So I have been a part of the Twitter Autism community for a short time now, but I have to say it has been one of my most positive experiences as an Autism mom. I was telling our marriage counselor last night that not only is it a constant source of information and resources, it is also constant validation. I am hearing so many of the same experiences that I have on a daily basis. It is refreshing and reassuring. I am not alone in the things I observe and live with. For instance, there is a whole thread that is- you may be an autism parent if....
I will post some of my favorites, just so you get an idea.
You May be An Autism Parent if:
You've learned what really matters in this journey of life
Your child is turning out to be your teacher...
Your child tells you the same things/stories over and over and over again until you want to scream!!!
You're grateful for any achievement your child makes, no matter how seemingly small
The really great days stand out because they are so rare
You feel like a chemist each night fixing meds and vitamins. It's funny because it's true.
The walk home from school takes ages as s/he has to hug each lampost they pass.
You don't pay attention to gender specific toys or movies, as long as your child loves it, that's what matters
You cut ties with all negativity/judgement and focus on those who build you up and support- nobody else matters.
You feel like everyday is a battle with the school system. Advocacy never takes a break.
The morning starts with a meltdown over which light switch to turn on.
You consider adding "days without incident" sign to the wall
Almost every day you feel the highest of highs and the lowest of lows within seconds of each other.
Your son has full conversations with himself on a regular basis. And you find out a lot about your son this way.
You have to explain the next days plan every night before bed to make it through the next day or you could pay.
Your child has to go to the surgery center and go under gas to get their teeth cleaned.
binder has a whole other meaning- yours is full of OT, PT, IEP, GI consult, neurosych, lab tests, speech eval...
You want to smack anyone who says, don't worry, he will grow out of it.
Any single one of these could apply to our family on any given day. And most families of a child with autism. This sense of community is priceless to me.
Wish I could give each person credit for the thoughts they shared, instead I will just say, if you are on twitter, type in #youmaybeanautismparentif. It's worth the read.
I will post some of my favorites, just so you get an idea.
You May be An Autism Parent if:
You've learned what really matters in this journey of life
Your child is turning out to be your teacher...
Your child tells you the same things/stories over and over and over again until you want to scream!!!
You're grateful for any achievement your child makes, no matter how seemingly small
The really great days stand out because they are so rare
You feel like a chemist each night fixing meds and vitamins. It's funny because it's true.
The walk home from school takes ages as s/he has to hug each lampost they pass.
You don't pay attention to gender specific toys or movies, as long as your child loves it, that's what matters
You cut ties with all negativity/judgement and focus on those who build you up and support- nobody else matters.
You feel like everyday is a battle with the school system. Advocacy never takes a break.
The morning starts with a meltdown over which light switch to turn on.
You consider adding "days without incident" sign to the wall
Almost every day you feel the highest of highs and the lowest of lows within seconds of each other.
Your son has full conversations with himself on a regular basis. And you find out a lot about your son this way.
You have to explain the next days plan every night before bed to make it through the next day or you could pay.
Your child has to go to the surgery center and go under gas to get their teeth cleaned.
binder has a whole other meaning- yours is full of OT, PT, IEP, GI consult, neurosych, lab tests, speech eval...
You want to smack anyone who says, don't worry, he will grow out of it.
Any single one of these could apply to our family on any given day. And most families of a child with autism. This sense of community is priceless to me.
Wish I could give each person credit for the thoughts they shared, instead I will just say, if you are on twitter, type in #youmaybeanautismparentif. It's worth the read.
