We Need All Kinds of Minds

Reading one of Temple Grandin's books, Thinking in Pictures, Expanded Edition: My Life with Autism, when my son PJ was first diagnosed with autism changed my life. She wrote it as an adult, and gave detailed descriptions of her childhood as an autistic person -- what worked and what didn't.

I also found out from watching her talk at TED while at the airport, that there's a brand new movie of Temple Grandin's life coming out on HBO (starring Claire Danes), and I really can't wait to see it!

Large trailer on HBO

Here's her talk this year at the TED conference. She speaks truth about how we need all kinds of minds for the world to work properly. I couldn't agree more. This is amazing:

:: An Autistic Birthday Party

So when most people think of kid's birthday parties, it's a big shabang with tons of rugrats running around (ya know, like last weekend at our house).

But for an autistic kid like my son PJ, his version is a little different. He's definitely not anti-social, he's just more don't-know-how-to-be social. He loves being around his siblings, and even other kids, but large groups make him a little wigged out.

He would far rather spend his time identifying the different train systems around the world than be surrounded by squealing children.

So for his birthday "party" I took him alone to get a treat of his choice, and a CTA ride around Chicago's downtown loop. He was ecstatic the entire time.

What a party animal.