Here, pick a label!

Ah, basketball! The cheerful sound of a ball slam-slam-slamming incessantly on the floor. The energetic screeching of sneakers. The thumpity-thumping of little feet crashing across the room like a herd of angry miniature horses. Children yelling joyfully, parents barking at them to "pay attention."

Nothing here that could possibly overstimulate the child with ... unique sensory processing. Nope, nothing at all.

But what do you do if that child DOES become overstimulated?

It's time for the first ever round of What Kind of Special Needs Mom Are You?, a blog post comprised primarily of questions.

Do you tell people about an "invisible disability?" And when is it appropriate? Do you gather everyone together and boom "YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS" or do you pull someone aside and whisper?

Or do you just put an autism awareness shirt on your kid and figure it'll be obvious that way?
Easy Out Mom

Do you just wait and see whether your son manages to pass as normal?
Anything Could Happen Mom

Do you come armed with educational materials about autism in order to head it off at the pass?
Activist Mom

Do you remain within arm's length at all times in an attempt to control his behavior?

Helicopter Mom

Do you back off in the hopes that he will pay more attention to the coaches than he does to you, the parent?
Wishful Thinking Mom

Do you mention it, apologetically, to the mom who seems frustrated that her kid got paired up with YOURS?
Shame on you, Mom. Shame on you both.

Do you mention it, optimistically, to the mom of the kid you think is also special needs?
Nosey Mom

Do you just nod when someone sympathetically reassures you that he'll "get better at sharing" if you keep coming back?

Weary Mom

Do you wait until your son is crying with his face pressed against the floor because he didn't make a basket and he doesn't get to pick up the purple cone and run it across the gym and get a high five for making a "point"?
Frazzled Mom

Do you wait until the meltdown at the water fountain? Everyone's watching ... it would be a great time for a public announcement.
Monologue Mom

Do you tell them while he's having a meltdown because it's time to leave and he wants to stay in his gym clothes... his shorts... even though it's January and freezing outside?
Mom with the Frozen Kid


I, of course, did not utter the word "autism" or "Asperger's." I hate labels.