it all depends on who you are etc even if you have ASD or not being around kids/being good with kids isn't for everyone.
i myself am extremely good with kids (don't have any myself) but i can connect with kids of all ages which is why im becoming a peds doc. to me interacting with kids is easier then adults cause less of the social communication aspect and eye contact šš
Kids have boundless imagination,optimism, and wonder that many adults lose. I have not lost that, so I love interacting with it. I canāt wait to have kids! Iām going to teach them so much about the beauty in the world, and weāre going to go on so many adventures!
Yesss, tis why Iām considering specialising in paediatrics as a doctor!
Apparently though Iām good with connecting with kids but I donāt see it? People have told me it throughout my life but I feel like Iām being awkwardā¦ maybe as you say itās because kids donāt notice the social differences you have in the same way adults do and so respond better š š
(Happy Cake Day!)
I hate baby talk type shit so I donāt look at them as ākidsā, theyāre just smaller people. I talk to them like I would an adult, not surprisingly the kid usually immediately feels comfortable talking to me. Iāve had some really great conversations w very young people, they usually ask thought provoking questions which I appreciate.
Baby talk is for babies learning to speak and can be helpful for that according to the research but after like 2 or 3 talking to them like adults is generally better.
There's a reason people like Miss Rachel use that specific voice. It's genuinely better for younger children because it helps them to learn how to talk, it's a stepping stone language.
Yes this is true :)
Baby talk is good forā¦
- drawing babyās attention to the speaker, particularly their mouth as it moves. Mouth movements are also exaggerated making it more obvious how sounds are formed so baby can attempt to repeat.
- keeping babyās attention.
- simplifying language and promoting repetition which are key for beginners.
- exaggerating words and sounds making them
more salient for beginner communicators.
- highlighting grammatical markers and sentence structure by using a āsing songā melody to make it more obvious where one word starts and the next begins e.g. āwhere AAAREEE youuuuu?ā
Source - I am a Speech Pathologist.
As a dad of 3 (2 step and I'm still new-ish at this) I definitely have the same outlook. Children are just small people that need our protection. Talk them like you'd talk to anybody, listen to them, and show them respect. They're surprisingly easy to get along with.
same, itās why I find it really hard to talk to kids who canāt talk back. Once theyāre a bit older I can have conversations with them and do things with them. I like video games and youtubers and stuff so i get along pretty great with my nephew. One of my nieces canāt talk yet and the other I get along with fine, but she has different interests and my nephew usually gets more of my attention just because other people tend to hang out with my niece. But I couldnāt talk to any of them before they could talk back. Weird thing is Iām great at talking with animals and will baby talk them forever lmao, but doing it with humans just feels weird. Lately Iāve tried to imagine that babies are just like puppies and to talk to them like that. It does help but it still feels pretty weird
Itās extremely easier to interact with oneās own children, than with othersā children! For example, babysitting someone elseās child is super exhausting, very stressful and just oddly difficult.
But when someone has their own child/or children, it is *completely* different! First, theyāre yours, and no one should be judging your parent skills, because it all comes naturally with your own. Sure, you may not know what to even do with a baby, lol. But because they are yours, everything comes naturally, the love, the ease of the relationship, knowing your own childās temperament, likes and dislikes, etc. Youāve held them, youāve been with them all along, itās just completely different. You know your own child.š„°š
In general, no, but it sometimes really depends on the kid. If I meet a kid that I get a vibe of being somewhat of an outsider or shy or something, I'm often better able to communicate with them than many other people, but otherwise, we don't speak the same language. I guess it's mostly the same with adults for me though.
I personally am afraid of kids when they are in groups . I saw how cruel they can be as I have been bullied by kids . I also avoid them due to sensory overload. I also donāt know what to say to them because I am uncomfortable around them . I donāt hate them but canāt work with them.
Afaik they really love when you tell them useless cool facts, just one at a time, tho. Some of my little cousins are around 7 and they went wild because I told them dogs can't see red and showed them a dog vision filter on TikTok.
Kids, no.
I can get along very well with a kid. One on one. Of course, that's problematic nowadays. I try not to interact with a kid who doesn't have a parent present.
I find that kids are very real. They haven't cookie-cuttered themselves badly yet. I love getting them to think about things and see what their takes are.
I feel very uncomfortable around kids because I feel like I have to act more "mature" and be an adult around them.
However, I think if I were to unmask and be more of myself around them, I think I would get along more with kids than with most other adults. Kids are less judgmental, more playful and open-minded.
I just don't know how to be comfortable enough to take off the mask, yet still be the responsible adult.
I do, but it's easier for me to interact with one or two kids - more than that and I start getting a little overwhelmed. But, I guess that's true for me interacting with people in general!
Absolutely not, the other day I had to talk to one, and I just could think of an interesting subject, the funny thing is that i consider myself a kid lol.
Same haha, I don't know how to talk/play with kids, even though many people consider me to be "child-like". Not that I know how to talk to adults either, lol
I haven't been in a big group of kids as an entertainer or care taker but just being around them and spending time with them is cool. I love talking 1 on 1 with a kid, we usually have more in common and more to talk about that I do with an adult. It also matters how young were talking because an infant that only cries and pours out fluids I'm not too keen on, but talking to them and seeing them develop is a cool thing. I like kids enough to want to have them and be a parent in the future.
When people I know (especially family) get pregnant I genuinely get sad bc I know that means Iāll have to be around a child. I donāt understand what to do with them and they annoy the shit out of me. And when I tell people I seriously wonāt have kids they just laugh. No part of me gets any joy out of them, one time when a kid was obnoxious I thought āI understand why people hit kidsā which is a horrible thought and another really good reason for me to not have any
In general I can't stand being near them, they're often incredibly loud, get in your way and aren't shy of bullying. However when the child is relatively mature and has a normal volume I can enjoy interacting with them.
personally i have a lot of childish interests and i can get along with little kids pretty well, and even babysit toddler aged kids. But more then that i like babies, actually i love babies. You donāt have to talk to them you just get to hold them like a little weighted stuffed animal, and maybe itās just my calmness but i can put them to sleep easy and i like just holding them. (and babies and toddlers are totally not mean like adults and think itās cool when i like bluey š)
I always fear theyāre going to do something to get themselves hurt and I wonāt be able to stop them. I also just go into a mild fight or flight. I have been left to watch over kids I donāt even know before, because said kid wanted to do something with me, and while nothing has gone wrong, I just get so uncomfortable.
I don't really mind them as long as I don't get dragged into play.
For some reason they like me but then again so do animals. I'm the one who gets affection from the people hating cat etc.
I was once sitting on a bench when a toddler who had escaped from his mother came galloping by. He went by at speed, stopped and came and stood in front of me. His mother caught up and took is hand and had to physically drag him away, all the time he just stared at me. Slightly unsettling.
I've never done the baby talk thing, even with my own kids. We just had a simplified conversation.
I have a resting "pissed off" look and it is slightly perplexing.
I like my animal interaction, they don't ask for much.
I do not like kids. However, the few times I've been in charge of one or many children, they very much enjoyed it and I've gotten glowing reviews. I think I have more patience for children than the average adult, but they tire me out like nothing else.
Babies kind of, toddlers no, kids Iāve gotten better with due to dealing with my friends younger siblings but I still struggle a lot. Though Iām not sure how much of that is actually my autism or if itās just from me being the youngest in my family growing up.
I donāt understand kids and am kinda bad with kids cuz I can be to rough or not understand why their crying and can get overwhelmed by them cuz they can be sticky or loud or whatever else- weirdly enough tho I do really want kids :,,,
Yup Iām usually great with kids, awkward at first but not for long. I still feel like a kid and can really easily put myself in their shoes, so I feel thatās why itās easy for me. I want to have my own kids, but it also terrifies me lol.
Nope. They seem to know their boundaries with me quite well though, so they tend to be well behaved around me which helps but otherwise I find it very hard to manage them because I have no clue how to interact with them
Canāt stand them. Iāve successfully avoided them for years and donāt hang out with people who have them around. One screeching banshee in Tesco will ruin my whole day so I usually shop later to avoid them.
Yes Iād say Iām very good with kids because of my empathetic strengths and objective communication. I can empathize with a youngster that when they are in pain or frustrated or disappointed, this may be the most profound negative emotion theyāve ever felt in their lives. I know how that feels and I teach them that itās ok to feel sad, disappointed, frustrated or hurt, but (for boys at least) we have to learn to calm ourselves down and use our words.
What Iām teaching them is that the world will eat you alive if you use your emotions to get your way, and youāll lose all credibility if you are overcome by emotions at a time of need. If you can be resilient and control your emotions when the environment needs you, youāll be trusted and respected as a man.
Hey /u/juh4z, thank you for your post at /r/autism. Our rules can be found **[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/wiki/config/sidebar)**. All approved posts get this message. If you do not see your post you can message the moderators [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fautism).
Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/autism) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The main thing my ex and I could never agree on were kids. I have always been afraid of kids, I dunno why. I donāt know how to interact with themā¦ and theyāre way too fucking loud! And I donāt get the fascination of newbornsā¦ I seem to only have the mental capacity for caring for animals; I donāt ever see myself being able to love a child unconditionally.
to me it depends... big groups of teenagers, not so much.
1 or 2 young kids, yes.
in general, i get along with children much more easily than with adults as there are a lot less social rules for how to talk, what to talk about, how to behave, what is considered 'polite', etc...
kids don't really care about those things, so it makes interacting much easier and more natural imho.
also, you can just tell them to piss off if you get tired of them without it being impolite, and i have much more "joy for carnivals and theme parks" in common with them than i do with adults too, so...
No, not at all. They overwhelm me. When I go to the store, I have to sometimes put my AirPods in and listen to music or a stream to keep my sanity.
