Having an autistic child is a roller coaster of emotions but as I sit, now 6 years down the line I thought I would reflect on what my autistic child has taught me.
Love
The word love gets bounded around all over the place but until you become a parent I don’t believe it’s ever clear what love means.
I would also argue that having any child with a disability amplifies that love even more.
Having my daughter has made me realise that she is in desperate need of help and support and quite frankly how I will move mountains for her.
Chores that parents of neuro-typical children might roll their eyes at I am happy to do for her because she means so much and needs my help.
Patience
This is probably the most common answer for parents in our position.
You have to be patient with all children of course but I am sure you’ll agree, with an autistic child your patience has to be through the roof.
The fact is that autistic children can at times be,(whisper it quietly) annoying. I know that sounds mean but that is just the hard truth. But as parents we develop a thick skin and any behaviour which may annoy others just flies past without us batting an eyelid.
Pride
Raising an autistic child has taught me tremendous pride in myself, my wife and my daughter. We have all coped tremendously well and are a very close unit despite the challenges.
I have also learnt to take pride in the smaller wins that regular parents may not notice. Something like your child instigating a game would mean very little to parents of neuro-typical children, but it fills me with pride every time.
Or it could be the first time your child puts pen to paper or even smiles at you. What I have realised is that I find bursts of pride on a daily basis and it’s a wonderful feeling.
Sympathy
Raising an autistic child has taught me that life isn’t always a straight line. You never know which direction it may take you.
With that in mind it has helped me appreciate the plight of others either caring for or living with a disability.
It’s made me realise that there are a number of people struggling in the community with little to no help and are getting through life like absolute heros.
It has made me take notice of carers in the community possibly taking an autistic adult out for the day. Or even made me acknowledge when a venue is missing wheelchair ramps or other adjustments you would expect.
Summary – What my autistic child taught me
Having an autistic child is a life altering experience. It changes your thoughts, plans and view of the world.
Looking back however at my life before my daughter I can say with absolute clarity however that it has made me a better person.
That’s something which I am sure many of you can relate to also.
Please feel free to browse our archive for more articles on raising autistic children.
