Good Vibe University
Last month I had the joy and honour of joining Good Vibe University‘s “Follow Your Feel Good” conversation about the Gifts of Autism. I chatted with some wonderful women about how autism has changed us, enlightened us, and brought us gifts we’d never imagined in our pre-autism lives.
I invite you to take a listen.
If
If my child didn’t have autism, my world would be different.
My children would have furniture in their bedroom and decorations on their walls instead of mattresses on the floor.
My son would nap when he’s tired instead of pacing and jumping and screaming and encouraging his brother to join in.
We could go out and enjoy the world in the evening instead of having to wrangle exhausted children into bed early.
Mealtimes would be spent enjoying each others company instead of constantly reminding my son to sit in his chair and not lay across it or pace around the kitchen.
We could stay with family when we travel instead of always having to stay in a hotel. And I wouldn’t be quite so afraid to fly with my children.
We could have a lazy day at home without worrying if the children have had enough physical activity to make it through the day without a breakdown.
We could go to the movies or a show or a concert or a parade without worrying about the sound and light levels.
We could get a babysitter without worrying about his/her welfare.
We wouldn’t have to explain why we can’t always have friends over or why we can’t always make playdates or why we can’t be super flexible all the time.
We wouldn’t have to always explain how autism affects our entire family, not just my son.
We wouldn’t have to explain that my younger children do not have autism, even though sometimes they act just like their big brother in stressful or exciting situations.
We wouldn’t have to wonder if our two neurotypical children will eventually learn to model their peers and not their brother’s erratic behaviour.
I wouldn’t feel like I’m a warrior, in constant battle for my child’s life and my own sanity.
If my child didn’t have autism, my world would be different.
I might not have learned to be patient and trust that my child will figure things out.
I might not have appreciated the sheer magic in watching a child acquire language, through any means necessary.
I might not have learned all the valuable tools for learning that I’ve shared with my younger children.
I might not have learned the subtle art of negotiation with a child that allows him to flourish and gain control of his life while still guiding him.
I might have missed the necessity of an afternoon downtime.
I would have never met the community of amazing people it took to lift my child up and put and keep him on his path.
I would never have met the community of amazing people it has taken to lift me up and put and keep me on my path.
I might not have had such a compelling reason to rediscover my joy of writing.
I would never have known about the beauty found in the tiniest details of life around me, as pointed out by my son.
I wouldn’t have the unbelievably amazing child who is my oldest son. My beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy.
My beautiful boy.
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One Year Later…
Autism is A Trip is one year old today. Well, it was on the 12th, when I started writing this. Before my youngest child pulled a bunch of keys off my laptop keyboard. Before my sinus headache eased enough for me to look at the screen long enough to type. Before… well, life continued to happen.
Life does just keep on moving on like that, doesn’t it? I suppose if I wait for the “perfect” time to do anything, the time will never come. I’m finding more and more that the “perfect” times happen when you least expect them, and are often perfect only in retrospect.
Anyway, it has been an eventful year since I started this endeavor. I have learned much, gained perspective, and continued to laugh. I have met amazing people I might never have connected with otherwise, and I have realized there are a lot of parents out there in autism-land like me.
Parents who are struggling, but making it work somehow. Parents who hate and love the challenges they’ve been given by their “special” children. Parents who desperately want to laugh, because sometimes the alternative is just too much to bear.
Thank you to everyone who has joined my journey of love and laughter. I am deeply touched by every single person who has taken the time to comment here or on Facebook, or to contact me directly. Together we are community, together we are strong.
I look forward to many more years of sharing the craziness of my life. As always, I’m so glad you’re here.
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