Reflections
Essays from Kristy Forbes exploring PDA, autistic experience, parenting, identity, care, systems and the ordinary moments that shape family life.
An invitation to lead with love.
Jun 17, 2021
Contrary to popular parenting advice, the time when our children return to the safety of our energy after being in trouble is not the time to lecture.
It is not the time to remind our babies why we were angry o
...Sensory overload and a social hangover.
Jun 10, 2021
Sitting here reminiscing about the good ole masking in social situations; days of extreme and intense anxiety for weeks, months leading up to events with other people.
The day would finally arrive and I’d be fr
...Food, glorious food!
Jun 04, 2021
Trigger Warning: Mentions food, eating disorders and sensory aversions.
Please note the below is my personal experience and I am not a qualified medical professional or dietician.
Food. Glorious food.
Let’s talk ab...
Meeting my (now) husband.
May 20, 2021
In the years of my heavily masked unidentified autistic life, dating was an absolute nightmare.
I hated it.
Relationships caused me so much confusion, pain, self-doubt and anguish.
Flirting. Ugh
...Reclaiming the word "autistic."
May 13, 2021
A great beginning point when becoming a friend and ally to the autistic community is to use the term "autistic" rather than ASD.
I see the abbreviation ASD and my skin crawls.
Autism Spectrum Disorder.
...My disability is my most sacred ally.
May 06, 2021
So much of my anger, resentment and self-loathing as a young person came from the pressure I felt to mask.
Masking is both something I, as an autistic person partake in as a choice at times to get to where I wa
...When there's not enough processing time.
Apr 29, 2021
Parenting is tough.
Being autistic and parenting can be challenging when we share the same sensory challenges as our little people and need time and space to be calm.
Today we had a tricky moment and I
...I'm not looking at you.
Apr 22, 2021
I can’t tell you how concerning it is that we have such an incredibly uninformed requirement for autistic people to make eye contact.
When we understand autism as an identity and culture, we are able to reframe
...Hello there, passive-aggression.
Apr 15, 2021
This morning whilst packing up from a weekend away, one of my children told me I had been passive-aggressive.
It was a shock.
I had said “I’m sensing annoyance in your tone” and that was their response
...This is a difficult time. Let's acknowledge that.
Apr 08, 2021
Immerse yourself in communities, places and with people who feel right for you.
A group or page isn't necessarily safe or right because someone else says so.
You get to choose.
Last night I jumped
...