. You will learn

 

You will learn that your child is much more than his/her diagnosis.
S/he is a beautiful human being, who is just a little different from others around her/him.
S/he probably learns a different way.
The onus is on you to figure out.
Take help from experts and keep moving.

 

You will become compassionate.

 

2. You will make a difference

 

You can make the biggest difference in your child’s or student’s life.
Remember the starfish story?

 

 

 

In standing up your child or student, you will learn to stand up for yourself.

 

You will become courageous.

 

3. You will get transformed

 

Life looks different when you stand up for what you believe in.
When you stand up for your child you will view things differently.
Life takes on the hue of positivity.
It becomes deeper and takes on meaning.

 

In looking to transform your child, you will become transformed.

 

You will become happy.

 

4. You will be empowered

 

In 2008, my husband Anil had a heart attack.
Luckily things got under control with the right doctor and the right intervention.

 

I had struggled with Mohit’s autism since 1992.
Dealing with it all, I had become resilient and was calm under pressure.

 

I realized my life had made me brave.

 

You will become brave too.

 

What will you do?

 

“You are being presented with a choice: evolve or remain. If you choose to remain unchanged, you will be presented with the same challenges, the same routine, the same storms, the same situations, until you learn from them, until you love yourself enough to say ‘no more,’ until you choose change. If you choose to evolve, you will connect with the strength within you, you will explore what lies outside the comfort zone, you will awaken to love, you will become, you will be. You have everything you need. Choose to evolve. Choose love.”

 

— Creig Crippen