• Home
  • About
    • About Kerri
    • Press Coverage
    • Brand Partnerships
    • Home Tours
    • Policies
      • Privacy Policy
      • Liability Policy
      • Disclosures Policy
      • Copyright Policy
      • Comment Policy
    • Contact
  • The Blog
    • Coastal Style Decorating
    • Lake House Decorating
    • Modern Cottage Style Decorating
    • Renovation, Remodelling + Building
    • Home Decor Tutorials & DIY Projects
    • Seasonal & Party Decorating
  • Subscribe (Free)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

A Pop of Pretty

  • Renovate
    • How to Choose a Front Door: Complete Guide
    • 10 Pretty Blue Front Door Colour Ideas (Paint Names)
    • Front Door Color: 10 Fabulous Front Door Colors (& their paint names!)
    • Best Front Doors for Every Home Style (Masonite)
    • Curb Appeal Tip: Use a Solid Stain
    • Craftsman Home Exterior from Builder Grade: Get the Look!
    • Best Paint Colours
      • 10 Pretty Blue Front Door Colour Ideas (Paint Names)
      • Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray: Why I Love It.
      • Benjamin Moore Silver Fox: Ideal Mid Tone Gray
      • Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue: A Gorgeous Blue Gray
      • Behr Ivory Keys: Bench Makeover
      • Behr Marquee ‘Ethereal Mood’: Teen Girl Bedroom
      • Behr Marquee Dayflower: Front Door Update
    • Quartz Countertops: Caesarstone vs Granite
    • How to White Wash Shiplap and Wood: Step by Step Tutorial
    • 10 Coastal Style Staircases that Inspire
    • 5 Things Your Modern Cottage Bathroom Needs
    • Open Shelving Kitchen Trend: Is it for you?
    • 55 Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets Ideas
    • Cement Tile Wall (Yes you can)
    • Coastal Cottage Inspiration: Planning Our New Cottage
  • Decorate
    • Interior Design + Decor Trends
      • Shelf Styling: 5 Tips for a Clean, Collected Look
      • DIY Cane Furniture (Home Decor Trends)
      • Straw Hat Wall Decor Trend (5 Inspiring Displays)
      • Open Shelving Kitchen Trend: Is it for you?
      • 55 Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets Ideas
    • Decorating Ideas By Room
      • Exteriors & Front Doors
        • Wreaths and Front Door Decor
        • How to Choose a Front Door: Complete Guide
        • Fall Porch Decor: 10 Things for a Cozy, Modern Cottage Porch
        • Best Front Doors for Every Home Style (Masonite)
        • New Craftsman Front Door from Masonite!
        • Craftsman Home Exterior from Builder Grade: Get the Look!
      • Kitchen Decorating
        • Quartz Countertops: Caesarstone vs Granite
        • Open Shelving Kitchen Trend: Is it for you?
        • 55 Two Toned Kitchen Cabinets Ideas
      • Bathroom Decorating
        • How to Paint Abstract Art (DIY Tutorial)
        • 5 Things Your Modern Cottage Bathroom Needs
        • Quartz Countertops: Caesarstone vs Granite
      • Bedroom Decorating
      • Craft Room Decorating
      • Living Rooms + Family Rooms
        • Rope Wrapped Lamp: DIY Tutorial
        • Shelf Styling: 5 Tips for a Clean, Collected Look
        • How to Paint Abstract Art (DIY Tutorial)
      • Kids Rooms Decorating
    • Home Decor Products
      • Furniture
        • Modern Windsor Chair: Recommendation
        • IKEA Assembly Tips that Save Time + Sanity
        • IKEA Vimle Sofa Review (Finnala): What To Know
        • IKEA Finnala Sofa (vs Vimle)
        • DIY Cane Furniture (Home Decor Trends)
        • IKEA Farlov Armchair: Initial Review
        • Trestle Dining Table Recommendation
      • Home Decor Accessories
        • Wall Art Ideas & DIY Wall Art
      • Coastal Home Decor Accessories
        • DIY Cane Furniture (Home Decor Trends)
