My government is actively promoting new births. I usually dismiss such political exercises.
Look at our younger friends. They have to go through endless and mindless standardised testing, everywhere around the world, be they are in Singapore or the United States. They grow up with lower incomes than their parents in real terms - yes, they got nicer computers and tablet computers, but a home seems out of reach for most prosperous places, and youth unemployment is commonplace throughout the developed world (let alone the developing countries). They still grow up in a world full of fears, but this time, it just feels like war happens everywhere, every day - terrorism hits home and can happen anywhere, as extremism is popular with the disenfranchised, and the structurally unemployed youth minority populations all over the world. Overall, this generation is characterised with a lower level of confidence to 'build the world' together, unlike those who grow up in earlier generations. So this is why total fertility rate is nearing replacement levels currently, as it reaches 2.36 - perhaps just enough to replace everyone in our world.
Actually, who are our societies really replacing - is it merely the man and the woman that makes the births happen? Or is it more than them alone, we all do try to replace those with defects - those who are impaired visually, in hearing, intellectually or perhaps socially?
This makes me think of the question, can Aspies form families and raise children?
Some parents I know personally choose to stop giving birth to more children after the diagnosis of autism, in their first child. They either fear the possible subsequent children have autism, or that they may not be able to take care and love their first child as much as he deserves if he cannot get past his autism. Or else, they'd suffer 'burnout', from expending too much energy on the child, not personal pursuits.
(On a personal note, because of my limited personal energies, I prefer spending a few moments alone, while I babysit children in my free time.)
But all hope is not lost. With early intervention and a little bit of good fortune, people with autism and Asperger's can do well in life. Even without such intervention, current technologies make it more possible that Aspies and Auties can function well in life.
A father with autism deals with his son's diagnosis
I read an article above, it is about a father with with Autism talking about his experiences of raising an autistic child. He even got a doctorade degree in education. And he has a son with autism. So the challenge starts all over again.
But there is a chance that people with autism can still give birth to a kid without autism, at least, on media portrayal.
5 things to know about autism
After all, autism is not completely genetic, though there could be a genetic link.
So, not all hope is lost.
I know the 'risks' involved in raising children, as children may not be able to 'survive' and 'navigate' the world because of their conditions, I won't have children.
However, for those who has the resilience and the ability to overcome the challenges of having a household with possibly the child and the parent(s) being Aspie or Autie, why not, go ahead and give birth, to as many as you can!
In my opinion, family formation and giving birth should be dependant on the ability of the parents, regardless of conditions, but even more so for Aspies and Auties.
For those of us who can't even take care of ourselves, we're already limited by our relative social ineptitude, so should we allow children to see through our limitations? I don't believe we can survive on governmental welfare or family largesse all the time. However, for those Aspies and Auties who have the ability to provide for their children psychologically, mentally, physically and materially, if they also wish to have children, fine, go ahead.
Look at our younger friends. They have to go through endless and mindless standardised testing, everywhere around the world, be they are in Singapore or the United States. They grow up with lower incomes than their parents in real terms - yes, they got nicer computers and tablet computers, but a home seems out of reach for most prosperous places, and youth unemployment is commonplace throughout the developed world (let alone the developing countries). They still grow up in a world full of fears, but this time, it just feels like war happens everywhere, every day - terrorism hits home and can happen anywhere, as extremism is popular with the disenfranchised, and the structurally unemployed youth minority populations all over the world. Overall, this generation is characterised with a lower level of confidence to 'build the world' together, unlike those who grow up in earlier generations. So this is why total fertility rate is nearing replacement levels currently, as it reaches 2.36 - perhaps just enough to replace everyone in our world.
Actually, who are our societies really replacing - is it merely the man and the woman that makes the births happen? Or is it more than them alone, we all do try to replace those with defects - those who are impaired visually, in hearing, intellectually or perhaps socially?
This makes me think of the question, can Aspies form families and raise children?
Some parents I know personally choose to stop giving birth to more children after the diagnosis of autism, in their first child. They either fear the possible subsequent children have autism, or that they may not be able to take care and love their first child as much as he deserves if he cannot get past his autism. Or else, they'd suffer 'burnout', from expending too much energy on the child, not personal pursuits.
(On a personal note, because of my limited personal energies, I prefer spending a few moments alone, while I babysit children in my free time.)
But all hope is not lost. With early intervention and a little bit of good fortune, people with autism and Asperger's can do well in life. Even without such intervention, current technologies make it more possible that Aspies and Auties can function well in life.
A father with autism deals with his son's diagnosis
I read an article above, it is about a father with with Autism talking about his experiences of raising an autistic child. He even got a doctorade degree in education. And he has a son with autism. So the challenge starts all over again.
But there is a chance that people with autism can still give birth to a kid without autism, at least, on media portrayal.
5 things to know about autism
After all, autism is not completely genetic, though there could be a genetic link.
So, not all hope is lost.
I know the 'risks' involved in raising children, as children may not be able to 'survive' and 'navigate' the world because of their conditions, I won't have children.
However, for those who has the resilience and the ability to overcome the challenges of having a household with possibly the child and the parent(s) being Aspie or Autie, why not, go ahead and give birth, to as many as you can!
In my opinion, family formation and giving birth should be dependant on the ability of the parents, regardless of conditions, but even more so for Aspies and Auties.
For those of us who can't even take care of ourselves, we're already limited by our relative social ineptitude, so should we allow children to see through our limitations? I don't believe we can survive on governmental welfare or family largesse all the time. However, for those Aspies and Auties who have the ability to provide for their children psychologically, mentally, physically and materially, if they also wish to have children, fine, go ahead.
