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This is a snippet from my book, All Across The Spectrum. You can pre-order here. Autism: It’s okay to grieve When my therapist said those words, “It’s okay to grieve,” I…
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autism grief
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Being an autism mom Raising a nonverbal autistic child is emotionally draining. It’s hard for all parties involved. It’s hard for Charlie who can’t communicate beyond basic needs (like “I want…
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Raising a nonverbal autistic child is emotionally draining. It’s hard for all parties involved. It’s hard for Charlie who can’t communicate beyond basic needs (like “I want water”) but it’s also…
![Jude’s been having a lot of anxiety lately. He told Willy and I, with tears in his eyes, that he doesn’t like school because he misses us when he’s there. He’s been asking for hugs and affection even more so than usual. He’s also asked us if Charlie loves him even though he doesn’t say it and if we still love him when he makes bad choices... I can relate so much to his needs and worries. I’m thankful he’s expressing himself so well so I can give him the reassurance he needs but also kinda sad he’s overthinking so much at just 4.
I can’t help but worry that being so soft will make Jude vulnerable as he gets older because we live in a world that shames sensitive boys. The expectation is that boys have to be strong. I wish for people to realize that feeling deeply has nothing to do with not being strong. Feeling deeply in a world where vulnerability is considered a sign of weakness shows strength. It takes courage to be yourself, to allow yourself whatever it is you need to feel in that moment. Of course, Jude doesn’t have that level of thought yet. He feels deeply because that’s who he is and he doesn’t have the protective reaction from these emotions yet. But instead of encouraging him to not get so overwhelmed by his strong emotions, I encourage him to focus on his feelings and express them. I don’t want Jude to “toughen up” and bottle up all his emotions. I did that for too long because this is what I was taught as a child. I don’t want Jude to harden because the world expects him to. I do hope people will treat his fragile heart with kindness. All the love he gives so selflessly, he deserves to come back at him like a boomerang
[My book is being released tomorrow and I don’t think I have fully realized what it means yet 😳]](http://scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/10cfb0c4703c355640c764d841f2f039/5DFAC493/t51.2885-15/e35/c0.180.1440.1440/s320x320/66652712_489232684984713_1591966773832259102_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.cdninstagram.com "Jude’s been having a lot of anxiety lately. He told Willy and I, with tears in his eyes, that he doesn’t like school because he misses us when he’s there. He’s been asking for hugs and affection even more so than usual. He’s also asked us if Charlie loves him even though he doesn’t say it and if we still love him when he makes bad choices... I can relate so much to his needs and worries. I’m thankful he’s expressing himself so well so I can give him the reassurance he needs but also kinda sad he’s overthinking so much at just 4.
I can’t help but worry that being so soft will make Jude vulnerable as he gets older because we live in a world that shames sensitive boys. The expectation is that boys have to be strong. I wish for people to realize that feeling deeply has nothing to do with not being strong. Feeling deeply in a world where vulnerability is considered a sign of weakness shows strength. It takes courage to be yourself, to allow yourself whatever it is you need to feel in that moment. Of course, Jude doesn’t have that level of thought yet. He feels deeply because that’s who he is and he doesn’t have the protective reaction from these emotions yet. But instead of encouraging him to not get so overwhelmed by his strong emotions, I encourage him to focus on his feelings and express them. I don’t want Jude to “toughen up” and bottle up all his emotions. I did that for too long because this is what I was taught as a child. I don’t want Jude to harden because the world expects him to. I do hope people will treat his fragile heart with kindness. All the love he gives so selflessly, he deserves to come back at him like a boomerang
[My book is being released tomorrow and I don’t think I have fully realized what it means yet 😳]")
