I've been asked a question by one of the families with whom I work - how do we tell our daughter she has autism?  It's an interesting problem - this girl is now 10 years old, and within the last couple of years has become more aware of her difference from the other kids.  She's also beginning to learn how to advocate for herself - telling friends or teacher how she feels, what she needs - she's not good at it yet, but she's starting to "get" it.

For the past couple of years I have noticed the increasing number of vehicles with the cute stick-figure family decals, some with names, some not, some even have pets, too. What I'm wondering is if they are really a good idea. Is it smart to identify how many children ride in the car? Or am I being too cautious?