Tag Archives: Social Settings

Special Parents Confidential 70 Autism Goggles Part 2

Autism Goggles. Part 2.

We’d like to introduce you to Autism Goggles, a website and blog dedicated to helping people understand what it’s like to have Autism. Created by Maxine Share, and her son Daniel Share-Strom, this site is an outgrowth of Maxine’s work as a special education advocate. She began this career while trying to help Daniel get the help he needed in school.

Put On Your Autism Goggles

The best way to understand any situation is to talk to someone who has experience with it. In order to understand what it’s like to have Autism, you should hear from someone who has Autism. Both Daniel and Maxine have Autism, although Maxine didn’t get her diagnosis until later in life. Through their blog and their advocacy work, they encourage ‘neuro-typicals’ to “put on your ‘Autism Goggles’ to understand the autistic mind.

There’s Much More Beneath The Surface

What you will learn is that people with Autism don’t want a “cure” – they just want acceptance and understanding of the way they are. Autism is not a disease. It is not a disability. Browsing Autism Goggles, you’ll learn it’s simply a different kind of social interaction and thinking. You’ll realize while people with Autism may have difficulties in communication, that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say.

Part 2. Daniel Share-Strom

For SPC Episode 69, we talked to Maxine Share, who started Autism Goggles as an outgrowth of her advocacy work that began with her son.

In Part 2 of our interview, we talk to Maxine Share’s son, Daniel Share-Strom. His own struggles with Autism and Aspberger’s Syndrome were the basis of Maxine’s advocacy for parents. From his bio on the Website: “Daniel is a writer, motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, and co-founder of Autism Goggles, a social initiative determined to ‘reframe understanding of autism’ to focus on ability and strengths.

“Diagnosed with autism at a young age, Daniel has been moving audiences with his self-awareness, poignant insight, and humour for nearly 15 years.  He does this with full-day workshops and speeches which help parent groups, universities, autism organizations, workplaces, and health care professionals to understand the many features and traits of autism using plain language and practical examples. Daniel is committed to equality, fairness, and social justice for all people as he works to shift society toward acceptance and understanding of neurodiversity.  He speaks up and speaks out for those who have not yet found their voice.”

Links Mentioned In This Episode

Daniel Share-Strom’s Ted Talk Speech

Autism Goggles Article on Anxiety

Teaching A Student With Autism – For Teachers.

Engagement Page – Where To Connect with Autism Goggles

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Special Parents Confidential 69 Autism Goggles Part 1

Autism Goggles. Part 1

We’d like to introduce you to Autism Goggles, a website and blog dedicated to helping people understand what it’s like to have Autism. Created by Maxine Share, and her son Daniel Share-Strom, this site is an outgrowth of Maxine’s work as a special education advocate. She began this career while trying to help Daniel get the help he needed in school.

Put On Your Autism Goggles

The best way to understand any situation is to talk to someone who has experience with it. And the best way to understand what it’s like to have Autism, is to hear from someone who has Autism. Both Daniel and Maxine have Autism, although Maxine didn’t get her diagnosis until later in life. Through their blog and their advocacy work, they encourage ‘neuro-typicals’ to “put on your ‘Autism Goggles’ to understand the autistic mind.

There’s Much More Beneath The Surface

What you will learn is that people with Autism don’t want a “cure” – they just want acceptance and understanding of the way they are. Autism is not a disease. Autism is not a disability. Through Autism Goggles, you’ll learn it’s simply a different kind of social interaction and thinking. You’ll realize while people with Autism may have difficulties in communication, that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to say.

Part 1 – Maxine Share

We’ve divided this interview into to separate episodes. In Part 1, you’ll hear from Maxine Share, as she tells her story of how she became a special education advocate in her home of York, Ontario, Canada and the work she does with Autism Goggles. Part 2 will feature our interview with her son, Daniel Share-Strom.

