Parenting a child with autism comes with many unique challenges that can be stressful. While your child might need a lot of attention and support, it’s important to avoid pushing your own needs aside.
You have a life, too; one of the best ways to show up for your child is to show up for yourself. You must remember it is not selfish to support your own needs. After all, when your needs are met, you are better equipped with the energy and mental bandwidth you require to fully show up for your child in the best way.
Whatever you are feeling, just know that you are not alone. Parenting a child with autism can sometimes feel lonely, but there are others out there with challenges much like yours. Finding that community can be invaluable.
In this article, we offer tips to help you navigate the stress that comes with parenting a child with autism. We also provide resources that can help you find the support you need.
Tips to Support Parents of Children with Autism
1. Feel your feelings
Whatever you may be feeling, you must find an outlet for those feelings as opposed to bottling them up. Pushing your feelings aside can make it much more challenging to attend to your child’s feelings and needs.
Whether you are angry, sad, frustrated, or even lonely, it’s okay to express these feelings. Talk to your family or friends about how you are feeling. Let them see you and be there for you. If you are not ready to be so open with friends and loved ones, consider engaging the services of a therapist. Some therapists regularly work with parents who have children with autism. You can also try writing your feelings down in a journal as a way to let them out and process them.
2. Be angry at the situation, not your family
While it is good to express your feelings, it is important to be mindful of how you do this. If you are angry, for example, make sure you direct that anger at the situation and not at a person.
For example, you can let your family see that you are upset, but make sure they know you are not upset with them. This can help you connect with your family and find better ways to support one another as they might be feeling a similar way.
3. Appreciate the victories, big or small
When you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it might seem like everything is too much to handle. However, it is especially important during the hard times to focus on the positives and small victories when you can; this can help you push through the haze of frustration.
For example, focus on what your child can do or where their strengths lie. In a similar vein, focus on your strengths instead of the areas you feel you are unsuccessful.
4. Make time for yourself
It’s important to make sure the diagnosis does not consume you. To best support your child and family, make sure that you take time to take care of your own needs.
This may look different for everyone, but examples may include making time for your hobbies and interests, ensuring you get enough sleep, practicing regular exercise, and making time to see your friends and maintain social connections.
5. Ask for help
If you don’t feel like you have enough time to do everything you want or need to do, it might be because you are trying to do too much on your own. Not only is it okay to ask for help, but it is often necessary and encouraged.
Having outside support is crucial when raising a family, especially when you have a child with autism. Understandably, reaching out for help can feel uncomfortable, but you may often be surprised by the support you receive when you take the first step.
6. Connect with the community
Support does not just have to come from your close friends and family. There are likely many others like yourself that you can connect with in your community or online who can offer you support and share their own experiences. Meetup.com and Facebook groups, for example, are great places to find ASD support groups and meetup events for parents of children with autism.
Sometimes, simply spending time chatting with other parents who are dealing with the same frustrations as you can offer you a new perspective. It can also help you make new connections with people that you can add to your community of support when you need someone to rely on. You may find a family with whom you can swap services. Providing support to other families in your situation can be rewarding, too.
7. Take advantage of services in your area
There are also organizations that you can look into that offer a range of services for families of children with ASD, such as Autism Speaks or the Central Illinois Autism Association.
You can also look into therapy services that can help you and your child, such as ABA therapy. ABA therapy is particularly effective at improving communication between parents and their children with autism, which can help alleviate stress and foster better connections.
GBC Autism Services: Support for Parents
At GBC Autism Services we provide a wide range of services for families of children with autism. We specialize in individualized care and treatments, including those based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy). Our mission is to help transform the lives of children with autism and their families by utilizing research-proven techniques.
For additional support resources and sensory-friendly events, check out our Facebook page. You can also visit our website for more information about our services.
Resources: https://www.ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk/information-about-autism/early-years/parent-toolkit
