We’ve reached the point where Charlie’s autism is no longer an invisible disability

It's reasonable for anyone who sees a seven-and-a-half-year-old at the grocery store hysterically jumping, squealing, and flapping his hands, to stare. I don’t blame them — it’s human.

A couple of times, in response to Charlie’s intense stimming, I heard a little kid ask their parents what was wrong with Charlie or why he was doing that. Every single time, the parent was embarrassed and told their child not to be rude.

I don’t find it rude. And you don’t have to be embarrassed if your child has questions. Normalize it. Teach them about stimming. Explain that some children show their feelings differently. Don’t make it awkward!

Non-harmful stimming shouldn’t be discouraged. We should strive to teach more kids about the different types of expression they'll encounter in the world 💙