My Story

It begins

My Autism education started when my son entered Kindergarten. I didn’t have the resources or financial ability to send him to pre-school, so I was caught a little off guard when I was asked by his teachers to get him evaluated for Autism. The idea that there could be an issue with my son’s development sent me to the depths of frustration. I knew his behaviors weren’t like other typical children, but I just thought he was a little different. 

Needless to say, the older my son got, the more I noticed differences between him and his peers. At first, I could just chalk his behavior up to being immature or acting out for his age. But then the dreaded “Puberty” hit. Wow! I gotta say, I wasn’t prepared. 

One of my son’s psychiatrists put it in a way that made total sense. “Autism and puberty don’t mix.” I have to agree with that statement! Puberty is challenging enough, but to watch someone who has a developmental delay and impulse control issues struggle with raging hormones is heartbreaking at times. There are times when I felt (and still feel) so helpless. How do I help my son? 

Knowledge

I am an educator by profession, so the first thing I did was borrow some books from my local library. I did research online, read blogs, talked to teachers at his school. I did anything I could think of. I was homeschooled from 5th grade on, so I never knew anyone with Autism. No family member of mine had Autism, so I had no one to talk to. This sense of loneliness, desperation, and sense of not belonging was hard to bear. 

Honestly, I had some tough mental times during those years. It seemed like no matter where I went, no one understood what I was going through or what I had to do to keep my son from having a meltdown. Times when we were in line at the grocery store and he would completely lose it while waiting our turn, only made me want to isolate even more. But there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Understanding

There were several books that I read that really helped me understand how to “meet” with my son on his level. I have links to recommended books on the “Tools” section of this blog. I am also working on a more in-depth course that will be available soon with more information about each subject.

Bottom line….love your child for who they are! Love and celebrate their strengths and individuality. Love their quirks and learn how to help them manage life as they grow up and enter their teen years and beyond. Teach them how to live in the world, while still maintaining their values and identity!