Ali MercerJan 15, 2023
me and my son at the #NaturalHistoryMuseum in #London yesterday for #Dawnosaurs - #autism-friendly early opening for children. We've been before, years ago, and wanted to go again before he's too old (he's 15 now). We had a great time - it's brilliant being able to look round when it's quiet. Meant an early start though - I was very glad we made it, what with waterlogged roads and delayed trains!
#dinosaurs #aboutT
Ali MercerDec 12, 2022

so here's a nice thing. My son T (15, #autistic, has a #learningdisability) went back to school today after a week off sick (we were lucky and managed to get the antibiotics he'd been prescribed - two out of the three pharmacies in town had run out - there are shortages here in the UK.)

It was a treat day, so he was v keen to go - and they went #iceskating at #Oxford ice rink - his first time ! I was a bit nervous about how he'd cope but he loved it.

#aboutT

Ali MercerDec 5, 2022
Took my son, T, who is 15 and #autistic and has a #learningdisability, to the #OxfordPlayhouse #relaxedperformance of #Cinderella yesterday. So good! We've been going to the pantomime together for years. He loves it and takes part enthusiastically in all the audience participation bits ('Oh no he doesn't', 'he's behind you' etc). Love #inclusive #theatre. This was the 1st year I didn't print off the #visualstory guide to the show for him in advance, and he coped with it just fine. #aboutT #carer
Ali MercerNov 26, 2022
have found satisfactory new pyjamas for my son T 😌 😊
For some years he had the same old beloved pyjama bottoms, (with slightly unsatisfactory substitutes when they went into the wash!) - the 'Google maps trousers', because the checked pattern looked like his ipad when it was struggling to load. (T is #autistic and has a #learningdisability. He spends a lot of time on Google streetview, looking at cars and stuff.) But he grew, and the trousers got shorter and shorter and finally tore...
#aboutT
Ali MercerNov 23, 2022
#perspective: recently started #swimming again after long (several years) absence from the pool. In the showers today, had vivid #flashback to the time, more than a decade ago, when I met someone there who'd seen T (my son) as a toddler, in the course of her work. I said he'd been diagnosed as #autistic (which happened when he was four) and she said that had crossed her mind. I wondered why she hadn't said so to me at the time. Now I think I get why she didn't/couldn't. #aboutT #parenting #carer
Ali MercerNov 23, 2022

T (my 15yo #autistic son, who has a #learningdisability) this morning: 'Why do I live with such annoying parents?' (He's not expressed this before - new development.) Then, when we said that one day, when he's older, he could live somewhere else, and that everyone gets annoyed with their parents: 'I want to live with you forever' 😭
#parenting #carer #teens #family

Will try to hashtag when I'm talking about T - #aboutT