November 11, 2022

What It Is Like Raising A Child With Autism

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What is it like raising a child with autism?

It’s everything at once.
It’s glimmers of hope.
It’s heartbreaking.
It’s celebrating the big and little wins.

It’s grieving what you thought would be but isn’t.
It’s loving your child as they are with your entire being.
It’s sometimes yearning for ‘normalcy’.
It’s elation.
It’s despair.
It’s utter exhaustion beyond imagination.

It’s gratitude.
It’s loneliness.
It’s inspiring.
It’s crying yourself to sleep for fear about the future when we’re gone.
It’s love.
It’s sometimes no progress and lots of regression.

It’s coming out of hard cycles and feeling hopeful.
It’s aging parents with children who still need full care like toddlers.
It’s seeing the absolute magic in your child’s eyes and potential for growth.
And, if you’re lucky, it’s finding other parents and caregivers in the same boat who know what you’re going through and lift you up with the words and understanding to help you carry on through this journey.
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Laura Costas

Our blog, The Autism Ride on Facebook, is about our teenaged son and our family's journey with moderate to severe autism and all of the things that come with it. We hope to build a community of parents, caregivers, family and friends who care for someone on the spectrum and need connection with others who understand, and to educate the general public.

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