The neurodiversity pencil case

Featured in the AIM workbooks, this analogy can help with understanding difference. Sometimes people feel different from everyone else. Imagine a neurodivergent person is a pen within a classroom where the neurotypical pupils are pencils. They might feel like the only pen.

Both the pens and pencils are good at what they do. The neurodivergent people may be different from the neurotypical people but they all share similarities. They are not the only pen…. about one in seven people are neurodivergent!

Create an Autism Identity Statement

Your child can choose who they talk to about autism and what they say but it can help if they have a set phrase to explain what autism means to them. This statement is liable to change over time as they develop their understanding of their autistic identity. Try:

I’m really good at...

I sometimes find it harder to...

When I feel stressed it helps me to...

My superpowers are...