Aussie Parent of an Autistic and ADHD Boy Leaves Warning Note on Neighbor's Car Windscreen, Angers Netizens

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By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Sep 20, 07:23 pm

Photo: (Photo : Getty Images / China Photos)

A parent left a handwritten note on a neighbor's car windscreen, and it divided the netizens.

An Australian resident posted a photo of a handwritten note left on the windscreen of her car on Reddit. It was a warning note saying not to park her car where it was parked as her son, who has autism and ADHD, might throw stones at it and damage their car, K News Media reported.

The message read, "Please note our son is impulsive and destructive. Since moving in, he has drawn on my car with texta, thrown a few rocks across the front of complex and if a car was parked where this one is it would [have] smashed a window. He has thrown numerous items from our balcony. I know that I have been very vocal about cars parking out the front here and this is a huge factor. I, as a parent of a ADHD/ASD child, I can only pre-empt so much. Please only park here if you're willing to accept damage to your car."

Warning note has sparked debate online

The post has already attracted more than 70,000 votes and 9,000 comments, which are of opposite opinions, resulting in a debate on social media.

Many were enraged by the parent's note calling it "infuriating." Many also accused the parents of "not taking enough responsibility" for their son. A parent with an "unstoppable force of a kid" described the parents as "lazy," saying that these kinds of things are preventable as most things are. Another commented that even if their son has autism and ADHD, he is not exempted from any damages if he destroys something intentionally or by accident. The parents are also not exempted, even if they say they have done everything they can.

Some also said that if their son has "destructive inclinations," the parents need to find a way to support him better, especially since he can throw rocks from the second floor. There is a possibility that cars will not only be hit but also people and animals, 7 News relayed.

On the other hand, a group also offered empathy to the parents expressing their understanding and concern. One comment said that as a witness of a true ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) child in practice, it's "honestly a horrible thing to go through" for both kids and parents. Another expressed sympathy, knowing that raising a kid with autism and ADHD is not easy.

A parent with ODD also expressed that the parents should not have left the note. However, based on experience, it is impossible to understand the irrational and destructive behavior the parents are dealing with.

The resident who shared the warning note on Reddit responded to all the comments, saying that he had already talked to the parent face to face and that he could see that the parents were not simply projecting the problem to them but were genuinely trying to help their kid.

Aggressive behavior and self-injury in autistic kids

Sometimes, children with autism can only express their emotions through aggressive behavior towards others and themselves.

These children behave aggressively or hurt themselves because they have difficulty understanding what is happening around them, especially if people communicate non-verbally. They also become aggressive when frustrated and unable to express their wants and needs.

Anxiety and stress can also cause this behavior, much more so if they want to escape these stressful situations or activities that they find themselves in, Raising Children shared.

These kids also have sensory sensitivities making them oversensitive to noise or anything that needs stimulation.

Parents with austistic and ADHD children should get to the root cause of their aggressiveness. The first step to managing and changing this behavior is by understanding why it is happening in the first place. Once parents understand, they can only help their children handle and manage their behavior.