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Autism….
What happens now?
After our child is diagnosed with autism, we can easily feel lost in our world. Our life is now turned upside down. There are so many emotions we go through when trying to figure out what’s next. All those emotions will also bring countless decisions we never thought we’d have to make.
How will we make it to all the therapy appointments?
Will we choose public schools, private schools, or home school?
Who can we trust to watch our autistic child?
Did you know that about 70% of parents of children with autism said they are kept from working due to a lack of appropriate care facilities for their child? I came across this outrageous statistic in an article in “The Guardian” from 2013.
I believe many moms will do whatever it takes to be there for their child. When you have a non verbal child, it’s very hard to find someone you can trust to care for them. If our child can’t tell us what’s going on, then it’s easier to just care for them ourselves. No one else knows how to handle our child and their meltdowns, so our instinct just tells us to stay home with them. Will my job be able to accommodate all my needs to care for my autistic child? If they can’t, then that means quitting our job. Our job helps give us purpose in life. As a mom, our purpose is to raise our child and help give them the tools they need in life. Giving up our dream job can seem devastating. Our hopes and dreams we once had for ourselves are now shattered. The hopes and dreams we have for our child are MORE important. Now how will we afford the extra care our child will need? Statistics also show in a 2013 article from “The Guardian,” that only 11% of parents of children with autism work full-time.
Where do you start?
What does this mean for you if you’ve given up your dream job to stay home and care for your child?
How can you possibly find time for anything other than therapies and schooling, let alone the cooking, cleaning, and sleeping?
Do you feel like your autistic child can’t handle being in public so you can’t go anywhere?
As a married, working mother of 3 children, one of which is on the autism spectrum, I can assure you every mom can find their new purpose. It took me 3 years before I found my purpose again. I decided I wanted to share my life with autism to help anyone else out there who felt they were struggling like I was. I like to think that I was figuring things out as we went, but I know I’ve had many experiences where I felt completely lost and alone with no direction. While I haven’t quit my full time job, I still wanted to find time to help other autism moms and families. By sharing my experiences as well as writing blogs, I hope to remind every mom (or dad) that you are strong enough and powerful enough to make a beautiful life for your family. There IS hope. You DO have a purpose in this new world you are in. The change can be frightening, but autism moms are one of a kind. We do whatever we can to survive. We give our child everything we have so THEY can survive. We move mountains for them. We break down those barriers and make our way through them.
These are only just a few of the challenges and emotions we face as autism moms.
As a mom who’s faced some of these challenges, I’m here to remind you…
You are a Badass Autism Mom!
Some Ways to Help Empower Yourself
Ask for help! Give yourself a break. YOU are enough for your child and asking for help is OK! This can be from a friend, relative, babysitter, spouse, and even therapists or teachers. Every little bit helps!
Build a tribe! Our children need all the support they can get, so find your village! Near and far! From support groups to friends, make connections with those who understand you. Don’t do this alone.
Find a mentor! Not only for yourself but also your autistic child. This can help you understand what you are going through but also help prepare you for what’s to come. This can also help your child to understand themselves.
Find your new path in life. Start by finding ways that maybe you can raise awareness to the autism community. Any way that we can help other moms struggling. Use those ideas to start your own business! The options are endless!
Never forget your self care!
Don’t lose hope!
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