Yeah. Good Times.: Please vote in my poll

xmlns:og='http://ogp.me/ns#' Yeah. Good Times.: Please vote in my poll

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Please vote in my poll

I've been thinking about how I worded the last post I wrote: "The true test of wellness in my autistic child" and I've been wondering if maybe I should have phrased it "... in my child with autism."

So, I created a poll. What do you guys think? Feel free to explain in the comments.

EDIT: Good reading here: Why I dislike "person first" language by Jim Sinclair (thanks Rachel)

Comments (29)

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ryoko861 57p · 735 weeks ago

I like "A true test of wellness in my autistic child". It just sounds better. The other one is too long. This sounds more like you I think.

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Rebecca · 735 weeks ago

Voted~!
My recent post Sunday Snapshot - Sundays in My City

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@lovelylicious · 735 weeks ago

I sometimes think we over think titles we give our kids. I though sometimes cringe at autistic then using autism to describe Racer. I dunno lol

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Rebecca · 735 weeks ago

Thanks for posting Abigai's badge!
My recent post Sunday Snapshot - Sundays in My City

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heatherlisa 37p · 735 weeks ago

autistic is so much easier (the lazy gene in me) and i generally say that a lot

but

i'm almost at the end of my occupational therapy degree and my one professor that did most of my favorite courses and made the biggest impact on me would call you out big time if you ever used language other than "person first"- diabetic, schizophrenic, autistic, etc. were just not allowed....and i get her point and knowing she's teaching an entire generation of practitioners I really appreciate that she felt that strongly about the language used
My recent post Dancing the Night Away

1 reply · active 735 weeks ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

I get the lazy thing; totally. In this case I didn't even think about it until half a day later.

I guess I kind of feel like it's not really up to me; it should be Child 1's decision how I refer to him. He's obviously too young to understand the difference right now so I'm interested in what Laura or Rachel might say.

Also I'm not sure the "diabetes" analogy is really a good one, since it's a disease that attacks your body. It's not like there's a movement to recognize people with diabetes/diabetic people as "just another way of processing insulin!"

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Kelly · 735 weeks ago

Bah. I use peeson first stuff sometimes and "autistic kid" other times. I, personally,am fine either way. But then, I'm easy...at least according to the rumors!!
My recent post Man Overboard

2 replies · active 735 weeks ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

That's what I hear, anyway!

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Kelly · 735 weeks ago

Oh, good! You've heard the rumors, too. I had to work really hard for this reputation. I would hate to lose it at this point in my life! :)
My recent post Man Overboard

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Kelly · 735 weeks ago

*person...sheesh!
My recent post Man Overboard

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Blue Sky · 735 weeks ago

I 'd probably write 'autie boy ' cos it sounds cuter...
My recent post A ball but no gown

1 reply · active 735 weeks ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

Okay, that's a good point and I wish I had thought of it!

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gin · 735 weeks ago

As a therapist, I always use person-first language. But I think as a mom, you have the right to say whatever you want. :)

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gina · 735 weeks ago

But then again, I can't even spell my own name right on here, so maybe you should disregard my comment.

1 reply · active 735 weeks ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

LMAO! I'm sorry, but I found that to be very very funny....

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Meredith · 735 weeks ago

I don't find either a problem. However, as soon as my son can express his preference in any way...that is what I will run with out of respect.

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MCA · 735 weeks ago

I appreciate gin/gina writing at all as a therapist and even taking the time to think about it, but especially that she gives leeway for us parents. As a mom of an autistic child with autism :) I feel like when I'm talking to other parents of kids on the spectrum it doesn't matter, but when I'm talking to people who may forget (or need to learn) that my kiddo IS a person first, I need to be careful to use person first language.

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thatsrightisaiditdotmom 30p · 735 weeks ago

I totally agree w MCA. When you're talking to other autism parents, we get it that your child is much more than just his diagnosis. I guess I would chose my terminology based on my audience. That's just me.

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Rachel · 735 weeks ago

I have a big problem with nondisabled/non-autistic people teaching entire generations of students how to refer to disabled/autistic people. Many of us much prefer the word "autistic" to "with autism." For a good summary of the reasons why, read Jim Sinclair's "Why I dislike 'person first' language" at http://www.jimsinclair.org/person_first.htm. It's absolutely brilliant.

My recent post Adventures in Self-Advocacy- When the Answer is No

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

This makes a lot of sense to me, even as a nondisabled/non-autistic person.

I completely agree with what Meredith said. For now, my answer is "bacon," but as soon as Child 1 has a preference, that is the language I will use.

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Right Wing Bastard · 735 weeks ago

I didn't notice the word autistic when I read it the first time. So, because of that, I think "autistic child" could be better. I voted bacon, but when you say "my child who has autism" to me, makes autism more of a focus than just a quick mention. So, rather than use an illness or condition as an example, I would use common adjectives parents use. Like, "my crazy kid" or "my wild kid" or "my damn kid!". I have funny kids, my daughter is my genius kid, she is not my daughter who is a genius... that would sound more like bragging. See how the focus is on the last word even though you put the child first?
Well, that's my 2 cents.

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tulpenelefanten 28p · 735 weeks ago

I would totally defer to you, the mother of the kid. If you had no preference, then I'd say autistic I think? I don't fucking know, way to put me on the spot.

But with my OWN not autistic kid? Don't call him hearing impaired or I might lose my shit. He's fucking Deaf ok?

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Lynn · 735 weeks ago

I'm not into semantics. To dissect is a little too PC for me. I always say autistic because the other just sounds stilted and I trip over it. I can't scrub my language of swear words so how am I gonna get this one right?
My recent post Youre Funny and You Dont Know Why

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Big Daddy · 735 weeks ago

Speaking of "scrubbing," please do some before we meet next week.
My recent post Happy Birthday Mrs Big Daddy

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Big Daddy · 735 weeks ago

As a person with bacon, I had no problem with this poll. Just don't call me baconistic.
My recent post Happy Birthday Mrs Big Daddy

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MCA · 735 weeks ago

Sometimes when I feel like being super specific I say "my child with an ASD diagnosis." Because I don't even know what the hell autism really means anymore; all I know is what he got labeled with. Or with what he got labeled. Whichever is right.

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@TitanzWorld · 735 weeks ago

I prefer Autistic, I feel it colours every part of my life and being and seperating me from it makes me a different person but I also understand that others don't feel the same and feel the autism is a seperate thing to them. I just use what is comfortable for me.

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MT2B 81p · 735 weeks ago

Sorry I haven't been by in so long. But Autism'll do that, take up all your freakin time! But I am so happy to see you are #2 on TMB, and what do we need to do to get whoever that is in the #1 spot out? You let me know and I will be there with assorted blunt objects.

And I am so happy to see the bacon option back again!

1 reply · active 735 weeks ago

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jillsmo 103p · 735 weeks ago

I was wondering where you've been! Figures it would be autism's fault.....

I don't know how to get me to #1. I need more votes, I guess? More readers? I need to be funnier? I have no idea. I don't even know how I managed to get THIS far.

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