        • Rope Wrapped Lamp: DIY Tutorial
        • Straw Hat Wall Decor Trend (5 Inspiring Displays)
        • The Blue Striped Poufs Everybody Asks Me About! (Where to Buy Them)
        • IKEA Assembly Tips that Save Time + Sanity
        • Shop the Look: Our Coastal Cottage
        • JanieJute: Modern Coastal-Inspired Style
      • Rugs
        • 10 Stylish Outdoor Rugs I Love
        • Cottage Rugs I Love
      • Lighting
        • Plug In Wall Sconces: 10 Stylish Ones I Love
        • Cottage Chandeliers (10 Pretties!)
      • Pillow Covers
      • Drapery and Curtains
        • Curtain Hack Tutorial (No Sew): Grommet Curtains to Pleated Drapes
  • Celebrate
    • New Year’s Eve Party Ideas (How to Ring in 2021)
    • How to Make a DIY Photo Booth for any Occasion
    • Party Theme Ideas: Throw a Broadway Party!
    • Paint and Sip: DIY Painting Party (with Dollar Store Finds)
    • How to Make a Ribbon Wreath for Any Season
    • Christmas Decorating
      • My #1 Christmas Decorating Tip
      • Bottle Brush Trees – Where to Find
      • My Christmas Home Tours
        • Rustic Christmas Tree (How to Get That Farmhouse Look)
        • Rustic Christmas Decor Tour (Our Cottage)
        • Cozy Plaid Christmas Decor Home Tour
        • All White Christmas Decor Home Tour
        • Navy Blue Christmas Decor Home Tour
        • Winter Wonderland Christmas Decor Home Tour
        • French Inspired Christmas Decor Home Tour (Black, White & Peacock Blue)
        • Gold and White Christmas Decor Home Tour
        • Red and Turquoise Christmas Decor Home Tour
      • How to Decorate a Christmas Tree
        • How to Put Ribbon on a Christmas Tree (2020 Tutorial)
        • How Much Ribbon for Christmas Tree? (+ All Things Ribbon!)
        • 3 Christmas Tree Decorating Tips That Are Crazy Simple!
        • What Goes on Christmas Tree First?
        • My Magnolia Leaf Holiday Decorating Crush
      • Christmas Tree Ideas Theme Trees
        • Cabin Themed Christmas Tree
        • North Pole Themed Christmas Tree
        • Disney Frozen DIY Themed Christmas Tree
        • Nutcracker Themed Christmas Tree (Sugar Plum Fairy)
        • Nordic Themed Christmas Tree
        • Dr. Seuss Themed Christmas Tree
      • Christmas DIY Projects
      • Christmas Entertaining
    • New Years
      • Word of the Year Printable Workbook (Free)
      • New Year’s Eve Party Ideas (How to Ring in 2021)
      • “Auld Lang Syne” New Years Printable (Happy New Year!)
    • Winter Decor
      • Cozy Lakehouse Vibe for Christmas: 5 Decor Tips
    • Valentines Day Decor
      • Free Valentine Printables (3 Fun Valentines Day Quotes!)
      • How to Make a Valentines Day Wreath
    • Spring & Easter Decor
      • How to make a Shabby Chic Easter Wreath
      • Simple No Bake Easter Cookie Recipe
      • Easter Craft Idea: Pretty Hydrangea Globes
      • Simple and Pretty Easter Decorating Ideas
      • Mossy Bunny Themed Easter Mantel
      • How to Decorate a Simple Easter Mantel
      • Three Easter Mantels {& Other Easy Easter Decorating Ideas!}
    • Summer Decor
      • Take a Coastal Cottage Summer Tour (Lake House Style)
      • Free Printable Art Summer Abstract
    • Fall Decor
      • Fall Printable Art: Life Starts All Over Again
      • Cozy Living Room for Fall (Coastal Style)
      • How to Decorate a Cozy Fall Porch
      • Fall Decor Ideas: Canadian Bloggers Home Tour
      • Canadian Bloggers Home Tours: Our Fall Home
      • Early Fall Decorating with Hydrangeas
      • Easy DIY Fall Wreath (Floral)
      • How to Decorate a Simple Fall Mantel with Neutrals
      • How to Decorate a Fall Mantel with Giant Photos
      • Fall Printable: Autumn, the year’s last loveliest smile.