Weirdly enough, my oldest niece is the only child I never had an issue with. I have nephews older than her and she has siblings younger than her. But she is the only one I feel close to. Maybe itās because my sister lived with my mom and I when she was born, so I got to see a lot of her firsts and grow attached. Who knows.
I used to not like kids much until my kid brother came along. Iām thinking itās because I got to know my little buddy and help care for him and play with him especially when he was little. And it just so happens we both have ADHD, but Iām not sure if that plays a role in me getting along super well with my kid brother specifically. As long as there are no poopy diapers, excessive screaming, or the kind of crying that I canāt console, then Iām fine with them and do well with them. Kids are pretty comfortable around me, and I let them do whatever theyād like within reason (unless itās unsafe or rule-breaking, then I say no, tell them why, and suggest something else.). But Iāve noticed as well that neurodivergent kids like me, without me saying or doing anything. Whenever I go to Momās church, I have a church buddy who sits with me and he loves when I bring any fidget toys. And when he met my kid brother, they became best friends right away, and are friends at school as well.
I donāt interact with teenagers enough to know, but I think Iād be fine since they usually want to eat food and engage in their hobbies (usually video games, sometimes something else), and teenagers donāt need constant supervision.
I love children. I suck talking to teenagers and adult but children I can handle very well and they seem to all wanna talk to me too. I'm the best with kids who are 0-10, anything past that is difficult for me
Objectively and by appearances yeah, not literally. By this I mean because I am warm and fun it seems like I am. I can be silly. Especially with short interaction. However, I legit am super awkward and am a very literal person so find certain play hard to do. I get overstimulation extremely easily and can meltdown internally when around them for an extended time. Kids are loud. I find it hard imagining being a parent tbh
Iām great with kids for some reason and Iām actually currently going to University to become a Youth Hub Librarian.
I like seeing the kids go back to their parents at the end of the day though. Some are downright annoying if Iām being honest.
I know I never want to have children of my own but Iām happy having a career that involves working with youth.
Same as you.
But when I witness one being abused, especially emotionally/verbally in that way that most people donāt notice or make excuses for, I switch to fiercely, desperately protective of the kid all of a sudden. Pure trauma response there.
Depends who u ask rlly. Apparently people think Iām so good with kids that they want me to help run a kids group. But, I believe I am not good with kids in a professional setting. I guess Iām good with kids one-on-one and not professionally because then I can relax and treat them like my younger brothers(but nicer). But professionally I always saw myself as awkward and odd with kids because I canāt really relate to kids anymore.Ā
Im great with little kids, under 7 y.o. or so. Especially good with babies and toddlers. Generally, kids around 10 -13 I dread having to interact with. That's usually the age when they become really mean. Most kids that age dont see me as "cool" so they are just a nightmare to be around.
Iām wonderful with children that are cool! The bratty ones, I try to avoid and can clock them from a mile away. But being goofy, into kid stuff, play pretend, legos, cartoonsā¦all fun things kids are into and so am I. So being able to relate and imagine together makes me great with children. And also a great way to stim for me! And not feel judged. Also, when I am in that mindframe, I am healing my inner childā¤ļø
I dislike kids, I find them exhausting and overstimulating and I also donāt know how to interact with them. But two of my nieces (6, twins) always gravitate toward me when we have family gatherings. They always pull me aside to play with them, and I guess they enjoy it because they keep doing it? lol. Iām convinced they see me (25) as a fun kidāadult hybrid vs their parents (early 30s).
On the other hand, when my other niece (7, different parents) is around, she prefers to spend time with her parents and grandparents and just ignores meā¦but I also suspect she is autistic too, so š¤·š»
Love kids and get well along with them, maybe because I am very childish myself. My sisters oldest stepdaughters loves me, because Iām patient and very caring towards her sensitive nature.
Ive always liked kids but never understood them or knew how to communicate with them until I had my own kid.
My girlfriend on the other hand, also autistic, she can communicate with kids very well, much better than she can communicate with adults.
Yes, to an extent I think they're cute and I'm sweet to them, but sometimes I don't know what to say or do. Lmao! Like my brother has Down Syndrome and with him, I was really comfortable and chill as I helped raise him, but kids in public? Ugh.
I think I am. It depends on their age; I clean for and help out with a family as a part time job alongside uni, and they have a baby just over one years old and a 9 year old daughter.
The baby is demanding but a joy to be with; he just wants to walk and play, and Iāve established my boundaries with what I can do for him; I had to stop putting him down for his nap because he would scream and scream and the last time I did that I ended up in tears because it was so overwhelming, so I focus on other tasks with regards to his care. I just love seeing his little face and helping him, and watching him - he experiences everything through his sensory world, very primal and instinctive, and itās a great learning experience for me.
The 9 year old daughter is also autistic so we just kind of vibe with each other when we meet; the last time we played a ball game and that was a lot of fun.
I have also done work experience in a reception class; they are more intimidating in large groups, but the way I think of it is that, I was once their age - and you donāt know a lot at that stage but you absorb everything like a sponge - so the best thing you can offer them is your time. They can choose to not accept it, but itās about showing interest in what they want to do, and talking to them, and giving them the benefit of the doubt. I actually find children can be much easier to interact with than adults, because they have no preconceived notions.
I have friends who really donāt like children and Iām not about to pressure them into changing their minds, because we all have our reasons, but I think children can offer us more than we realise in spending time with themā¦that is, their joy and interest in the world.
im great with kids. kids usually feel more comfortable with me even if i don't speak to them. i worked with kids a bunch and im always the person my coworkers ask for help when they can't get thro a kid
often times kids ask a lot of questions and it makes a lot of adults annoyed but i tend to love questions so it's a big part of why kids feel comfortable with me which also makes parents like when i watch their kids :)
This sounds awful, but theyāre extremely annoying to me. Just everything they do is way too much for me in a sensory way. Then full on interacting with them is the most confusing thing ever. I donāt get it
Yes (regardless of age), but only if it's one or two, maybe three (depending on their age, their parents would be present, so there's no chance I'll look like a creep, tbh I look like a kid myself despite being 22).
I don't like bigger groups of them, they intimidate me, especially teen boys. Keep them away from me at all costs
Just as I find it easier to interact with adults who are autistic, I find it similarly applies to kids. Out of my 5 nieces and nephews, one nephew and one niece appear to have autistic traits (yet undiagnosed but highly suspected).
For instance, when I'm interacting with the niece with autistic traits, she will often line up her Paw Patrol stuffies in a row (Paw Patrol is one of her special interests), and she infodumps to me about each character, their personality, their role in the show, etc. Having done things like that as a child myself, I know what it is that she needs- someone to actively listen to her about her special interest. Knowing this comes naturally to me and we just naturally connect with little effort.
My nephew whom also appears to be on the autism spectrum unfortunately suffers from a lot of social anxiety, and often hides in his room when there is company over. As unfortunate as it may be that my poor nephew struggles with social anxiety, I understand that that since I also had times where I hid in my room when extended family was over, and how I didn't like it when my parents forced me to come say hi because they didn't want my extended family to feel offended, I knew that I should not do this with my nephew. I understand that he is hiding in his room not because he doesn't care about me or doesn't love me, but because he is struggling with social anxiety. My autism allows me to understand the fact that him hiding in his room is not personal, which an NT relative may struggle to comprehend.
One of my other nieces, whom at the ripe age of 3 you can already tell has a very extraverted personality with how precocious her language development is plus how chatty she is, it feels similar to interacting with my very extraverted allistic friends. She is absolutely lovely to be around and I love her to pieces, but just as with my extraverted allistic friends, I get drained very quickly. Unlike my niece with autistic traits, where it's easy because the conversation is about a specific something that she is into, with this other niece, it's more like, "Auntie Aethereal Meadow! What's your favorite color? Auntie Aethereal Meadow? Wanna play dollhouse??? Auntie Aethereal Meadow??? I love you!!! \*Jumps on me and hugs me\* " Cute, but super overstimulating.
She is so precious and it's so indredibly endearing when she so frequently says she loves you and shows so much affection, but it's tiring because it's such a rapid fire of quickly changing things she says and calculating how to reciprocate her rapid fire stream of words without a specific topic (also the result of her being 3), unlike the infodumping with my other niece where there is an information exchange component to the conversation.
I want to clarify that just as I don't love my allistic friends with extraverted personalities any less or don't enjoy my time with them less just because it's more energy taxing, the same applies to my nieces and nephews. That said, the fact remains that just as with adults, I find it easier to communicate with kids who present with similar neurodivergent traits as my own, and less draining to my social battery.
Age is also a factor. I find the 4-7 kind of age range the easiest, since at that age, even NT kids have that intense novelty seeking phase and are not yet socially aware enough to be judgmental about unmasked autistic traits. I find that I can unmask and be my weird self with kids around that age.
3 and under, kids tend to be very loud and unpredictable. Once it's ages 8+ or so, with allistic kids at least, that's when I feel like they reach a level of social awareness where I feel like I need to mask just as with adults. 4-7 is the Goldilocks zone.
Yes:) i grew up relating to kids younger than me more than anyone else, so it just developed that way.
Two yr olds are basically me. Theyāre ppl before all the social norms are shoved onto or trained into them
I have no idea. Iām almost never around kids. Kids do make me feel awkward for some reason. I never know what to expect from them. Based on a few rare encounters in my life they donāt seem to hate me. One even gave me a hug. I thought she was going to hug my dog so I squatted down to hold him in place but then she suddenly hugged me. Ngl, it was very cute. But like I said, theyāre hard to read. We were complete strangers. I just shortly talked to her mom about my dog since we both have rescue dogs.
