AUTISM Tip: Others Don’t Understand What It’s Like When You’re A Parent Of A Child With Autism

You deserve to feel supported, understood and acknowledged as a parent of a child with Autism.

The path you walk is different to the path that the parent next door walks.

One of the toughest things for parents that we work for is the sense of isolation they have and the feeling that “Other parents don’t understand what I’m going through.”

Sure, there are plenty of support groups on Facebook, but you deserve more. There is an enormous difference between talking with a human being, versus writing a message that people respond to a few hours later and that you then respond back to them with text in. Talk to humans.

It is so much more helpful to talk to a human being, either in person, or on the phone.

Do you realise that you already have many parents in your social circles who have children with Autism. These people would love to have a chat with you if they only knew how much you are hurting and how isolated you feel.

Sometimes we need to be brave and reach out to others and invite them for a coffee or asked them for help.

I have facilitated many hundreds of parent training sessions for families with a child with Autism. In these sessions, I’ve never met a parent of a child who wasn’t happy to help another parent in the similar shoes. Never.

Here’s what parents of children with Autism are starting to learn: There is no substitute for talking with another parent who has walked in your shoes and who understands. If you don’t have a couple of those people in your life already, maybe today is the day you will arrange a coffee with someone who understands. What have you got to lose?

Michael Clark (Course leader for children & teens with Autism)

www.amazingskills.com.au