    • Halloween Decor
      • Halloween Free Printable (Watercolour Bats)
      • 5 Simple Halloween Decorating Ideas
      • How to Make a DIY Halloween Ribbon Wreath
      • How to Decorate a Halloween Mantel with BOO Letters
      • How to Decorate for Halloween with Black & White Polka Dots
      • How to Decorate a Fun Halloween Front Porch
      • DIY Sock Monkey Costume Tutorial
      • No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
      • Mini Pumpkin Monster Craft
  • Create (How to)
    • How to Easily Assemble IKEA Furniture
    • How to Style a Shelf
    • How to Paint Abstract Art (DIY Tutorial)
    • How to Make a Rope-Wrapped Lamp
    • How to Make a No Sew Face Mask (from a Bandana or a Shirt)
    • How to Make a Ribbon Wreath
    • How to make a DIY Photo Booth
    • How to Make Pleated Drapes from Grommet Panels
    • How to White Wash Wood
    • How to make DIY artwork
    • How to Paint a Fabric Chair
    • How to paint wall stripes
    • How to Remove Vinyl Wall Decals
    • How to Get More Kitchen Storage
    • How to Make Fake Flowers Look Real
    • How to Tie Napkins Into Pretty Bows
    • How to make a wreath for any season
    • How to decorate around a sectional
    • How to Upgrade Your Home Exterior
    • How to Create a Lake House Vibe
    • How to Create More Curb Appeal
    • How to Decorate a Fall Porch
    • How to Paint Fabric Slipcovers
    • How to Make Personalized Christmas Ornament
    • How to Hang Greenery on a Mantel
    • How to Make a Starfish Wreath
  • Life
    • How to Make a No Sew Face Mask (from a Bandana or a Shirt)
    • Fashion
      • JanieJute: Modern Coastal-Inspired Style
      • Shop JanieJute
    • Kids
      • Nature Walk Printable {Fun Fall Activity for Kids}
      • How to Make a Sock Monkey Costume
      • Mini Pumpkins Monster Craft for Halloween
      • No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas for Halloween
      • Big BOO Halloween Mantel
      • Kid-Friendly Halloween Mantel
      • Kid-Friendly Halloween Decorating Ideas
      • Disney Cruise Review: What We Loved (and Didn’t)
      • 10 Teacher Gift Ideas for the Holidays
      • How to travel with a toddler
      • Travel-Inspired Shared Boys Bedroom
      • How to Display Kids’ Artwork
      • How to Make a DIY Photo Booth
      • How to Throw an Art Themed Birthday Party
      • How to Throw a Broadway Themed Birthday Party
      • How to Make No Bake Easter Cookies
      • How to Make a Leprechaun Trap
    • Travel
      • Map Wall Decor: Frame Tutorial (Vintage Style)
      • How to Make a No Sew Face Mask (from a Bandana or a Shirt)
      • Disney Cruise Review: What We Loved (and Didn’t)
      • Las Vegas: The Softer Side of Sin City
      • Magical NYC at Christmas
      • Beautiful Miami (House-Peeping)
  • Free Printables
    • Halloween Free Printable (Watercolour Bats)
    • Fall Printable Art: Life Starts All Over Again
    • Free Printable Art Summer Abstract
    • “We Can Do Hard Things” – Free Printable Art
    • “This Too Shall Pass” Free Printable Art
    • Downloadable Art (Free): “Life is tough, darling. But so are you.”
    • Free Valentine Printables (3 Fun Valentines Day Quotes!)
    • Word of the Year Printable Workbook (Free)
    • “Auld Lang Syne” New Years Printable (Happy New Year!)
    • Fall Printable: Autumn, the year’s last loveliest smile.
    • Nature Walk Printable {Fun Fall Activity for Kids}
  • Shop
    • Shop My Amazon Finds
    • Shop JanieJute (My Home Decor + Fashion Brand)
    • Shop the Look: Our Coastal Cottage
    • Shop Coastal Home Decor Acessories
    • Christmas Decor Shop
A Non-Decorating Post About Autism (Autism Awareness)

