Things I Wish I Had Known When My Son Was Diagnosed With Autism

THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN WHEN MY SON WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM:

To tackle guilt from the very beginning.

To focus on self-care earlier on.

To make finding peace a priority.

To not judge my beginnings so harshly.

To focus on the good more, even when it was hardest to find.

To stand up for myself sooner.

To realize that the child I have right now is not the child I will have a year from now.

To stop worrying so much about my child. He will be okay because I will make his life okay.

To acknowledge that the goal is not to turn an autistic person into a non-autistic person. The goal is to help an autistic person who struggles, become an autistic person who doesn’t struggle.

That very few people will understand our lives, and that’s okay.

That the biggest critics and givers of advice, know nothing of our struggles.

To choose my battles carefully.

That it’s not a race against time. Our kids are lifelong learners.

That I am learning too and to give myself some grace.

To not follow blindly when it comes to my son, we are on our own path.

That this can be a very lonely and isolating journey and to look for the helpers.

To spend less time researching how to help my son and instead spend more time playing and interacting with him.

That wanting to give up at times makes you human but refusing to do so makes you a parent.

That I will love this child more than I ever thought humanly possible.

And finally, that I am the lucky one.

Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.