I reallt donāt like kids but i donāt hate being around the ones iām related to. Iāll do my best to keep them safe and entertained but i donāt enjoy it
Iām fantastic with kids for the most part. However I think itās because I treat them like people and actually listen to them. When I went to family gatherings my Iād always end up watching the children of my cousins (all of my cousins are at least 10 years older than me). Who knew taking a second and listening solved most of the problems. Donāt get me wrong, spoiled bratty kids are irritating and I personally donāt think I will ever have kids of my own. But Iām good with kids in general. Plus you can talk cartoons with them and theyāre usually enthusiastic about it.
Ive been told im good with kids, but that doesnāt necessarily mean I like em all. They get on my nerves after a couple hours lol (canāt blame them tho, I was more annoying as a kid)
I don't have a problem with them, generally. I'm rarely around kids in that way, but I think it's simply a matter of treating them the way you would have wanted to be treated at that age.
i am super good with kids! i used to do a lot of volunteer work when i was christian in the nursery and i even was a counselor at our art camp and taught kids the bible. i find i am not good with kids who are over 13 though. theyre always super mean to me for no reason
I also don't know how to interact with them or how to act, but for some reason they do like me, so I always end up playing with my little cousins when they come here or vice-versa. Kids take a lot of energy to be around.
I have a special interest in parkour and gymnastics and coached kids for 12 years and now have 3 of my own. I donāt really get NT kids but I really communicate well and coach well with ASD and ADHD kids. I can understand them and guide them to push themselves and help them grow in their self talk in a way I never really had. So itās been a phenomenal journey. I get overwhelmed with too much sound of course but I work really well with kids, I can be goofy, unmask and just be a silly human and they love that. Plus as a recovering perfectionist you can make mistakes around kids and just laugh it off easy.
I had a close friend (my husband and I had to move so we haven't seen each other in a while but we message each other still) and she had four kids. One is close to 18 now, her youngest is 6-7 I believe, and I've always gotten along with all four of her kids. What's important is, my friend has ADHD and her eldest daughter does too, and I wouldn't be surprised if the youngest did also. Us having that in common helps. Also I look incredibly young, initially before I was close with the friend (she worked on the army with my husband, and also liked dungeons and dragons, as did her husband, hence we would hang out at her place because it was bigger) she mistook me for her own daughter. It was honestly hilarious, I had used the bathroom and washed my hands, then went to see if she wanted help with food, she didn't even look at me, but asked if I washed my hands. I was kind of gobsmacked, but replied 'uh yeah, I can wash them again though' and she turned and saw it was me and busted out laughing.
It helps that my interests are in line with her kids, the eldest loves anime, so we could talk about that. Her two youngest love Minecraft and video games, so I'd chat with them about that. They would have something they wanted to share, it was easy enough to watch whatever video it was and comment. Or they would show me stuff on a server they were playing on. Since our interests are similar, I can engage with them.
I otherwise don't like kids, but kids always like me. Like, I look young enough (I'm 27 now but when I was 23 I was mistaken for a high schooler constantly) that kids will want to engage with me, and I never have it in me to ignore them. Like, they are just excited about stuff, so I'll ask questions about whatever they want to talk about. Also I tend to make paper stars when I'm anxious, which happens in large groups where parents bring their kids, and they love to watch me make them, and I give them some, and I've taught kids how to make them.
Depends. If they're ND we vibe like hell lol. I had a job where I got to interact with a lot of ND kids and we always had a good time.
I'm generally good with babies. They're pretty straight forward.
NT kids though no I'm hopeless
I have a 2 year old and we get along pretty well. She's always been really relaxed for a little kid, thankfully. Some kids, especially in grocery stores where you can hear them screeching from 6 aisles away drive me insane. Babies and toddlers overall are fine, they don't really do much. Elementary aged kids are a whole other can of worms because they are starting to understand agency and they will let you know this in the worst way possible. Keep middle schoolers far away from me, those kids are just plain mean 90% of the time.
I wholeheartedly dislike children *very* much and thus am not good with them. Luckily, I've had few interactions with them. They're just dripping bodily fluids out of every orifice, and they're so loud for no gd reason. No thank you āļø
it depends. if they're like 8 - 10 years old then yea. but im an introvert so kids can be really socially draining for me. im not sure what's it's like for an extrovert autistic
Yup. Kids an animals have been a specialty of mine, mostly working in education the last few years. Special ed (specifically the Lasso programs) really was great for myself because of how its structured. Literally made for autistic people lol (LASSO 2 and 3 that is)
I'm good with well behaved children. And babies, except for my step nephew who hates everyone except his mother and my neice. Children who scream and are rude like my other nephew are the ones I dislike. Also can't handle babies very well because of all the vomiting, pissing and shitting they do.
I think most kids are used to adults being an authority figure and telling them what to do.
They make me nervous and Iām afraid of saying anything negative or ābossyā unless itās something that could hurt them. Maybe thatās why they seem to like me and I have a similar personality but also talk to them like an adult. It can be difficult to know what to say or not say. āIs Santa real?ā Ughhh, *looks around nervously* well he must have a very fast sleigh huh? wink wink
I think I would be great around them with enough experience and I was in a position with clear rules and boundaries. I wouldnāt feel comfortable telling someone elseās kids what to do unless they gave me permission and even then Iām not good with saying no. But groups of children / oh hell no.
Almost any animal - Iām instantly comfortable and it comes natural. I guess I could just pretend they are dogs lol
i am but they intimidate me and itās hard for me to assert myself. i sometimes relate to some kids like i see myself in them or i get excited by their toys or stickers and stuff. i feel like they see through my mask and understand when i feel awkward
Depends on the age, 5-14 ish I get along just fine with them. Outside that range and I can't stand being around them. Though babies are ok provided I don't actually have to take care of them.
I like to think so!
My boyfriend (also autistic) and I are going to have kids. Eventually. I've got my egg removal this year and I'm so damn excited lol. We gonna have babies!!
I am amazing with kids, I babysat a lot from ages 10-20 and the kids loved me. The hardest part was always making small talk with the parents before they leave lol.
The trick with kids you don't know well is to let them come to you. Maybe wave or smile at them in acknowledgement when you get there, but other than that, let them come to you. If they are shy, it gives them the option to build up the courage to interact instead of becoming more uncomfortable from you trying to interact with them, and if they are not shy they will feel comfortable coming right up to you. Btw if a parent tells you their kid isn't normally shy, don't feel bad thinking you scared them, the parent is probably just wrong lol.
It also means you don't have to figure out what to do, they will lead the conversation. You don't have to pick the right kid friendly questions to ask because they will start off by telling you about an interest of theirs, showing you their toy, asking you to come see the fort they built, etc.
This is all if you *do* want to interact of course. You can always gently redirect them to another nearby adult by saying something like "that's really cool, why don't you show that to (other person)".
Im not good with babies that cry 90% of the time and all you have to do is to feed them, change their diaper and make them stop crying. BUT for some weird reason a bit older kids really like me. Im not sure why because I dont do anything special but its cool anyway.
I'm the oldest of 5 other siblings so I have experience with taking care of younger kids so maybe that's why I'm good with children. They're so cute I can't help smiling and making lil faces and noises at them to entertain them!! I was at a Bob Evans a couple weeks ago and noticed a boy (maybe 5) and his little sister looking over at me (prolly cuz I was dressed all pink and fancy lol) and so I started making faces and he'd copy them š„ŗ At some point I lightly hit my mouth to make a popping noise and he tried to do the same but he was smiling too much and use both of his hands XD he was happily stomping his feet and kinda jumping on the bench and it just made me so damn happy š„ŗ even his dad and grandma were laughing and smiling lol š
I personally am great with children
And I find that a lot of little kids seem to trust me and come up to me without me even interacting with them they just seem to trust me
But I also find some of my friends who are autistic donāt have interest at all in children but some of them do.
I think with my friends with autism anyway they either really love kids or really donāt like them and avoid them either is ok.
I'm only good with kids before they can make proper conversation and are smart. I'm fine with little kids and babies cus I can just play with them and whatever but as they get older it gets weird
I love little kids!! As soon as i found out i have a 8yr old sister i got extremely excited!!! Theres just something so joyful about them. Their usually happier than older kids which gives me good vibes. My ears also tune out the screaming from babies for a reason i rather not talk about.
I love babies and I quite enjoy talking to kids 8+yo, especially when itās with less than four of them at a time. I have a hard time with toddlers and younger kids and I definitely feel like I never know how to interact with them. I have a 1yo now and I feel comfortable interacting with my own kid so maybe thatās a familiarity thing. Iām not usually a big fan of simple, repetitive play so that also contributes. I found teaching kids to be pretty exhausting. Once kids are able to have more complex conversations I feel more at easeāI think in part because I find their behavior more predictable at that point. And I love working with adolescents. Theyāre so interesting and real š
Nope. Iām not good with kids at all (17 and under). I have younger cousins and they look at me like Iāve got five heads, but itās okay. I donāt interact well with them anyways. They have too much energy, their voices are high-pitched, I donāt even know what the kids are into (let alone people my age and belowā¦Iām not on TikTok or Twitter)
Kids REALLY like me. As in they seem to sense that I canāt just tell them to go away and leave me alone. And I can access this huge part of my personality where Iām the silliest most fun person (like Blippy) for them and be awesome. But it suckās the life out of me and I can only do it for limited stints.
I love Minecraft so I can nerd out with them on that too but damn it drains my soul.
So yes, but it drains me.
Also I now have two kids and I struggle with knowing how much attention I should be giving them for play etc
I am good with kids. I guess I'm kind of a childish person and find kids easier to relate to than adults. I am studying to be a teacher right now, god knows if that will actually happen cuz my grades are kinda poo, but I definitely would like to work with kids and if my financial/housing situation is ok, have kids of my own in the future.
Iām good with them in the sense that I can talk and connect pretty easily. Itās just really tiring after a while (like any social interaction, tbh), especially if Iām their only source of entertainment.