A Non-Decorating Post About Autism (Autism Awareness)

3 Apr

This post was most recently updated on September 22nd, 2019

Did you know that today, April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day, and April is autism awareness month?

.

I know, what does that have to do with decorating, right?  Well, it doesn’t.

.

But given that it’s a day to raise awareness about autism, and that I have an (albeit small) audience to share some awareness with, I couldn’t let the day pass without addressing it.  Even if you were expecting a decorating post, I’d love  for you to stick around just a few more minutes. I promise to keep it short.autism awareness

.

When I grew up in the 70s/80s, I don’t think I really even heard about autism.  It makes sense, though, since back then, the estimated autism rate was 4 in 10,000 – or, 1 in 2500 (1980 stat).  So the chances that you ‘knew’ somebody who’d been diagnosed with autism were slim. (But that doesn’t mean you didn’t.)

.

In any case, the first introduction that most of us had to autism was the movie Rain Man. I was in high school at the time, and I remember Rain Man well. For me, and for most adults my age and older, this is the stereotype that stuck.  Even 25 years later, Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of an autistic man with extreme math skills, poor social skills and obsession with routine is the association most people make with autism.

.

Fast forward to 2013.

.

Now, in my own children’s generation, and perhaps yours’, the rate of autism is estimated 1 in 50 to 100 (depending on the source), with boys being 4-5x more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

.

No that wasn’t a typo. 1 in 50.  I was shocked too.

.

My intention is not to go into all the reasons why this is so as I’m certainly no expert, but if you’re interested, you can read about the theories here.

.

Instead, the point I really want to make is that there are now hundreds of thousands more children out there who’ve been diagnosed with autism since our school days.  Yet,  for the most part, the same 1980s stereotype remains.  I know this because it was a stereotype that I held too.

.

That was until Autism Spectrum Disorder touched my family’s life.

.

Now that I know ASD more personally, I understand that there was only one Rain Man, and that no two children diagnosed with ASD are the same.  In other words, every child diagnosed with autism is truly unique.  In the short time I’ve known ASD, I’ve learned that each child faces his or her own unique set of challenges (some of which might be the same as Rain Man’s, but not all), and each child has his or her own beautiful personality and special talents – just like you and me and everyone else.  If you don’t believe me, you need only to read this blog post about autism stereotypes written by an inspiring young man who blows the autism stereotype out of the water.

.

If you don’t know a child with autism, then I realize that ASD might still be a hard thing to wrap your head around.  After all, it’s a mystery sometimes to those who face it every day. It would be amazing if you took some time this month to learn a little more about autism, and to teach your children about it.  (There are lots of great resources, like Autism Speaks and others). Chances are, they already sit in a classroom with a child or two who has ASD, and maybe they have unanswered questions.

.

I realize this is a lot to ask, so if you can commit to just one thing to help a child living with ASD, please teach your children to be tolerant of and kind to any child who might appear ‘different’ in some way.

.

Those of you who know me in real life may have seen me post this music video on Facebook already, but I thought I’d post it here too, as a reminder that all children have a sparkle, especially those who struggle the hardest.  This re-make of Cyndi Lauper’s 1980s ‘True Colors’ by a group of Canadian artists (Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard, Simple Plan, Fefe Dobson, Lights and others) wasn’t created for the autism cause, but as an anti-bullying initiative. (Note: The net proceeds go to  Kids Help Phone, a counseling service for children and youth.) Still, it speaks to all children who struggle with being ‘different’ from popular expectations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 .