Links Mentioned In The Episode

Autism Goggles Website

What Good Teachers Know About Teaching Kids With Autism – blog article.

Girls And Autism – Missed Diagnosis Can Be A Nightmare – blog article.

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A Sibling’s Perspective – Revisiting SPC Episode 31

A Sibling’s Perspective.

The Holidays always mean family visits, and with that in mind, we thought our episode on a sibling’s perspective would be a good one to repost. This episode is from October of 2015, when we interviewed Aubrey Boerma, who grew up with an older brother who has Autism.

What’s it like growing up with a special needs sibling? Do you have feelings of being ignored by your parents? Do you worry about how your special needs sibling will be treated by society or your friends in particular? Are you frustrated over how often you have to explain why your special needs sibling “acts like that”? 

As hard as it is to be a parent of a special needs child, it can also be just as hard to be a sibling of one. From having to attend numerous medical or therapy appointments, to missing out on school events or social events, many siblings feel like their lives have to take second place to the lives of the special needs child. Even into adulthood, some people carry resentments and anger over their relationships with their special needs siblings. 

There Are Answers.

In this episode of Special Parents Confidential, we talk to Aubrey Boerma, who has a brother with special needs. She also works with sibling youth support groups, helping child siblings learn to cope with their special needs brothers or sisters. Aubrey talks about how not all sibling relationships have to be difficult. For many people, having a sibling with special needs can be an incredible experience. You learn to be a much more patient and tolerant person with great empathy for all kinds of situations. Many siblings of special needs children, including Aubrey, say that their brother or sister are the best thing that happened to them. She also has suggestions for parents on how to help siblings talk about their relationships and their feelings toward their special needs brother or sister.

Links To Websites Mentioned In This Podcast:

The Sibling Support Project – Founded in 1990, the Sibling Support Project is the first national program dedicated to the life-long and ever-changing concerns of millions of brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental, and mental health concerns. 

Sibling Leadership Network – Providing siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support, and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families.

The Sibling Survival Guide – A “How To” guide to being an adult sibling of a special needs person. 

Growing Up With Ben – The Blog Post that Aubrey wrote about her life and relationship with her special needs brother.

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Special Parents Confidential Episode 31 A Sibling’s Perspective

A Sibling’s Perspective.

What’s it like growing up with a special needs sibling? Do you have feelings of being ignored by your parents? Do you worry about how your special needs sibling will be treated by society or your friends in particular? Are you frustrated over how often you have to explain why your special needs sibling “acts like that”?

As hard as it is to be a parent of a special needs child, it can also be just as hard to be a sibling of one. From having to attend numerous medical or therapy appointments, to missing out on school events or social events, many siblings feel like their lives have to take second place to the lives of the special needs child. Even into adulthood, some people carry resentments and anger over their relationships with their special needs siblings. 

In this episode of Special Parents Confidential, we talk to Aubrey Boerma, who has a brother with special needs. She also works with sibling youth support groups, helping child siblings learn to cope with their special needs brothers or sisters. Aubrey talks about how not all sibling relationships have to be difficult. For many people, having a sibling with special needs can be an incredible experience. You learn to be a much more patient and tolerant person with great empathy for all kinds of situations. Many siblings of special needs children, including Aubrey, say that their brother or sister are the best thing that happened to them. She also has suggestions for parents on how to help siblings talk about their relationships and their feelings toward their special needs brother or sister.

Links To Websites Mentioned In This Podcast:

The Sibling Support Project – Founded in 1990, the Sibling Support Project is the first national program dedicated to the life-long and ever-changing concerns of millions of brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental, and mental health concerns. 

Sibling Leadership Network – Providing siblings of individuals with disabilities the information, support, and tools to advocate with their brothers and sisters and to promote the issues important to them and their entire families.

The Sibling Survival Guide – A “How To” guide to being an adult sibling of a special needs person. 

Growing Up With Ben – The Blog Post that Aubrey wrote about her life and relationship with her special needs brother.

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