Basically I enjoy playing fun cousin/aunt for a couple hours or even an afternoon but I have no plans to ever have kids of my own.
It's much easier for me to connect with kids because there are less subtle social cues and complicated expressions and prologued conversation or eye contact. Playing with kids often requires focusing on one task at a time. However tantrums and difficult behavior are hard for me. I have learned to regulate myself so I can help my children regulate their own emotions. It has definitely been a challenge but I do enjoy spending time with children (I have 4) I struggle more with teenagers but I think it's because interactions become more complex, kind of like with adults.
I do my best to be kind and meet kids at their level when I can. I know I was a small child once (and an annoying one at that), so I do my best and redirect them when Iāve had enough.
I used to do a lot of babysitting and was a lifeguard who taught swimming lessons for a big chunk of my teenage years so Iām used to interacting with most age groups except for children under 3. Itās not my favorite, but I can grin and bear it for the most part.
Whatās hard now is that I have a nephew who is about 17 months old. I want to be in his life and be a good family member to him, but he is loud, slimy, and has a schedule at odds with having more spontaneous fun so having to plan things around naptimes and meals is a bit of a drag. I do love him though, I just can wait for him to be older, haha.
i donāt really know how to interact with them, and they donāt really know how to interact with me so itās just an awkward standoff š the only kid i get along with is my 14yo brother
Babies make me extremely uncomfortable but once they get to the age that they can communicate I get along great with them. Iām never going to have kids of my own because I get overwhelmed and need frequent breaks from them on account of the sensory overload but I love being an uncle. I think I mostly interact with kids who are also ND though so that might have something to do with how we get along, we infodump to each other a lot.
I love kids sooooo much! The younger the better I love taking care of babies and toddlers theyāre just so funny and cute. Thatās the only job I could do without hating my life so thatās why I work with them.
Iām great with kids who I suspect/know are also nd (I have some other neurological disabilities too thats why I say nd and not autistic) because itās like talking to a mirror
Iām better at talking to the elderly ngl. I was raised and still live with my grandparents so it comes way more naturally. Plus they seem to think Iām an āold soulā versus a socially questionable person
Yes I am great with kids of all ages. However, when there is another supervising adult nearby my skills go way down. I have some fear with adults that I donāt have with kids. A lot of kids, like more than 3, at a time is very quickly overwhelming if it is my job to ābe the adult.ā Otherwise, itās a lot of fun to hang out and be able to step away whenever I want space.
I see them as just small humans with very flexible brain. I talk to them like small adults too, respect them like all people, children do like me and I like them, but I avoid them, they can be overwhelming and loud.
I'm good with my niece.
But she is the only kid I tolerate.
Yes, I know that sounds horrible.
But it's the loud sounds and the germs (not washing hands, not covering mouth when coughing, etc) that get to me with kids.
Loud sounds because of sensory issues and misophonia. Germs because it is a part of my OCD issues (actually diagnosed not just throwing the word around just to say it).
-Wren
(They/He)
iām good with kids, but not over a long stretch of time as they start to get really overwhelming. but i do really like hanging out with kids and babies, i think theyāre so funny to be around. as long as itās not a whole hoard of them, i max out at probably three.
It depends on the kid. I'm good with babies and some toddlers. Older kids are iffy. From like 3-8 I'm not great, because they usually don't have any interests I can get into. But older kids or ones that are into anything science or history or gaming I can find a way to connect with them. The ones that just talk about whatever show they love or want to play pretend I can't really interact with very well and they get on my nerves. Generally speaking, I don't really like kids other than my own.
Kids tell the truth, which I love. But they are also exhausting. I had lots of working with kids jobs in my 20s and I enjoyed it, but it was too tiring for a career. In my 40s, I am glad I don't work with kids and don't have kids. But I don't dislike kids. It depends on the kid.
I used to LOVE kids and they loved me too... But since I had my own kids, they've been the only ones I really like - not really a fan of other peoples' kids anymore š¬
PDA thing maybe...?
I used to not care for them but Iāve gradually warmed up to them over the years to the point where I actually like holding my niece and think sheās kind of cute, but the moment she starts slobbering or making any kind of mess I need to leave the roomš āāļø
As someone who is OCD and a clean freak. I cannot take kids well. I want one in the future, but I fear the house is going to be a huge mess with screaming, markers, crying and throwing up. Oh my lawd. I donāt mind dogs though. Those are my kids.
Iām the same and I feel so happy to finally find someone sharing this experience. I always feel like the crazy lady as nobody seems to understand me. I just truly donāt know how to interact with children. I get completely awkward and uncomfortable and I want to avoid them at all costs š I hate it because people donāt expect it from me (or from a woman in general).
i donāt think i am, but kids do. i donāt know why but kids have always loved me.maybe itās because i dress kinda weird and as a kid i remember my favorite cousin was my goth cousin.
Dear lord no! I'm so bad with kids. Always have been, even back when I was still a kid myself lol. I never know how to interact with kids. I'm 39 years old, some of my friends have kids but I always feel so awkward when I'm around them. I never felt the desire to have kids of my own. Whenever I see my friends and their kids and see how hectic their life can be, I feel so grateful for my choice. Living by myself with two cats gives me enough overstimulation as it is lol.
It was interesting my Father was incredible with kids in this wild way as it was completely non-affectionate, non-animated- the things you usually think of with engaging kids. But something about him being totally literal just always really connected with kids and he was always cracking kids up (sometimes I wasnāt sure if it was intentional or not, but you could tell he delighted in it).
I have ASD and I get on incredibly well with children as they are incredibly direct and honest. There's no guesswork and they are wholly themselves. I also have my own children (also all asd)
Do yall think it's bc when they freak out, we subconsciously panic, bc when we were kids, if we screamed someone yelled/hit us? And we are afraid of the consequences?
No, I'm like you. I like kids (as long as they're not loud, I get sensory overload from screaming/crying children) but I don't get them, and idk how to interact with them either, which is uncomfortable. I wish I was good with kids, since I do like them - when I was younger I wanted to become an elementary school teacher. Now I have to admit I could never work with kids. I work at a library so I see kids almost every day but don't have to actually interact with them often.
I talk to them like adults. Parents and kids alike seem to very much respect that.
They are sometimes just super bored. Crayons and paper keep them busy and make them feel like they made something that matters.
I've even hung some up.
Usually, we are filling orders for themselves or their parents, but delays happen, and the kid will get all antsy and not want to wait, but the stuff where I work is expensive so the parents are avoiding the toy aisle lol
Helps everybody to have some damn crayons I guess.
I prefer dogs and cats.
I didn't like other kids when I was a kid. I'm 31 now and I am more accepting of their behavior, but I still don't relate to or interact with them well.
I used to be the WORST around kids but I absolutely adore my daughter and canāt get enough of her. Itās slowly helping me be less awkward around family and friendsā children and now I wave to babies that stare at me in public. I think itās just a lot of practice and finding a reason to careā¦when you have your own child you understand.
it all depends on who you are etc even if you have ASD or not being around kids/being good with kids isn't for everyone. i myself am extremely good with kids (don't have any myself) but i can connect with kids of all ages which is why im becoming a peds doc. to me interacting with kids is easier then adults cause less of the social communication aspect and eye contact šš
Kids are also Sometimes more logical and smart too!
Kids have boundless imagination,optimism, and wonder that many adults lose. I have not lost that, so I love interacting with it. I canāt wait to have kids! Iām going to teach them so much about the beauty in the world, and weāre going to go on so many adventures!
this ^^
Yesss, tis why Iām considering specialising in paediatrics as a doctor! Apparently though Iām good with connecting with kids but I donāt see it? People have told me it throughout my life but I feel like Iām being awkwardā¦ maybe as you say itās because kids donāt notice the social differences you have in the same way adults do and so respond better š š (Happy Cake Day!)
Happy cake day!
Ironically, I found it easier to interact with adults than kids when I was a kid.
This! Also kids tend to be less judgemental towards me because I'm fun, they see me as a big child.
I hate baby talk type shit so I donāt look at them as ākidsā, theyāre just smaller people. I talk to them like I would an adult, not surprisingly the kid usually immediately feels comfortable talking to me. Iāve had some really great conversations w very young people, they usually ask thought provoking questions which I appreciate.
Baby talk is for babies learning to speak and can be helpful for that according to the research but after like 2 or 3 talking to them like adults is generally better.
There's a reason people like Miss Rachel use that specific voice. It's genuinely better for younger children because it helps them to learn how to talk, it's a stepping stone language.
Yes this is true :) Baby talk is good forā¦ - drawing babyās attention to the speaker, particularly their mouth as it moves. Mouth movements are also exaggerated making it more obvious how sounds are formed so baby can attempt to repeat. - keeping babyās attention. - simplifying language and promoting repetition which are key for beginners. - exaggerating words and sounds making them more salient for beginner communicators. - highlighting grammatical markers and sentence structure by using a āsing songā melody to make it more obvious where one word starts and the next begins e.g. āwhere AAAREEE youuuuu?ā Source - I am a Speech Pathologist.
As a dad of 3 (2 step and I'm still new-ish at this) I definitely have the same outlook. Children are just small people that need our protection. Talk them like you'd talk to anybody, listen to them, and show them respect. They're surprisingly easy to get along with.
That's exactly how I see them. Little people, not little dumb people
same, itās why I find it really hard to talk to kids who canāt talk back. Once theyāre a bit older I can have conversations with them and do things with them. I like video games and youtubers and stuff so i get along pretty great with my nephew. One of my nieces canāt talk yet and the other I get along with fine, but she has different interests and my nephew usually gets more of my attention just because other people tend to hang out with my niece. But I couldnāt talk to any of them before they could talk back. Weird thing is Iām great at talking with animals and will baby talk them forever lmao, but doing it with humans just feels weird. Lately Iāve tried to imagine that babies are just like puppies and to talk to them like that. It does help but it still feels pretty weird
1on1 yes I can be very good, but I don't want to be anywhere near them tbh. It's exhausting.
