Never Give Up Hope: Navigating Autism as a Mother
Hope.
Gosh I hear that word a lot.
Have hope.
Never give up hope.
All we can do is hope.
In the world of special needs, hope is a hot topic.
Hope and I have had a rocky relationship over the last few years.
For years I hoped nothing was wrong with my baby.
Then I hoped my toddler would catch up. And then I hoped that it was ‘just’ a speech delay. Then I hoped it wasn’t autism. And once I found out that it was, I hoped he was high functioning.
Later I hoped for words and hugs and sleep and that we could leave the house and that we could stand still as a family.
I hoped way down deep that he would someday be fine and graduate and get a job and move out and have a family. But I kept that hope hidden. Because it made some people angry. And I didn’t know how to give up on it…as his mom.
I hoped so much I drove myself crazy.
And I even lost my hope for a while. And people came after me for that too.
See, hope is a funny thing.
Because to the outside world, I was hoping to change my son. Or not hoping enough. Some even thought I gave up hoping for his future.
And then I realized something, in my not so graceful way. I needed to look at hope in a realistic way. In a way that worked for me as a mom to an amazing little boy with different abilities.
And I hoped for peace from the worry that was always trying to consume me.
Me and hope went a few rounds over the years. But this kid and I came out on top.
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.
