Comments for Estée Klar

Comment on The Process: More Important Than The Prize by Adoption of Jane

Adoption of Jane — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:31:41 +0000

You wrapped that all up very nicely in your last sentence.. Awesome :)

Comment on It’s Just That Simple by Kate

Kate — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:39:29 +0000

Please let people know about this blog

Thank you

Comment on Is there a “best place” to write? by Ole Ferme l'oeil

Ole Ferme l'oeil — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:39:52 +0000

the website where i go many times is named ASPERANSA
http://www.asperansa.org/
it’s a site (and a forum) where people are open minded…
i’ll try to tell more about this website, i don’t know exactly what to add now.

Comment on Is there a “best place” to write? by Estee

Estee — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:28:48 +0000

I studied and lived in Europe. I lived near Strasbourg. Right now I have friends in Paris so it’s easy for me to go there. I’m hearing terrible stories of how the French view and treat autistics when I go there. I would like to learn more. Thank you for sending me the link as I will most definitely check it out.

Comment on Is there a “best place” to write? by Ole Ferme l'oeil

Ole Ferme l'oeil — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:31:12 +0000

So you sometimes go to Paris ?
do you have heard about the “Chapiteaux turbulents”?
http://www.turbulences.eu/
In France there are not many thing done for autistics adults (I mean those who can’t easily find a job, whose autism is “visible” and who risk to be put in institutions), so i’t’s important to notice this place where they can really create things and make spectacles.

I’m a swiss and french autistic and i live in Geneva.

Comment on Bio by Weekly Blog #4: The Best Way to Understand Autism Spectrum Disorders « Conscious Incompetence

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:02:07 +0000

[...] Estée Klar’s blog, To Get To The Other Side, is one of my favorites to follow. Estée is the founder and executive director of The Autism Acceptance Project and is the mother of a young autistic son named Adam. Her blog, formerly known as The Joy of Autism, has been given numerous awards, as well as listed in the top 10 autism blogs as well as the top 100 health blogs. In order to support and enrich the autistic community, Estée discusses how we must view autism as a way of being and a natural form of human difference. I found this recent post of hers especially interestingfor its condemnation of Autism Speak’s marketing that “exploits people’s pain for capital gain: make autism desperate enough and we can raise money to cure it.” [...]

Comment on It’s Just That Simple by Is Autism a Genetic Flaw?

Is Autism a Genetic Flaw? — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:50:01 +0000

Thanks for sharing this insightful post.

Comment on It’s Just That Simple by Scout's Honor

Scout's Honor — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:33:51 +0000

Hey there. I happened upon you blog and have a big favor to ask and I hope you don’t mind. Please disregard if you do:

My husband is working on a marketing plan for a firm that specializes in autism for his final UW MBA project.

http://washington.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_38L76DgnCym3ttO&SVID=Prod

Can you take the survey if you have a family member affected by autism or pass it on to someone who is? Many thanks.

~Scout

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by kristina

kristina — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:02:04 +0000

it can be very dark, but reading this shows where the light is.

Warmest wishes to Adam and you.

Comment on Is there a “best place” to write? by Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:47:00 +0000

The best place for me to write is a testament to my reality. My office is set up in the basement, where the boys do not typically go. I can hear them through the floor and come a’runnin’ when I’m needed, but I can write on my laptop in reasonable solitude. The best time is at night, when the house is quiet and the air filter and de-humidifier are humming away and the only noise is white noise and the occassional creaks of an old, old house.

Of course, the walls are an ugly shade of green and it’s rather cold down here. My “woman’s touch” has softened the place, but only by a smidge. I’d never have thought to write down here amongst the spiders and the unfinished basement-iness of the place (the office is the only room that’s finished, and it’s only half finished); but it’s not to place that I sit that I need, but the room for my mind to be my own–that makes it the best space in the house.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:41:29 +0000

I have to wonder where they come up with these things. It’s so sad, and so wrong, and yet the media spreads these messages as news?

When Willy was eight it was making progress, but there were many who were still convinced he’d never “make it,” meaning gaining independence and accountability. Yet, he grows and progresses. Alex does, too, though on a different, less accepted (by society) developmental trajectory. They’re both a few years past eight. Their brains aren’t hardened. Their potential isn’t stymied. Learning, growth, potential…these things don’t just stop.

Why would anyone say they do? For anyone, about anyone?

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Estee

Estee — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:57:27 +0000

Eithne,

Thanks for commenting here. I’m certain you are already a great mom to your child. Truth be known, it’s comments like these that help me with my son Adam.

Again, thank you.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Eithne

Eithne — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:44:56 +0000

Hi Estee

I find your blog very inspiring. You make me want to be a better mother to my 7yo who has autism.
Best to you
Eithne

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Tanya

Tanya — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:17:23 +0000

Powerful blog Estee!
Our society certainly is becoming socially undone. It is evident that we have made great strides in identifying and labeling, yet we stumble when it comes to resolution and inclusion.
I am a healthcare worker and a strong advocate for my clients, yet almost daily I leave work filled with frustration and anger.The road blocks that lead to my inability to provide emotional and physical care, leave clients stranded in a state where a tragic outcome follows. Most of these could be prevented if we followed simple guidelines of acceptance and integration.
Mike Lipkin is absolutely correct when he states that we need to listen to our innerself. Once our minds and souls are at peace, we will gather enough strength to keep fighting for those who cannot, for those who have not found their own path to follow.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Susan

Susan — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:56:32 +0000

Estee, I hope Adam starts feeling more settled soon.

I have a six-yr old son diagnosed with autism and I love your blog.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by christine

christine — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:39:54 +0000

I love this post! I know that the mother in the autism everyday video got a lot of flack for what she said but I always thought that her statement was a terrible indictment of our society and that we needed to look beyond her words to the bigger picture. These women — and many families — aren’t getting the support that they need. Also, I put a lot of blame on the media and its portrayal of autism as something to be feared and fought against.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by Scorpion

Scorpion — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:34:07 +0000

Beautiful write-up – people who try to assert their views by trying to fix things in the belief their answer is totally the right one is, in my opinion, wasted energy. Harmony, belief and positive outlooks win all the time.

Comment on A Mother’s First Reponse to the “Maternal Sensitivity” Study by DJ

DJ — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:26:41 +0000

To Rose: I just finished a course in personality theories as part of my psych degree and it’s very interesting that you mention Bettelheim was obsessed with T & A. We examined the writings of several prominent psychologists/psychiatrists from that area (Germany) and that time (wartime and pre-wartime) and it seems that a lot of them were obsessed with two things: sex and death. Makes you wonder what was going through the heads of post-Victorian/wartime people!! ;^)

Joking aside, I really love what you had to say about the guilt and then about letting go of the guilt. Letting go of the guilt seems to open the way for realization. A lot of the “therapies” out there do tend to set autistic people up for failure which leads to frustration which ultimately leads to unpleasant behaviour.

Best of all was “we do have to realize our kids aren’t broken copies of normal. They are different!!!” May I use this comment in my “What Parents Need to Know About Autism” presentation? That says exactly what I want to say to the parents who will be attending.

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by VAB

VAB — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:16:07 +0000

As a parent whose son learned to talk in full sentences at around eight and didn’t get really fluent until around twelve, I’d have to agree. But at least the author gets it that the real suffering for the parents happens when they want to fix their kids rather than just parenting (helping, supporting, teaching and sharing).

Comment on It’s Always Darkest Before The Dawn by DJ

DJ — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:12:30 +0000

Well written and so very true – you are amazing! Thank you