Autism Parenting Magazine Issue 74 (Member's Dashboard) | Page 54

I
is for Inspire - As a parent , when you look at your child or children , what inspires you ?
S is for Support - Are there things you struggle with or have struggled with , and what types of support do you still need ?
M
is for Manage - What keys to success can you leave with parents so that they can better manage their day-to-day efforts ?
AUTISM ADVOCACY

ALWAYS remember your child is a blessing and has a purpose . Your job is to help him / her see that , and give him / her support and confidence no matter what he / she is going through . Don ’ t forget to challenge your child , too , even when what you want to do is make his / her life easier .

I

is for Inspire - As a parent , when you look at your child or children , what inspires you ?

Her heart and her intelligence . One of the struggles with autism is that you can have a child who is so overwhelmed by sensory and neurological issues , that it is hard — or impossible — to gauge their true feelings or how much they understand . Whenever we ’ ve helped our daughter solve an issue , we ’ ve always learned something amazing about her personality , like her gift for math , or her loyalty to her friends , or her joyful heart !

S is for Support - Are there things you struggle with or have struggled with , and what types of support do you still need ?

My daughter is going through puberty , and this has upended things . It has made some things that previously she had learned to deal with difficult for her again . We have pretty good support through friends , school , aides , doctor , neighbors , and a large online community .
M

is for Manage - What keys to success can you leave with parents so that they can better manage their day-to-day efforts ?

• Address ONE issue at a time . For us , when our daughter was five years old and STILL sleeping in short shifts , it was harmful for the whole family . So we focused all our attention on solving that . Once we got that solved , we looked at what else was most important for her to thrive .
• Some days you have to just let everything go . Even adults take a sick day for feeling bad now and again ; it ’ s okay to recognize that sometimes a bad day means just spending it in bed .
• Be vigilant and grateful for ALL your child ’ s “ small ” achievements . I ’ ve learned that sometimes I ’ m looking for one thing , and it blinds me to little improvements she ’ s made in other areas , like a tiny bit more speech or suddenly not being upset in certain situations . The little things are valuable for our kids !
• Take time to rest , even in small ways , and get support . It ’ s one of the MOST important things for parents to prevent burnout .
• ALWAYS remember your child is a blessing and has a purpose . Your job is to help him / her see that , and give him / her support and confidence no matter what he / she is going through . Don ’ t forget to challenge your child , too , even when what you want to do is make his / her life easier .
Derrick Hayes is a paraprofessional who works with students who have autism and is also known as the “ enTIEtainer ” when he tells stories through neckties to empower others to greatness . Please visit his website or email , or call him for more information .
Website : www . derrickhayes . com Email : info @ derrickhayes . com Call : ( 706 ) 615-1662 54 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 74