We have family members who have had...opinions...about my daughter and her diagnoses. I'd say to ignore them, which is mostly what I've done, but sometimes it simply isn't possible. I will say that in a couple of cases I've been soundly vindicated as she's gotten older and they've gotten to know her better. Same thing with her teachers, who think I'm nuts at the beginning of each year and usually "get it" by November.
Either way, about all you can do is embrace the helicopter and the straightjacket, and move on, because what they think of you won't change with explanations and arguing. The only thing that will help is that they get to know your kid (especially during a few of his or her particularly odd moments).
edited to add: I have a couple of friends who have older and younger girls with similar constellations of diagnoses to my daughter. None of us have chosen to handle things the same way, though we've all had about equal success with our choices. The "she'll be fine" phrase gets tossed out there a lot from older to younger. And judging by the facebook photos I see of one child having the time of her life at college, I'm inclined to go with that.
Last edited by eldertree; 11/24/12 09:39 AM.