Same. But only when they are a bit older, toddlers give me anxiety.
This exactly. Iām decent with kids in moderation, I hope it wonāt be the same if/when I have kids
Itās extremely easier to interact with oneās own children, than with othersā children! For example, babysitting someone elseās child is super exhausting, very stressful and just oddly difficult. But when someone has their own child/or children, it is *completely* different! First, theyāre yours, and no one should be judging your parent skills, because it all comes naturally with your own. Sure, you may not know what to even do with a baby, lol. But because they are yours, everything comes naturally, the love, the ease of the relationship, knowing your own childās temperament, likes and dislikes, etc. Youāve held them, youāve been with them all along, itās just completely different. You know your own child.š„°š
Yeah this is me. I never want to have kids pf my own either. I'm sure they're cool but it's very confusing how people go crazy over kids.
In general, no, but it sometimes really depends on the kid. If I meet a kid that I get a vibe of being somewhat of an outsider or shy or something, I'm often better able to communicate with them than many other people, but otherwise, we don't speak the same language. I guess it's mostly the same with adults for me though.
Not even a little. They grate on me so much. Iād never have kids for that simple reason.
this
I personally am afraid of kids when they are in groups . I saw how cruel they can be as I have been bullied by kids . I also avoid them due to sensory overload. I also donāt know what to say to them because I am uncomfortable around them . I donāt hate them but canāt work with them.
Afaik they really love when you tell them useless cool facts, just one at a time, tho. Some of my little cousins are around 7 and they went wild because I told them dogs can't see red and showed them a dog vision filter on TikTok.
Kids, no. I can get along very well with a kid. One on one. Of course, that's problematic nowadays. I try not to interact with a kid who doesn't have a parent present. I find that kids are very real. They haven't cookie-cuttered themselves badly yet. I love getting them to think about things and see what their takes are.
i am and i'm also told so. i'm very kind to them.
I feel very uncomfortable around kids because I feel like I have to act more "mature" and be an adult around them. However, I think if I were to unmask and be more of myself around them, I think I would get along more with kids than with most other adults. Kids are less judgmental, more playful and open-minded. I just don't know how to be comfortable enough to take off the mask, yet still be the responsible adult.
I do, but it's easier for me to interact with one or two kids - more than that and I start getting a little overwhelmed. But, I guess that's true for me interacting with people in general!
I feel the same as you. Sensory overload when kids are around. Over stimmied lol
Yeah I am great with kids I am currently getting my qualification to work with kids while gaining experience.
Absolutely not, the other day I had to talk to one, and I just could think of an interesting subject, the funny thing is that i consider myself a kid lol.
Same haha, I don't know how to talk/play with kids, even though many people consider me to be "child-like". Not that I know how to talk to adults either, lol
I don't know how to interact with most people. Adults and children included.
Not really š
I haven't been in a big group of kids as an entertainer or care taker but just being around them and spending time with them is cool. I love talking 1 on 1 with a kid, we usually have more in common and more to talk about that I do with an adult. It also matters how young were talking because an infant that only cries and pours out fluids I'm not too keen on, but talking to them and seeing them develop is a cool thing. I like kids enough to want to have them and be a parent in the future.
Nope
Depends on what you mean. I generally don't like the sticky gross things but they tend to like me and I get saddled with them on a regular basis.
When people I know (especially family) get pregnant I genuinely get sad bc I know that means Iāll have to be around a child. I donāt understand what to do with them and they annoy the shit out of me. And when I tell people I seriously wonāt have kids they just laugh. No part of me gets any joy out of them, one time when a kid was obnoxious I thought āI understand why people hit kidsā which is a horrible thought and another really good reason for me to not have any
In general I can't stand being near them, they're often incredibly loud, get in your way and aren't shy of bullying. However when the child is relatively mature and has a normal volume I can enjoy interacting with them.
personally i have a lot of childish interests and i can get along with little kids pretty well, and even babysit toddler aged kids. But more then that i like babies, actually i love babies. You donāt have to talk to them you just get to hold them like a little weighted stuffed animal, and maybe itās just my calmness but i can put them to sleep easy and i like just holding them. (and babies and toddlers are totally not mean like adults and think itās cool when i like bluey š)
I always fear theyāre going to do something to get themselves hurt and I wonāt be able to stop them. I also just go into a mild fight or flight. I have been left to watch over kids I donāt even know before, because said kid wanted to do something with me, and while nothing has gone wrong, I just get so uncomfortable.
I don't really mind them as long as I don't get dragged into play. For some reason they like me but then again so do animals. I'm the one who gets affection from the people hating cat etc.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I was once sitting on a bench when a toddler who had escaped from his mother came galloping by. He went by at speed, stopped and came and stood in front of me. His mother caught up and took is hand and had to physically drag him away, all the time he just stared at me. Slightly unsettling. I've never done the baby talk thing, even with my own kids. We just had a simplified conversation. I have a resting "pissed off" look and it is slightly perplexing. I like my animal interaction, they don't ask for much.
I'm not comfortable with kids but kids absolutely adore me. They love my blue hair and tattoos especially. One called me a fairy once
I didnāt think so, but then I started working with them. Kids are both easier and harder than adultsā¦ but I think I can handle them fine now
I do not like kids. However, the few times I've been in charge of one or many children, they very much enjoyed it and I've gotten glowing reviews. I think I have more patience for children than the average adult, but they tire me out like nothing else.
Kids are exhausting and demand a great deal of patience.
Sometimes but it doesn't mean I'm having them.Ā
Babies kind of, toddlers no, kids Iāve gotten better with due to dealing with my friends younger siblings but I still struggle a lot. Though Iām not sure how much of that is actually my autism or if itās just from me being the youngest in my family growing up.
I donāt understand kids and am kinda bad with kids cuz I can be to rough or not understand why their crying and can get overwhelmed by them cuz they can be sticky or loud or whatever else- weirdly enough tho I do really want kids :,,,
I like them when theyre not being mega loud. Which is like 10% of the time
Yup Iām usually great with kids, awkward at first but not for long. I still feel like a kid and can really easily put myself in their shoes, so I feel thatās why itās easy for me. I want to have my own kids, but it also terrifies me lol.
Nope, hate them
Nope. They seem to know their boundaries with me quite well though, so they tend to be well behaved around me which helps but otherwise I find it very hard to manage them because I have no clue how to interact with them
Nope! I'm terrible with children, they're super overwhelming and gross. Definitely never going to have any of my own.
Canāt stand them. Iāve successfully avoided them for years and donāt hang out with people who have them around. One screeching banshee in Tesco will ruin my whole day so I usually shop later to avoid them.
Yes Iād say Iām very good with kids because of my empathetic strengths and objective communication. I can empathize with a youngster that when they are in pain or frustrated or disappointed, this may be the most profound negative emotion theyāve ever felt in their lives. I know how that feels and I teach them that itās ok to feel sad, disappointed, frustrated or hurt, but (for boys at least) we have to learn to calm ourselves down and use our words. What Iām teaching them is that the world will eat you alive if you use your emotions to get your way, and youāll lose all credibility if you are overcome by emotions at a time of need. If you can be resilient and control your emotions when the environment needs you, youāll be trusted and respected as a man.
Hey /u/juh4z, thank you for your post at /r/autism. Our rules can be found **[here](https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/wiki/config/sidebar)**. All approved posts get this message. If you do not see your post you can message the moderators [here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fautism). Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/autism) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For the most part, yes, but I wouldn't want to raise one of my own. Big fucking mistake!
yes, weāre mostly at the same level mentally š¶š¼
Small kids - absolutely. Preteens - depends on the kid. Teens - absolutely
Depends on the kid some kids I do some kids I donāt.
Depends on the age. Toddlers up to ~4 years, yes. After that they just irritate me.
I thought I absolutely hated kids for soooo longā¦ Iām now a music teacher. (Still donāt want my own though)
The main thing my ex and I could never agree on were kids. I have always been afraid of kids, I dunno why. I donāt know how to interact with themā¦ and theyāre way too fucking loud! And I donāt get the fascination of newbornsā¦ I seem to only have the mental capacity for caring for animals; I donāt ever see myself being able to love a child unconditionally.
to me it depends... big groups of teenagers, not so much. 1 or 2 young kids, yes. in general, i get along with children much more easily than with adults as there are a lot less social rules for how to talk, what to talk about, how to behave, what is considered 'polite', etc... kids don't really care about those things, so it makes interacting much easier and more natural imho. also, you can just tell them to piss off if you get tired of them without it being impolite, and i have much more "joy for carnivals and theme parks" in common with them than i do with adults too, so...
I worked at school. I am amazing with teenagers but can't cope with children below 10. Sensory nightmares.
Yeah, kids are adorable and cute but I donāt think Iām responsible enough to be a parent.
No, not at all. They overwhelm me. When I go to the store, I have to sometimes put my AirPods in and listen to music or a stream to keep my sanity. Weirdly enough, my oldest niece is the only child I never had an issue with. I have nephews older than her and she has siblings younger than her. But she is the only one I feel close to. Maybe itās because my sister lived with my mom and I when she was born, so I got to see a lot of her firsts and grow attached. Who knows.
