Once again another sign that I am exactly like you, life got in the way of posting daily like I would like. The struggle is real to find enough hours in each day and I am affected just as you are. But rather than feel guilty about what I perceive a failure, I am consciously choosing to accept I continue to grow into this process and will take each day as it comes. WHEW!!! Just writing that makes me nervous. What will people think if I am not superwoman? How can I possibly be effective if I can’t reach the unrealistic bar I set for myself? See, not so different.
Okay, since it has been a couple days, I have a few pieces of useful (I hope) information for you. One of the biggest struggles I hear from parents of children on the spectrum, and I myself struggled with, is discipline. Timeouts were the punishment of the day when my daughter was young and although they allowed me to get myself together when I was frustrated with her actions, they actually gave her exactly what she wanted isolation and not social demands. So what could take the place of timeouts and taking away her electronics (I know, some of you just GASPED at the thought of doing something so cruel)? Well, interestingly enough it’s exactly what WE, as adults, want when we are behaving badly…someone to listen. There is research supporting schools can be more effective using it as well. Now to convince them the extra time and energy is for the greater good…
Another interesting article I came across in the past few days talked about panic attacks, which if you start listening to your child’s concerns, you may start having yourself:) Anyone who suffers from panic attacks knows that they can be debilitating. Anyone who has never had a panic attack generally believe they are exaggerated, hysterical reactions to normal, everyday life. You can’t explain them to someone who hasn’t had one any more than you could explain a heart attack to someone who hasn’t had one. They are very individualized and can often be situation specific. Ironically, it is something we can share and empathize with our kids about. Anxiety and ASD’s often times go hand in hand.
As I continue to navigate the waters in the ocean of Autism, I often tell people if I had one wish it would be to spend a day inside my daughter’s mind and body. To understand better what it is like to live in her body, think about the world as she does and to be so utterly perplexed by everyday interactions. I came across this letter written to parents from a girl with autism and although it failed to answer a lot of the BIG questions, it somehow gave me comfort, It made me look back and smile at reactions I had, more towards others than my daughter, when she had had a meltdown in public. Others still irritate me a lot more by their reaction, than her meltdowns ever do. There are times when i don’t what to be the Autism educator. There are times I just want to be a mom who would like people not to stare but maybe offer to help. I want people to be more considerate and mindful. I want a lot.
autismlmhc 