When Autism parenting is what you do, day in and say out, it gets exhausting. The reality is, so few of us get regular breaks. It's unbelievable, unless you've experienced it, but considering how fast Autism is growing, there's a serious lack of resources available for parents.
This will vary depending on where you live, but generally speaking, it's hard to find resources to help with the day to day challenges, associated with Autism parenting.
One of the hardest things for an Autism parent to come by, is a break.
Getting a break is not only the hardest thing to come by, but also one of the most important things an Autism parent needs. If this seems like a problem, you're absolutely right.
There is no direct fix for this, until funding becomes available for building community resources, and ensuring they are either free or affordable.
Until such a time, it's extremely important to take advantage of every minute of downtime you can get.
My wife and I are blessed because we generally get one night off, every week or two. That may not seem like a lot, especially compared to the time spent in the trenches, but it's more than some parents get, and we are very grateful for it.
The boys are with their Grandparents for a little but today. They will be coming home soon, and it's important that we make the most out of the down time we have.
There are always a million things that need done around the house, and when the boys are gone, it would be a great time to get caught up. Having said that, I bet many, if not most of the Autism parenting community would agree that the first thing we do when we get a break, is crash.
Lizze and I are no different. Most of the time, we sleep. We sleep as much as we can, before the boys return. The truth is, we have no idea when the next chance to get a nap will come along.
When it comes to being an Autism parent, it's very, very important that you take advantage of any breaks that come your way. These little, and often infrequent breaks, can provide you with the strength, sanity, and energy need to keep fighting the good fight.
Take advantage of breaks.
