pondering how we teach our children to hate themselves

April is supposed to be autism awareness month.  So, I wanted to write something about how thirteen years as the mother of a son with autism has changed me.  About how that change is at the root of my most recent passion and protest.  I keep trying, but the thoughts aren't coming together.

What I want to say has to do with expectations and shame...

with love and confusion ...

with God-making-people-a-certain-way-then-calling-that-wrong-and-what-the-hell-is-up-with-that-anyway? ...

with growth and realization and acceptance and beauty ...

I wanted to write about all that.  I still do. I'm trying.

ugh...

But today I found this. I don't know much about Landon - this is the first thing I've read from him. But he nails it. He nails it so clearly that it hurts my heart to read it.

We talk so much about bullying, but the worst bully of all is self.  And hate of self is learned.  The author jolts us awake to that fact with this plea,

"Damn it, you have to stop teaching your kids to hate themselves.

Because it kills them."

Please - read, and ponder with me.
Let's change things.