As most of you already know, April is Autism Awareness Month.
Now, there are many things I can say about Autism this month. I could share all the statistics, how 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism. I could share with you the sign, the symptoms and the process of diagnosis. I can share with you the struggles that having a child on the spectrum brings. But I feel like I've talked about all of these things endlessly in the past. While I do feel like it is important to share this information as well, I feel that the information is out there and most are pretty aware already. Aside from that, with some organizations using fear tactics in the name of raising awareness, I truly feel like the greatest thing I can do is to share the positives of autism... to share how my son, and kids like him have a lot to offer this world, despite of (perhaps even because of) their diagnosis. I never want my son to feel as though he is a burden or in need of fixing. I want him to realize that he is awesome and unique just as he is!
This is why I was thrilled to learn about the #AutismUniquelyYou campaign from The Autism Society of America! So, what's this campaign all about?
It's a simple, fun, family-friendly hand-painting activity.
1.) Paint your hands, make your UNIQUE impression on an object and take a video of the process or a picture of your handprint.
2.) Post your video or photo to social media and tag it using the hashtag #AutismUniquelyYou. Share the fun and invite friends to participate.
3.) LIKE the Autism Society on Facebook. Then head to autism-society.org to make a donation.
Sounds pretty simple, right?
Naturally, we had to join in the fun! And after much thought we came up with the perfect way to celebrate... a DIY t-shirt:
Now, there are many things I can say about Autism this month. I could share all the statistics, how 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism. I could share with you the sign, the symptoms and the process of diagnosis. I can share with you the struggles that having a child on the spectrum brings. But I feel like I've talked about all of these things endlessly in the past. While I do feel like it is important to share this information as well, I feel that the information is out there and most are pretty aware already. Aside from that, with some organizations using fear tactics in the name of raising awareness, I truly feel like the greatest thing I can do is to share the positives of autism... to share how my son, and kids like him have a lot to offer this world, despite of (perhaps even because of) their diagnosis. I never want my son to feel as though he is a burden or in need of fixing. I want him to realize that he is awesome and unique just as he is!
This is why I was thrilled to learn about the #AutismUniquelyYou campaign from The Autism Society of America! So, what's this campaign all about?
It's a simple, fun, family-friendly hand-painting activity.
1.) Paint your hands, make your UNIQUE impression on an object and take a video of the process or a picture of your handprint.
2.) Post your video or photo to social media and tag it using the hashtag #AutismUniquelyYou. Share the fun and invite friends to participate.
3.) LIKE the Autism Society on Facebook. Then head to autism-society.org to make a donation.
Sounds pretty simple, right?
Naturally, we had to join in the fun! And after much thought we came up with the perfect way to celebrate... a DIY t-shirt:
This was super easy and inexpensive to make. We made a large puzzle piece sticker, applied to the t-shirt (found at the Dollar Tree for a very inexpensive project!), painted Shaun's hands and let him go to town!! He had a blast, and loves his new shirt celebrating HIM!
Want to join in the fun? Get creative, have fun and support a GREAT cause!
The Autism Society of America is truly an amazing organization that does a lot for autism families like my own. I am proud to stand behind them! I'd love to hear how you're spreading the word and your unique handprint ideas too!
Don't wait, grab some paint and celebrate #AutismUniquelyYou!!!
Want to join in the fun? Get creative, have fun and support a GREAT cause!
The Autism Society of America is truly an amazing organization that does a lot for autism families like my own. I am proud to stand behind them! I'd love to hear how you're spreading the word and your unique handprint ideas too!
Don't wait, grab some paint and celebrate #AutismUniquelyYou!!!
I love this!! The whole campaign is amazing!! More people need to learn that we need not stigmatize autism children but support them in their journey in a way that is uniquely theres :) Your shirt turned out beautiful! And your sons smile is fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteGreat information!! I absolutely love the T-shirt, that's adorable!!
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