If you’d like your own copy of the ‘true colours / colors’ typographical image above, perhaps to honour/ honor somebody you know with ASD, please feel free to download it below.  Just right click, and save.

.

Until next time,

.

Kerri

.

…

Canadian Version (Colours)…

.

free printable - true colors-autism

 

 .

US Version (Colors)…

.

autism awareness-free printable-true colors-US Version

By Kerri, April 3, 2013, Filed Under: Life, Family & Travel

About Kerri

Kerri Roche is the voice behind A Pop of Pretty, a Canadian-based home decorating blog, where she shares her love of modern cottage and coastal style, from the island of Newfoundland. Kerri is a lifelong interiors lover and an avid home enthusiast. She holds an MBA and Bachelor degree in Commerce (Marketing). Her blog is a creative outlet where she loves to inspire other style seeking home lovers with design and renovation ideas, DIY home decor tutorials, and shopping tips as she decorates her suburban family home and coastal cottage - all while juggling a busy young family, including a globe-trotting husband, 3 busy kids (including twins), and two energetic dogs named Finny and Winnie.

White Christmas decor
plaid Christmas decor

Find Something Pretty

An Introduction to A Pop of Pretty

https://youtu.be/7dgsBvCOvds
« How to Organize a Small Art Station for Kids (Martha Stewart Wall Manager)
Basement Decorating Ideas {Some Room Edits!} »

Comments

  1. Mummy says

    April 3, 2013 at 10:11 am

    Thanks 🙂 I had no real idea about the depth of autism until last month or the month previous when I started looking for answers for my child’s ‘strange’ behaviors, he raised a few red flags that took me on a google search and found a wealth of information, some very conflicting, some made me second guess, others made me certain. It is very apparent by that; that all children are adversely different whether or not they have a label of anything or not. We are waiting for an appointment for assessment and I’m still back and forth between denial, certainty and total confusion, some days I can be so sure one way or the other but the next day, or even hour I’m thrown back over the fence on it. Waiting sucks but we are just acting as if we are dealing with autism behaviours and trying to avoid certain things to help him through. One last thing- I’m in Australia- which is better to download for me?

    • Mummy says

      April 3, 2013 at 10:14 am

      Oh my I’m tired. Forget that last bit, I thought the ink colours were different for the different places did not even see the spelling first off! *face palm*

Hello & Welcome

Welcome! I'm Kerri. I love pretty modern cottage and coastal home decorating style. I aim to inspire style seeking home lovers to decorate with confidence, by sharing decorating ideas, shopping tips, tutorials + inspiration. Read More…

“A Pop of Pretty is packed with DIY projects and conversations about the most pertinent design issues of today (like whether you should really have a gallery wall). The writing has an easy, breezy pace.” – The Star

Find Something Pretty (Search)

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

LiketoKnowIt

Click the heart to shop my fave decor

Follow on Instagram

Follow on Instagram

Never Miss a Post

Email subscription form header
Subscribe to my (free) e-mail updates & get this gorgeous, downloadable print FREE.
Please wait...
* Check your inbox for e-mail confirmation. Once you confirm, you will receive the instructions for downloading this FREE art print!
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
No spam, ever. Powered by FeedBlitz
Ikea Vimle Sofa Review

Disclosure: Amazon & Affiliates

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made from shopping links I provide in some blog posts.  If a blog article contains shopping links from Amazon or my other affiliate partners, it will be disclosed in the article. For more information, please see my Policies.

quartz vs granite countertops

how to white wash shiplap plank

Blog Topics

  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Terms + Conditions

© Copyright 2012-2023, A Pop of Pretty Blog. | HOME | POLICIES | CONTACT |