--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't think that there's a different…" description: "\"Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his streng..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/claire-scovell-lazebnik-90016_any_don-t-think-that-there-s-a-different-bet_2157479.jpg" --- # Don't think that there's a different, better child… ![“Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his strengths, celebrate his quirks, and improve his weaknesses, the way you would with any child. You may have to work harder on some of this, but that's…” quote by Claire Scovell LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/claire-scovell-lazebnik-90016_any_don-t-think-that-there-s-a-different-bet_2157479.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/claire-scovell-lazebnik-90016_any_don-t-think-that-there-s-a-different-bet_2157479.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/claire-scovell-lazebnik-90016_any_don-t-think-that-there-s-a-different-bet_2157479.jpg) > “Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his strengths, celebrate his quirks, and improve his weaknesses, the way you would with any child. You may have to work harder on some of this, but that's the goal.” [Claire Scovell LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-scovell-lazebnik/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasize loving and supporting the present child, not an idealized version. **In simple terms:** Love and accept the child you have now. Key Takeaway Focus on nurturing the child's current strengths. Themes parenting autism acceptance love growth Mood empathetic encouraging Type Any:0 Autism:1 Behind:0 Better:0 Celebrate:1 Child:1 Children:1 Different:0 Encourage:1 Front:0 Goal:0 Harder:0 Hiding:0 His:0 Improve:1 Love:1 May:0 Some:0 Strengths:1 Think:0 Way:0 Weaknesses:1 Work:0 Work harder:0 Would:0 You:0 Your:0 Your child:0 Better Child:0 Child Hiding:0 Hiding Autism:0 Autism Child:1 When to use this quote - family counseling - educational planning - daily interaction Key Concepts neurodiversity strength-based approach self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance acceptance with encouragement? - What strengths can be highlighted in autistic children? A Different Perspective Idealized expectations can hinder genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Autism Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism-child-3994222/) [Behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behind/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-child-289166/) [Celebrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/celebrate/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-hiding-3750553/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Encourage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encourage/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Hiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding/) [Hiding Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiding-autism-3994221/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Improve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improve/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Strengths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strengths/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Weaknesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weaknesses/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-harder/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) [Your child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-child/) ## Related quotes > [Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. 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My child is so much more than a diagnosis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-l-westendorf-coelho/autism-is-part-of-my-child-it-s-not-everything-he-is-my-child-is-so/) [Sandra L Westendorf-Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-l-westendorf-coelho/) > [As a parent with a child with autism, it's been really tough to experience your child having autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deron-williams/as-a-parent-with-a-child-with-autism-it-s-been-really-tough-to/) [Deron Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deron-williams/) > [My mother is so full of joy and life. I am her child. 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Whence, then, this worship of the past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/is-the-parent-better-than-the-child-into-whom-he-has-cast-his-ripened/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“if you want to understand your child better then see through the child's eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/revathi-sankaran/if-you-want-to-understand-your-child-better-then-see-through-the/) [Revathi Sankaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/revathi-sankaran/) > [There is nothing intrinsically better about a child who happily bounces off to school the first day and a child who is wary, watchful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-galinsky/there-is-nothing-intrinsically-better-about-a-child-who-happily/) [Ellen Galinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-galinsky/) > [There isn't a sound better than your own child's laugh...There isn't a sight better than your own child's smile...and Nothing is better than being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/there-isn-t-a-sound-better-than-your-own-child-s-laugh-there-isn-t-a/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Claire Scovell LaZebnik > [When our son's autism was diagnosed at the age of 2, there was no clear prognosis. 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