How Baby

See also: when you look around at your circle of parent friends as the kids all keep getting diagnosed with all sorts of neurodivergence, and you remember that those things are genetic, and… uh… they’re your friends for a reason.

I love seeing the relief on a parent’s face when they tell me their kid got their diagnosis – whatever it is – and I greet them with a big ‘congratulations!’ I’ve been there: people pulling away, unsure of what to say, finding reasons to not hang out. It’s a scary time, but it can also be a relief: finally, there’s a reason why things were so hard. Finally, you have the words to describe your experiences. And you can access support. You can be a better parent for your kid!! That’s a huge win!

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TRANSCRIPT

“Sharing an autism diagnosis with other parents”

Panel 1:
A concerned looking woman labelled ‘parents of neurotypical kids’: Oh no… I’m so sorry… but they don’t look autistic!

Panel 2:
A green-haired mom with AirPods and a backpack stuffed with twigs, not making eye contact, labelled with both ‘parents of neurodivergent kids’ and ‘also autistic’: Oh, I thought you knew already.