A bulls eye was permanently tattooed on my son's forehead at birth.
Although the diagnosis for Asperger's Syndrome wouldn't come for six years, Stephen's brain was already wired to be different before he was placed in my arms. In a world where conformity is vital to acceptance, my newborn son was beginning a journey where his unique traits would often make him a target.
When Stephen was in elementary school, he began to attract the attention of bullies. I worried constantly about the cruelty and unkindness directed at my blond-haired boy and my heart ached each time Stephen was victimized by other children. My quirky son with an exuberant personality and a sharp intellect was so naive, he couldn't read subversive motives of others and was easily manipulated. His reactions were extreme, giving the bullies immediate gratification at the emotional expense and dignity of my son. I waged a fierce campaign for years to protect my little boy from the world outside our home.
Now that Stephen has graduated from high school, he is still not free from bullies. Instead of being targeted in the hallways at school, Stephen has to contend with bullies within the walls of his home. A place that was once a haven for my son, is an unfriendly environment at times.
Late one night I heard peals of laughter coming from Stephen's room and I knew he had found something amusing on the Internet. When he continued to giggle uncontrollably, I poked my head in his room to see what he found so comical. Stephen could barely catch his breath from laughing, but he finally composed himself enough to tell me that he found a hysterical parody of Pikachu on YouTube.
Pikachu was a small yellow Pokemon character that gave Stephen hundreds of hours of entertainment when he was younger. I still have a soft spot for things my boys loved while growing up. As I stood in my son's doorway looking at the delight on his face, I smiled to think that my teen aged son could still be amused by an innocent cartoon character while many of his peers sought drugs, alcohol and sex for their entertainment.
Unfortunately, the rest of the family didn't share my feelings and Stephen's innocent amusement became a source of ridicule in his own home. It wasn't unusual for family members to be intolerant of Stephen's interests and odd behaviors and I often must intervene on Stephen's behalf. If our family cannot provide a nurturing haven for Stephen, how can I expect society to accept his unusual qualities?
Stephen possesses many unique traits that should be admired and appreciated rather than ridiculed. I may not be able to eliminate all the bullying Stephen will face in a world that is often unkind to those who are different, but I refuse to tolerate it in the one place he should feel loved and secure.
Although the diagnosis for Asperger's Syndrome wouldn't come for six years, Stephen's brain was already wired to be different before he was placed in my arms. In a world where conformity is vital to acceptance, my newborn son was beginning a journey where his unique traits would often make him a target.
When Stephen was in elementary school, he began to attract the attention of bullies. I worried constantly about the cruelty and unkindness directed at my blond-haired boy and my heart ached each time Stephen was victimized by other children. My quirky son with an exuberant personality and a sharp intellect was so naive, he couldn't read subversive motives of others and was easily manipulated. His reactions were extreme, giving the bullies immediate gratification at the emotional expense and dignity of my son. I waged a fierce campaign for years to protect my little boy from the world outside our home.
Now that Stephen has graduated from high school, he is still not free from bullies. Instead of being targeted in the hallways at school, Stephen has to contend with bullies within the walls of his home. A place that was once a haven for my son, is an unfriendly environment at times.
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| Stephen as Pikachu, Halloween 1999 |
Pikachu was a small yellow Pokemon character that gave Stephen hundreds of hours of entertainment when he was younger. I still have a soft spot for things my boys loved while growing up. As I stood in my son's doorway looking at the delight on his face, I smiled to think that my teen aged son could still be amused by an innocent cartoon character while many of his peers sought drugs, alcohol and sex for their entertainment.
Unfortunately, the rest of the family didn't share my feelings and Stephen's innocent amusement became a source of ridicule in his own home. It wasn't unusual for family members to be intolerant of Stephen's interests and odd behaviors and I often must intervene on Stephen's behalf. If our family cannot provide a nurturing haven for Stephen, how can I expect society to accept his unusual qualities?
Stephen possesses many unique traits that should be admired and appreciated rather than ridiculed. I may not be able to eliminate all the bullying Stephen will face in a world that is often unkind to those who are different, but I refuse to tolerate it in the one place he should feel loved and secure.
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