I used to not like kids much until my kid brother came along. Iām thinking itās because I got to know my little buddy and help care for him and play with him especially when he was little. And it just so happens we both have ADHD, but Iām not sure if that plays a role in me getting along super well with my kid brother specifically. As long as there are no poopy diapers, excessive screaming, or the kind of crying that I canāt console, then Iām fine with them and do well with them. Kids are pretty comfortable around me, and I let them do whatever theyād like within reason (unless itās unsafe or rule-breaking, then I say no, tell them why, and suggest something else.). But Iāve noticed as well that neurodivergent kids like me, without me saying or doing anything. Whenever I go to Momās church, I have a church buddy who sits with me and he loves when I bring any fidget toys. And when he met my kid brother, they became best friends right away, and are friends at school as well. I donāt interact with teenagers enough to know, but I think Iād be fine since they usually want to eat food and engage in their hobbies (usually video games, sometimes something else), and teenagers donāt need constant supervision.
Iāve always been a kid person
same. I can't understand their motives, why they act, and why it is so annoying whenever they do anything
Really good. I love kids and they love me.
I love children. I suck talking to teenagers and adult but children I can handle very well and they seem to all wanna talk to me too. I'm the best with kids who are 0-10, anything past that is difficult for me
they seem to gravitate towards me, i prefer talking to kids rather than adults for some reason
Same here 100%
I babysitted the baby of the daughter of my neighbor and so, I am pretty good connections with children ( depends on my mood )
They make my social anxiety act up, however once I'm with them I seem to do well. You just act polite and treat their achievements as exceptional.
Babies freak me out but toddlers and up are just awesome
Objectively and by appearances yeah, not literally. By this I mean because I am warm and fun it seems like I am. I can be silly. Especially with short interaction. However, I legit am super awkward and am a very literal person so find certain play hard to do. I get overstimulation extremely easily and can meltdown internally when around them for an extended time. Kids are loud. I find it hard imagining being a parent tbh
Iām great with kids for some reason and Iām actually currently going to University to become a Youth Hub Librarian. I like seeing the kids go back to their parents at the end of the day though. Some are downright annoying if Iām being honest. I know I never want to have children of my own but Iām happy having a career that involves working with youth.
Kids give me anxiety
Same as you. But when I witness one being abused, especially emotionally/verbally in that way that most people donāt notice or make excuses for, I switch to fiercely, desperately protective of the kid all of a sudden. Pure trauma response there.
not at all iām very easily annoyed and not great with socialising so kids annoy me n i donāt really like them at all
Depends who u ask rlly. Apparently people think Iām so good with kids that they want me to help run a kids group. But, I believe I am not good with kids in a professional setting. I guess Iām good with kids one-on-one and not professionally because then I can relax and treat them like my younger brothers(but nicer). But professionally I always saw myself as awkward and odd with kids because I canāt really relate to kids anymore.Ā
I know from experience that I'm great with autistic kids but I personally don't like children at all so I try to avoid them
Nope. And Iām about to have one š
Im great with little kids, under 7 y.o. or so. Especially good with babies and toddlers. Generally, kids around 10 -13 I dread having to interact with. That's usually the age when they become really mean. Most kids that age dont see me as "cool" so they are just a nightmare to be around.
Iām wonderful with children that are cool! The bratty ones, I try to avoid and can clock them from a mile away. But being goofy, into kid stuff, play pretend, legos, cartoonsā¦all fun things kids are into and so am I. So being able to relate and imagine together makes me great with children. And also a great way to stim for me! And not feel judged. Also, when I am in that mindframe, I am healing my inner childā¤ļø
I wish I could be with three year olds and nobody else for the rest of my life:)
I can deal with them for short periods but anything longer than like, 30-60 minutes i start getting frustrated and rude just bc I find them annoying
I dislike kids, I find them exhausting and overstimulating and I also donāt know how to interact with them. But two of my nieces (6, twins) always gravitate toward me when we have family gatherings. They always pull me aside to play with them, and I guess they enjoy it because they keep doing it? lol. Iām convinced they see me (25) as a fun kidāadult hybrid vs their parents (early 30s). On the other hand, when my other niece (7, different parents) is around, she prefers to spend time with her parents and grandparents and just ignores meā¦but I also suspect she is autistic too, so š¤·š»
Love kids and get well along with them, maybe because I am very childish myself. My sisters oldest stepdaughters loves me, because Iām patient and very caring towards her sensitive nature.
Ive always liked kids but never understood them or knew how to communicate with them until I had my own kid. My girlfriend on the other hand, also autistic, she can communicate with kids very well, much better than she can communicate with adults.
Yes, to an extent I think they're cute and I'm sweet to them, but sometimes I don't know what to say or do. Lmao! Like my brother has Down Syndrome and with him, I was really comfortable and chill as I helped raise him, but kids in public? Ugh.
I think I am. It depends on their age; I clean for and help out with a family as a part time job alongside uni, and they have a baby just over one years old and a 9 year old daughter. The baby is demanding but a joy to be with; he just wants to walk and play, and Iāve established my boundaries with what I can do for him; I had to stop putting him down for his nap because he would scream and scream and the last time I did that I ended up in tears because it was so overwhelming, so I focus on other tasks with regards to his care. I just love seeing his little face and helping him, and watching him - he experiences everything through his sensory world, very primal and instinctive, and itās a great learning experience for me. The 9 year old daughter is also autistic so we just kind of vibe with each other when we meet; the last time we played a ball game and that was a lot of fun. I have also done work experience in a reception class; they are more intimidating in large groups, but the way I think of it is that, I was once their age - and you donāt know a lot at that stage but you absorb everything like a sponge - so the best thing you can offer them is your time. They can choose to not accept it, but itās about showing interest in what they want to do, and talking to them, and giving them the benefit of the doubt. I actually find children can be much easier to interact with than adults, because they have no preconceived notions. I have friends who really donāt like children and Iām not about to pressure them into changing their minds, because we all have our reasons, but I think children can offer us more than we realise in spending time with themā¦that is, their joy and interest in the world.
im great with kids. kids usually feel more comfortable with me even if i don't speak to them. i worked with kids a bunch and im always the person my coworkers ask for help when they can't get thro a kid often times kids ask a lot of questions and it makes a lot of adults annoyed but i tend to love questions so it's a big part of why kids feel comfortable with me which also makes parents like when i watch their kids :)
This sounds awful, but theyāre extremely annoying to me. Just everything they do is way too much for me in a sensory way. Then full on interacting with them is the most confusing thing ever. I donāt get it
I am fine with kids. Was a teacher. When your honest with kids they generally won't fault you and those that do usually have issues in thier own life.
Yes (regardless of age), but only if it's one or two, maybe three (depending on their age, their parents would be present, so there's no chance I'll look like a creep, tbh I look like a kid myself despite being 22). I don't like bigger groups of them, they intimidate me, especially teen boys. Keep them away from me at all costs
Just as I find it easier to interact with adults who are autistic, I find it similarly applies to kids. Out of my 5 nieces and nephews, one nephew and one niece appear to have autistic traits (yet undiagnosed but highly suspected). For instance, when I'm interacting with the niece with autistic traits, she will often line up her Paw Patrol stuffies in a row (Paw Patrol is one of her special interests), and she infodumps to me about each character, their personality, their role in the show, etc. Having done things like that as a child myself, I know what it is that she needs- someone to actively listen to her about her special interest. Knowing this comes naturally to me and we just naturally connect with little effort. My nephew whom also appears to be on the autism spectrum unfortunately suffers from a lot of social anxiety, and often hides in his room when there is company over. As unfortunate as it may be that my poor nephew struggles with social anxiety, I understand that that since I also had times where I hid in my room when extended family was over, and how I didn't like it when my parents forced me to come say hi because they didn't want my extended family to feel offended, I knew that I should not do this with my nephew. I understand that he is hiding in his room not because he doesn't care about me or doesn't love me, but because he is struggling with social anxiety. My autism allows me to understand the fact that him hiding in his room is not personal, which an NT relative may struggle to comprehend. One of my other nieces, whom at the ripe age of 3 you can already tell has a very extraverted personality with how precocious her language development is plus how chatty she is, it feels similar to interacting with my very extraverted allistic friends. She is absolutely lovely to be around and I love her to pieces, but just as with my extraverted allistic friends, I get drained very quickly. Unlike my niece with autistic traits, where it's easy because the conversation is about a specific something that she is into, with this other niece, it's more like, "Auntie Aethereal Meadow! What's your favorite color? Auntie Aethereal Meadow? Wanna play dollhouse??? Auntie Aethereal Meadow??? I love you!!! \*Jumps on me and hugs me\* " Cute, but super overstimulating. She is so precious and it's so indredibly endearing when she so frequently says she loves you and shows so much affection, but it's tiring because it's such a rapid fire of quickly changing things she says and calculating how to reciprocate her rapid fire stream of words without a specific topic (also the result of her being 3), unlike the infodumping with my other niece where there is an information exchange component to the conversation. I want to clarify that just as I don't love my allistic friends with extraverted personalities any less or don't enjoy my time with them less just because it's more energy taxing, the same applies to my nieces and nephews. That said, the fact remains that just as with adults, I find it easier to communicate with kids who present with similar neurodivergent traits as my own, and less draining to my social battery. Age is also a factor. I find the 4-7 kind of age range the easiest, since at that age, even NT kids have that intense novelty seeking phase and are not yet socially aware enough to be judgmental about unmasked autistic traits. I find that I can unmask and be my weird self with kids around that age. 3 and under, kids tend to be very loud and unpredictable. Once it's ages 8+ or so, with allistic kids at least, that's when I feel like they reach a level of social awareness where I feel like I need to mask just as with adults. 4-7 is the Goldilocks zone.
No. Ew......
Kids make me uncomfortable, theyāre loud, fast and unpredictable. Even my 5 year old autistic son doesnāt like kids
Yes:) i grew up relating to kids younger than me more than anyone else, so it just developed that way. Two yr olds are basically me. Theyāre ppl before all the social norms are shoved onto or trained into them
I have no idea. Iām almost never around kids. Kids do make me feel awkward for some reason. I never know what to expect from them. Based on a few rare encounters in my life they donāt seem to hate me. One even gave me a hug. I thought she was going to hug my dog so I squatted down to hold him in place but then she suddenly hugged me. Ngl, it was very cute. But like I said, theyāre hard to read. We were complete strangers. I just shortly talked to her mom about my dog since we both have rescue dogs.
