When Todd’s daughter, Sofia, told him she wanted to write about autism for her end-of-year middle school research paper, Todd was both excited and anxious. Both the anxiety and excitement came from wondering what parts of her life experience with autism she incorporated into herself. The connective conversation that took place and became s2. E5. N15. of the Otherness Podcast titled Like Father Like Daughter. A Family Discussion About Autism.
The tables of the Otherness Podcast are turned as Todd is interviewed by his daughter, Sofia. She asks intuitive questions about how Todd understands challenges hospitals have with engaging families affected by autism, the changing landscape from finding a “cure” for autism towards community and cultural support, and what she was surprised to learn in her research about how autism is actually a part of all of us.
“Embracing autism is embracing the human condition”
Like many of us, Todd has understood it is hard to “leave your work at the office”, especially when you spend it with families facing all of the challenges of autism as he does. He realized that his daughter, Sofia, was incorporating some of the spoken and unspoken lessons she learned about autism into her own ideas and questions. This led her to write a research paper on autism for a middle school project and was able to explore what we know and don’t know about autism.
“I never thought of it as weird, it was just who my uncle was.”
Todd has always wanted Sofia to form her own voice, which she did. While some of her views overlap with her father, some do not. Their discussion helped Todd realize that the children watching us try to “figure out autism” are actually growing up in an environment where they actually experience autism with those around them. Sofia not only learned about autism from growing up with her Uncle Jay, but saw communities embracing those with special needs. This brings normalcy to relationships grown in autism. She never viewed Jay as anything but her uncle and describes how she can relate to some of his autism traits for herself as we all need tools to cope that may involve repetition and order. They also discuss caring for people with autism in schools, hospitals, and therapy sessions while reflecting on what Jay experienced and what they have seen around them today.
s2. E5. N15. of the Otherness Podcast is titled Like Father Like Daughter. A Family Discussion About Autism.
The Otherness Podcast is exploring and engaging autism through experienced stories with Dr. Todd Peter Levine and is available on most places and sites where you like to listen to podcasts.
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Opening Theme Song Music Credits
“Otherness Podcast Intro Theme Song and Music” by Nicholas Burling
Copyright 2021 Late Leopard Publishing/Nick Burling (ASCAP)
Administered by Late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
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Closing Theme Song Music Credits
“Otherness Podcast Outro Theme Song and Music” by Nicholas Burling
Copyright 2021 Late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
Administered by late Leopard Publishing (ASCAP)
Like Father Like Daughter. A Family Discussion About Autism.
