I have worked with children for twenty years, in the roles of child care worker, nurse, activity group leader, occassional childcare coordinator, and now as an integration aide. Integration has been my chosen career for almost ten years now and in all of that time I have worked almost exclusively with children on the autism spectrum. I find the work both challenging and rewarding, and I have learnt alot about life through my interaction with these children. The most important being to notice the small stuff, like the patterns in nature.
Those who have autism have a different way of thinking, it's not wrong, or bad, just different, and when you have some understanding of that way of thinking, a whole new world opens up. The most amazing revelation has been that there is a little bit of autism in all of us. I know that I show many signs of it in my list writing, my calender marking, my need to know details, and the list goes on. In fact over the years I have been known to be a tad obsessed with the topic of autism as I find it so intriguing. These children have incredible minds and I am so blessed to be able to occassionally share their insight.
1 comment:
I admire your career history and I'm happy that you do work that you love.. that's a real blessing. This has been a passion of mine (longing for a career history and work to love) most of my life.. but it has always eluded me regardless of what I've tried to do in my own strength to achieve things. I never would have thought that age 38 I would still be a housewife with people asking me "do you work"? I get inspired when I hear about people having career changes in their 40's and 50's..because it makes me feel it's not too late for me to bring home a good wage and save for the overseas trips I long for.
One of my Weight Watchers buddies has an autistic son. She told me that he usually will only eat McDonalds..so it's hard for her not to eat there as well when she takes him. I really don't know much about autism at all apart from "living in your own world".. is what my sister told me once.
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