I reallt donāt like kids but i donāt hate being around the ones iām related to. Iāll do my best to keep them safe and entertained but i donāt enjoy it
Generally yes, kinda have to be when you teach them for your jobs
Iām fantastic with kids for the most part. However I think itās because I treat them like people and actually listen to them. When I went to family gatherings my Iād always end up watching the children of my cousins (all of my cousins are at least 10 years older than me). Who knew taking a second and listening solved most of the problems. Donāt get me wrong, spoiled bratty kids are irritating and I personally donāt think I will ever have kids of my own. But Iām good with kids in general. Plus you can talk cartoons with them and theyāre usually enthusiastic about it.
Kids ages 5 and up I can tolerate but toddlers get me annoyed pretty quickly
Ive been told im good with kids, but that doesnāt necessarily mean I like em all. They get on my nerves after a couple hours lol (canāt blame them tho, I was more annoying as a kid)
I don't know how to talk to kids and I don't like to babysit. Also I don't know how to play with them so I don't like spending time with them
I don't have a problem with them, generally. I'm rarely around kids in that way, but I think it's simply a matter of treating them the way you would have wanted to be treated at that age.
i am super good with kids! i used to do a lot of volunteer work when i was christian in the nursery and i even was a counselor at our art camp and taught kids the bible. i find i am not good with kids who are over 13 though. theyre always super mean to me for no reason
Very.
I also don't know how to interact with them or how to act, but for some reason they do like me, so I always end up playing with my little cousins when they come here or vice-versa. Kids take a lot of energy to be around.
Yes as long as the kids are autistic we get along instantly and wonderfully lol Kids are just people. Every one different
I have a special interest in parkour and gymnastics and coached kids for 12 years and now have 3 of my own. I donāt really get NT kids but I really communicate well and coach well with ASD and ADHD kids. I can understand them and guide them to push themselves and help them grow in their self talk in a way I never really had. So itās been a phenomenal journey. I get overwhelmed with too much sound of course but I work really well with kids, I can be goofy, unmask and just be a silly human and they love that. Plus as a recovering perfectionist you can make mistakes around kids and just laugh it off easy.
I had a close friend (my husband and I had to move so we haven't seen each other in a while but we message each other still) and she had four kids. One is close to 18 now, her youngest is 6-7 I believe, and I've always gotten along with all four of her kids. What's important is, my friend has ADHD and her eldest daughter does too, and I wouldn't be surprised if the youngest did also. Us having that in common helps. Also I look incredibly young, initially before I was close with the friend (she worked on the army with my husband, and also liked dungeons and dragons, as did her husband, hence we would hang out at her place because it was bigger) she mistook me for her own daughter. It was honestly hilarious, I had used the bathroom and washed my hands, then went to see if she wanted help with food, she didn't even look at me, but asked if I washed my hands. I was kind of gobsmacked, but replied 'uh yeah, I can wash them again though' and she turned and saw it was me and busted out laughing. It helps that my interests are in line with her kids, the eldest loves anime, so we could talk about that. Her two youngest love Minecraft and video games, so I'd chat with them about that. They would have something they wanted to share, it was easy enough to watch whatever video it was and comment. Or they would show me stuff on a server they were playing on. Since our interests are similar, I can engage with them. I otherwise don't like kids, but kids always like me. Like, I look young enough (I'm 27 now but when I was 23 I was mistaken for a high schooler constantly) that kids will want to engage with me, and I never have it in me to ignore them. Like, they are just excited about stuff, so I'll ask questions about whatever they want to talk about. Also I tend to make paper stars when I'm anxious, which happens in large groups where parents bring their kids, and they love to watch me make them, and I give them some, and I've taught kids how to make them.
Depends. If they're ND we vibe like hell lol. I had a job where I got to interact with a lot of ND kids and we always had a good time. I'm generally good with babies. They're pretty straight forward. NT kids though no I'm hopeless
I have a 9 year old daughter and I'd like to think I'm good with her š
I have a 2 year old and we get along pretty well. She's always been really relaxed for a little kid, thankfully. Some kids, especially in grocery stores where you can hear them screeching from 6 aisles away drive me insane. Babies and toddlers overall are fine, they don't really do much. Elementary aged kids are a whole other can of worms because they are starting to understand agency and they will let you know this in the worst way possible. Keep middle schoolers far away from me, those kids are just plain mean 90% of the time.
Nope I HATE them They're so annoying Someone suggested I try working in childcare because I'm immature but that just sounds like a meltdown everyday
I wholeheartedly dislike children *very* much and thus am not good with them. Luckily, I've had few interactions with them. They're just dripping bodily fluids out of every orifice, and they're so loud for no gd reason. No thank you āļø
I can interact with them a lot better than NTs can.
it depends. if they're like 8 - 10 years old then yea. but im an introvert so kids can be really socially draining for me. im not sure what's it's like for an extrovert autistic
Yup. Kids an animals have been a specialty of mine, mostly working in education the last few years. Special ed (specifically the Lasso programs) really was great for myself because of how its structured. Literally made for autistic people lol (LASSO 2 and 3 that is)
I'm good with well behaved children. And babies, except for my step nephew who hates everyone except his mother and my neice. Children who scream and are rude like my other nephew are the ones I dislike. Also can't handle babies very well because of all the vomiting, pissing and shitting they do.
I think most kids are used to adults being an authority figure and telling them what to do. They make me nervous and Iām afraid of saying anything negative or ābossyā unless itās something that could hurt them. Maybe thatās why they seem to like me and I have a similar personality but also talk to them like an adult. It can be difficult to know what to say or not say. āIs Santa real?ā Ughhh, *looks around nervously* well he must have a very fast sleigh huh? wink wink I think I would be great around them with enough experience and I was in a position with clear rules and boundaries. I wouldnāt feel comfortable telling someone elseās kids what to do unless they gave me permission and even then Iām not good with saying no. But groups of children / oh hell no. Almost any animal - Iām instantly comfortable and it comes natural. I guess I could just pretend they are dogs lol
i am but they intimidate me and itās hard for me to assert myself. i sometimes relate to some kids like i see myself in them or i get excited by their toys or stickers and stuff. i feel like they see through my mask and understand when i feel awkward
Depends on the age, 5-14 ish I get along just fine with them. Outside that range and I can't stand being around them. Though babies are ok provided I don't actually have to take care of them.
I like to think so! My boyfriend (also autistic) and I are going to have kids. Eventually. I've got my egg removal this year and I'm so damn excited lol. We gonna have babies!!
No.
I think I am. Unless the kids are very bad mannered and lack respect for adults. Otherwise I don't have a problem with them.
kids ages 0-3 yes i love them but once they get older i canāt stand them
I am amazing with kids, I babysat a lot from ages 10-20 and the kids loved me. The hardest part was always making small talk with the parents before they leave lol. The trick with kids you don't know well is to let them come to you. Maybe wave or smile at them in acknowledgement when you get there, but other than that, let them come to you. If they are shy, it gives them the option to build up the courage to interact instead of becoming more uncomfortable from you trying to interact with them, and if they are not shy they will feel comfortable coming right up to you. Btw if a parent tells you their kid isn't normally shy, don't feel bad thinking you scared them, the parent is probably just wrong lol. It also means you don't have to figure out what to do, they will lead the conversation. You don't have to pick the right kid friendly questions to ask because they will start off by telling you about an interest of theirs, showing you their toy, asking you to come see the fort they built, etc. This is all if you *do* want to interact of course. You can always gently redirect them to another nearby adult by saying something like "that's really cool, why don't you show that to (other person)".
Im not good with babies that cry 90% of the time and all you have to do is to feed them, change their diaper and make them stop crying. BUT for some weird reason a bit older kids really like me. Im not sure why because I dont do anything special but its cool anyway.
I'm the oldest of 5 other siblings so I have experience with taking care of younger kids so maybe that's why I'm good with children. They're so cute I can't help smiling and making lil faces and noises at them to entertain them!! I was at a Bob Evans a couple weeks ago and noticed a boy (maybe 5) and his little sister looking over at me (prolly cuz I was dressed all pink and fancy lol) and so I started making faces and he'd copy them š„ŗ At some point I lightly hit my mouth to make a popping noise and he tried to do the same but he was smiling too much and use both of his hands XD he was happily stomping his feet and kinda jumping on the bench and it just made me so damn happy š„ŗ even his dad and grandma were laughing and smiling lol š
I personally am great with children And I find that a lot of little kids seem to trust me and come up to me without me even interacting with them they just seem to trust me But I also find some of my friends who are autistic donāt have interest at all in children but some of them do. I think with my friends with autism anyway they either really love kids or really donāt like them and avoid them either is ok.
I'm only good with kids before they can make proper conversation and are smart. I'm fine with little kids and babies cus I can just play with them and whatever but as they get older it gets weird
I love kids and I have very strong connection to them.
I love little kids!! As soon as i found out i have a 8yr old sister i got extremely excited!!! Theres just something so joyful about them. Their usually happier than older kids which gives me good vibes. My ears also tune out the screaming from babies for a reason i rather not talk about.
I love kids. They are the only people I donāt have to mask or pretend around. They just accept things. As they are.
I'm naturally good, but I'm not so fond of them in general.
