KactusNZ

Entwined 🧡

she picked up a sperm

and when i say "actually i quite want to be alive and also i need support to have my basic needs met and am not getting that. but when i am alive i get to have my toys and plushies and animal crossing and everything that makes me happy and i would like to live more for those things"

response is either "well you're lying because if you were really that autistic couldn't use internet."

"i know person like you and it is clear they have no quality of life and so you shouldn't be alive"

or "those are no reasons to live. you need to be like these people (job, not need daily care, independent or mostly so, smart, speaking, don't injure self involuntarily, etc etc) to be worth keeping alive"

I started doing it when after brain surgery my husband had trouble forming responses to questions for a while, and realized that the habit was helping my students engage more truthfully with me.

Some examples:

Yes/No: “Did you clean up your room like I told you?”

This/That: “Did you clean up already, or do you still need to do that?”

Yes/No: “Are you going to sit quietly?”

This/That: “Are you ready to sit and do our quiet activity, or do you need some time by yourself first?”

Yes/No: “Are you doing anything fun for your birthday?”

This/That: “Are you having a party on your birthday, or are you going to relax?”

I think many children (and adults!) are averse to telling adults “No,” especially when a command is implied. (“Did you clean your room?” “Are you going to sit quietly?” Hmmm if I say ‘no’ I will be in trouble with the adult.) So they are actually pretty likely to just lie and say what they think you want to hear.