As an Autism Parent for over a decade, I’ve experienced all kinds of judgement and ridicule. The world can be a very unforgiving place for parents like me. We do things that people don’t understand or frankly, misunderstand because it’s what we have to do in order to survive.

I’ve made a decision today and I’m encouraging all my Autism famiiles to do the same thing.

From this day forward, I will no longer apologize or feel guilty for doing what I have to do in order to survive an impossibly difficult and often solutionless situation.

I will no longer apologize or feel guilty for:

– being tired all the time and taking any form of sleep I can get, when I can get it

– putting my kids before things like housework

– allocating my limited resources where they’re needed most, even at the expense of bills

– not being able to attend your function because I can’t find a sitter and my kids won’t handle the stimulation well

– taking my kids out in public, knowing that they could disturb someone with a meltdown

– having a utility service shut off because the money for that bill went to pay for therapy that insurance wouldn’t cover

– putting my kids on medication that I feel is in their best interest

– going to an IEP meeting armed to the teeth with adrenaline, fierce determination, witty one liners and if necessary the aggression of a grizzly bear

– my kids with Autism not completing their homework on time or at all because homework for some kids with Autism is ridiculous

– bringing a list of my worries and concerns to an appointment and not leaving until we’ve discussed them

– not having the patience for unsolicited, ignorant parenting advice and the people that force it upon me

– sometimes putting myself first because if I’m don’t take care of myself, I can’t take care of my kids