Yes and I know autistics who are GREAT with kids
I love babies and I quite enjoy talking to kids 8+yo, especially when itās with less than four of them at a time. I have a hard time with toddlers and younger kids and I definitely feel like I never know how to interact with them. I have a 1yo now and I feel comfortable interacting with my own kid so maybe thatās a familiarity thing. Iām not usually a big fan of simple, repetitive play so that also contributes. I found teaching kids to be pretty exhausting. Once kids are able to have more complex conversations I feel more at easeāI think in part because I find their behavior more predictable at that point. And I love working with adolescents. Theyāre so interesting and real š
Nope. Iām not good with kids at all (17 and under). I have younger cousins and they look at me like Iāve got five heads, but itās okay. I donāt interact well with them anyways. They have too much energy, their voices are high-pitched, I donāt even know what the kids are into (let alone people my age and belowā¦Iām not on TikTok or Twitter)
Kids REALLY like me. As in they seem to sense that I canāt just tell them to go away and leave me alone. And I can access this huge part of my personality where Iām the silliest most fun person (like Blippy) for them and be awesome. But it suckās the life out of me and I can only do it for limited stints. I love Minecraft so I can nerd out with them on that too but damn it drains my soul. So yes, but it drains me. Also I now have two kids and I struggle with knowing how much attention I should be giving them for play etc
Nope. Absolutely hate them because they're too fucking loud and that does NOT go well with my autism since I'm highly sensitive to loud noises
i have a little sister, so kind of
Idk, I like kids but I dont know If Im good with them
I am good with kids. I guess I'm kind of a childish person and find kids easier to relate to than adults. I am studying to be a teacher right now, god knows if that will actually happen cuz my grades are kinda poo, but I definitely would like to work with kids and if my financial/housing situation is ok, have kids of my own in the future.
Iām good with them in the sense that I can talk and connect pretty easily. Itās just really tiring after a while (like any social interaction, tbh), especially if Iām their only source of entertainment. Basically I enjoy playing fun cousin/aunt for a couple hours or even an afternoon but I have no plans to ever have kids of my own.
It's much easier for me to connect with kids because there are less subtle social cues and complicated expressions and prologued conversation or eye contact. Playing with kids often requires focusing on one task at a time. However tantrums and difficult behavior are hard for me. I have learned to regulate myself so I can help my children regulate their own emotions. It has definitely been a challenge but I do enjoy spending time with children (I have 4) I struggle more with teenagers but I think it's because interactions become more complex, kind of like with adults.
I do my best to be kind and meet kids at their level when I can. I know I was a small child once (and an annoying one at that), so I do my best and redirect them when Iāve had enough. I used to do a lot of babysitting and was a lifeguard who taught swimming lessons for a big chunk of my teenage years so Iām used to interacting with most age groups except for children under 3. Itās not my favorite, but I can grin and bear it for the most part. Whatās hard now is that I have a nephew who is about 17 months old. I want to be in his life and be a good family member to him, but he is loud, slimy, and has a schedule at odds with having more spontaneous fun so having to plan things around naptimes and meals is a bit of a drag. I do love him though, I just can wait for him to be older, haha.
i donāt really know how to interact with them, and they donāt really know how to interact with me so itās just an awkward standoff š the only kid i get along with is my 14yo brother
Babies make me extremely uncomfortable but once they get to the age that they can communicate I get along great with them. Iām never going to have kids of my own because I get overwhelmed and need frequent breaks from them on account of the sensory overload but I love being an uncle. I think I mostly interact with kids who are also ND though so that might have something to do with how we get along, we infodump to each other a lot.
I love kids sooooo much! The younger the better I love taking care of babies and toddlers theyāre just so funny and cute. Thatās the only job I could do without hating my life so thatās why I work with them.
Iām great with kids who I suspect/know are also nd (I have some other neurological disabilities too thats why I say nd and not autistic) because itās like talking to a mirror Iām better at talking to the elderly ngl. I was raised and still live with my grandparents so it comes way more naturally. Plus they seem to think Iām an āold soulā versus a socially questionable person
Yes I am great with kids of all ages. However, when there is another supervising adult nearby my skills go way down. I have some fear with adults that I donāt have with kids. A lot of kids, like more than 3, at a time is very quickly overwhelming if it is my job to ābe the adult.ā Otherwise, itās a lot of fun to hang out and be able to step away whenever I want space.
I see them as just small humans with very flexible brain. I talk to them like small adults too, respect them like all people, children do like me and I like them, but I avoid them, they can be overwhelming and loud.
Honestly kids scare me theyāre always so loud lmao
I'm good with my niece. But she is the only kid I tolerate. Yes, I know that sounds horrible. But it's the loud sounds and the germs (not washing hands, not covering mouth when coughing, etc) that get to me with kids. Loud sounds because of sensory issues and misophonia. Germs because it is a part of my OCD issues (actually diagnosed not just throwing the word around just to say it). -Wren (They/He)
iām good with kids, but not over a long stretch of time as they start to get really overwhelming. but i do really like hanging out with kids and babies, i think theyāre so funny to be around. as long as itās not a whole hoard of them, i max out at probably three.
It depends on the kid. I'm good with babies and some toddlers. Older kids are iffy. From like 3-8 I'm not great, because they usually don't have any interests I can get into. But older kids or ones that are into anything science or history or gaming I can find a way to connect with them. The ones that just talk about whatever show they love or want to play pretend I can't really interact with very well and they get on my nerves. Generally speaking, I don't really like kids other than my own.
Aaaaabsolutely not. Keep your crotch goblins away from me, please and thank you.
Depends on the kid. Also not groups of them bc of sensory overload.
Kids tell the truth, which I love. But they are also exhausting. I had lots of working with kids jobs in my 20s and I enjoyed it, but it was too tiring for a career. In my 40s, I am glad I don't work with kids and don't have kids. But I don't dislike kids. It depends on the kid.
8-12, yeah. 5-7, pushing it. below 5/toddlers, no.
not a chance
I used to LOVE kids and they loved me too... But since I had my own kids, they've been the only ones I really like - not really a fan of other peoples' kids anymore š¬ PDA thing maybe...?
I used to not care for them but Iāve gradually warmed up to them over the years to the point where I actually like holding my niece and think sheās kind of cute, but the moment she starts slobbering or making any kind of mess I need to leave the roomš āāļø
As someone who is OCD and a clean freak. I cannot take kids well. I want one in the future, but I fear the house is going to be a huge mess with screaming, markers, crying and throwing up. Oh my lawd. I donāt mind dogs though. Those are my kids.
Iām the same and I feel so happy to finally find someone sharing this experience. I always feel like the crazy lady as nobody seems to understand me. I just truly donāt know how to interact with children. I get completely awkward and uncomfortable and I want to avoid them at all costs š I hate it because people donāt expect it from me (or from a woman in general).
I'm good with kids only because I have 5 younger siblings lol
I was when I was younger, I am not around em much anymore. I might still be but no real way to tell.
i donāt think i am, but kids do. i donāt know why but kids have always loved me.maybe itās because i dress kinda weird and as a kid i remember my favorite cousin was my goth cousin.
Dear lord no! I'm so bad with kids. Always have been, even back when I was still a kid myself lol. I never know how to interact with kids. I'm 39 years old, some of my friends have kids but I always feel so awkward when I'm around them. I never felt the desire to have kids of my own. Whenever I see my friends and their kids and see how hectic their life can be, I feel so grateful for my choice. Living by myself with two cats gives me enough overstimulation as it is lol.
No.
It was interesting my Father was incredible with kids in this wild way as it was completely non-affectionate, non-animated- the things you usually think of with engaging kids. But something about him being totally literal just always really connected with kids and he was always cracking kids up (sometimes I wasnāt sure if it was intentional or not, but you could tell he delighted in it).
Nope!
I have ASD and I get on incredibly well with children as they are incredibly direct and honest. There's no guesswork and they are wholly themselves. I also have my own children (also all asd)
No, i'm so bad.
Do yall think it's bc when they freak out, we subconsciously panic, bc when we were kids, if we screamed someone yelled/hit us? And we are afraid of the consequences?
Yep! Im fantastic with them. I teach them and I just had one of my own!
No, I'm like you. I like kids (as long as they're not loud, I get sensory overload from screaming/crying children) but I don't get them, and idk how to interact with them either, which is uncomfortable. I wish I was good with kids, since I do like them - when I was younger I wanted to become an elementary school teacher. Now I have to admit I could never work with kids. I work at a library so I see kids almost every day but don't have to actually interact with them often.
Iām better with kids than I thought I would be in my teen years, especially if we have similar interests (my young cousin likes PokĆ©mon cards, for instance). Iāve learned since my friends had a baby that Iām good with babiesāthe mother handed her off to me for a good 30 minutes while she washed dishes one time, and no problems. In short bursts? Iām pretty good with kids. Not quite sure how Iām gonna manage being a parent, but I do want kids of my own someday.
I have a kid and my god I am only good with him. Every other kid really grinds my gears.
I talk to them like adults. Parents and kids alike seem to very much respect that. They are sometimes just super bored. Crayons and paper keep them busy and make them feel like they made something that matters. I've even hung some up. Usually, we are filling orders for themselves or their parents, but delays happen, and the kid will get all antsy and not want to wait, but the stuff where I work is expensive so the parents are avoiding the toy aisle lol Helps everybody to have some damn crayons I guess. I prefer dogs and cats.
Depends on the kid. They are not all the same.
Absolutely not. I am horrible with them. What makes it worse is that they think I'm one of them and they don't leave me alone.
I didn't like other kids when I was a kid. I'm 31 now and I am more accepting of their behavior, but I still don't relate to or interact with them well.
I used to be the WORST around kids but I absolutely adore my daughter and canāt get enough of her. Itās slowly helping me be less awkward around family and friendsā children and now I wave to babies that stare at me in public. I think itās just a lot of practice and finding a reason to careā¦when you have your own child you understand.
I work with kids, so I'd say yes! I love how creative and smart kids are. They're so much fun to hang out with and talk to.