The thing is, I think there is a half way point. Nothing is expected of me from the government because I'm on a disability pension now. I just have to pass go and collect my $200. We are doing better than most working poor families as a lot of our income is tax free. We live in public housing which isn't as bad as it sounds (shitty neighbours have left). So we pay fuck all in rent.
We get enough money these days that we don't even have to be careful how we spend it (probably should hide some in a mattress or something).
The problem is the government feels it has fulfilled its obligations by putting you on that pension, when in reality if they did their job properly, you would most likely be in decent employment, with the improvement in lifestyle that would bring. That said, given you have 5 children, it doesn't surprise me that the system makes it better for you not to work. Doesn't send out an amazing message to them.
They will help be get back into the workforce if I wanted them to. I'm just not in that place right now personally.
I wonder whose fault that is. Certainly, the state should take a lot of blame.
Meh, I blame being undiagnosed at the time I entered the workforce plus parents who had no idea how to prepare a child/young adult for the workforce.
It's now my responsibility to do something about it though. Fucking anxiety and freaky panic attacks kick my arse though. I can't even seriously think about it without nearly throwing up and shit.
True you were undiagnosed. However that just reinforces the fact the system needs to be properly supportive, rewarding people for their talents as opposed kicking them for their (often irrelevant) difficulties. A properly implemented meritocracy would correct those problems, it is why I advocate it.
People didn't know any better. The important thing is what is happening now. Things will take time.
Serious question: Have you noticed any improvement from all the media coverage of late? Because I haven't, if anything its caused me more problems. Somehow I don't think increased awareness will help us, we are too small a group of people.
There is improvement I think, but the media isn't driving it. Community groups are mainly driving it I'd say. It started with the parents of ASD children. These children are growing up and those parents are now questioning what is happening/going to happen for when they are adults.
Bored house wives with nothing to do except cause that is close to home is a force to be reckoned with. But like I said, these things take time.
Its the media that matter at the end of the day that matter, if you want anything more than small, often insignificant changes. Otherwise what normally happens is this: Community groups kick up small fuss - > government recognises small fuss - > small manoeuvre is made to combat said fuss - > society moves on, more problems are found, cycle begins again with us getting nowhere. If you don't believe me, look at lower down the spectrum - society has barely changed, there is a little more support education wise, but all in all, very few people have changed circumstances.
The thing is, I unlike you grew up with a diagnosis of AS. I am now 20 and would say relative to my peers, though I have had said support etc, I have done no better than those who have grown up in your set of circumstances, i.e. undiagnosed and not having said support. Even worse, many parents ( with AS traits ) turn around and are even more against making changes (or even providing support) than most NT's are. The only changes that are going to improve our lives are ones that change society directly, i.e. reduce what we need to do to fit in, reduce unnecessary expectations and open up opportunities. Then things will have improved, but our parents are never going to do that for us.
