moonstruckmadness

olena , 6 hours ago to actuallyautistic

Fellow #autistic , #AuDHD, #ADHD and other #neurodivergent folks, do you relate to that stereotype that we always choose the smallest spoon?
I couldn’t relate to it because no, I won’t eat soup with the smallest spoon.

Because choosing the right spoon is more complex than just size.

For my soup, the spoon should be deep and with proper proportions to keep the perfect balance, so I need to do less deeps in order to finish my bowl and spill less soup doing so(and yes, I prefer eating liquid food from bowls and not plates because it helps to maintain the temperature, lets grab it more efficiently and spill less if accidentally moving the bowl or the table) - which is quite important taking to consideration the usual autistic dyspraxia. It also has to be right to touch(not rough), without sharp edges. I hate too small or too shallow spoons for soup because using those means I would get tired of the process of eating way before I finish it.

On the other hand, for all the yoghurts and other packed desserts I find even a teaspoon to be too big, so I buy coffee spoons, and I use them for eating everything that comes in those small plastic/foil containers - because it’s just the right size in proportion and because it’s easier to reach each corner.

But, for the desserts that come in a glass, I have cocktail spoons, because there should always be a certain distance between my hand on the spoon and the glass, and it should be able to reach to the bottom and not sink inside.

Any spoon should, of course, have a right balance, touch, shape and edges.

Though, all of these things with a spoon are nothing compared to the forks!
My family ridicules me for my quest for finding The Right Fork.
The fork should not just be correctly balanced, nice to touch and with smooth edges, oh no, for a fork what’s actually important is the teeth! They should be long, but not too broad and not too narrow, not too thick and not too thin, and spaced correctly, and with sharp enough tips, but not sides, rather roundish than flat, and just curved at a right angle so my wrist doesn’t go in an uncomfortable position whether I’m trying to pick something or to hold something while cutting. Ah, and the side should be just right to be able to cut my food, but not my mouth. And, of course, almost everything that’s not liquid gets eaten by the fork.

Ah, and also I have fruit forks. Those tiny ones. Because I have a habit of making a fruit plate daily(cut a few fruits in thin slices), and eating them with a fruit fork allows me to not have juicy hands afterwards :). These have to be as little as possible without making my fingers tough the food, and also sharp enough.

So nooo, I don’t relate to ‘always chose the smallest spoon’, but can’t say I don’t care about the cutlery either

@actuallyautistic