Parents with children on the autism spectrum are sometimes so focused on running the race to find the right type and amount of help that they experience burnout. There is an old saying in running that goes, “Even pace wins the race.”
This philosophy does not apply to parents seeking to help their children improve their chances of optimal long-term outcomes. The clock is ticking, the earlier a child receives “high-quality,” intense therapy, the higher the probability of making lifelong improvements. So, these parents start running as fast as they can. Unfortunately, there is no finish line. There is no rest, only small victories as their children show gradual improvements.
Parents need to find ways to stay positive, give themselves breaks and every now and then take a deep breath knowing they are making a difference. One important environmental factor that many parents seek is the company of other parents who have had a similar experience with their own children. Shared experience seems to go a long way toward finding a center from which to measure progress and to find a balance. Attitude also is important, a positive attitude seems to lead to positive results and a negative attitude will most definitely lead to negative results. It is also important to surround yourself with positive people.
Fitness seems to significantly improve the ability to cope with stress. Finding the time or motivation to workout may be the biggest hurdle to improving a parent’s fitness level.
“Never give up, never give up, never ever give up.” ~ Winsten Churchhill
Probably most important way to achieve success as a parent of a child with autism is to never give up. Autism is a lifelong experience for parents and their children. Persistence more than any other quality will open more doors, reach more understanding and lead to more resources.
In the Lowcountry, families are not alone, the Lowcountry Autism Foundation, Inc (LAF) is here to help provide parents and children an advocate, a friend and free autism resources. April is Autism Awareness Month. To increase awareness of the issues facing families living with autism and to shine a light on our courageous families, LAF will host the Easter Bunny 5K Run/Walk and Easter Egg Hunt on April 3rd at the “Sands” Beach in the Town of Port Royal. The event kicks off at 8:30 am with registration. The run/walk will start at 9:00 am. This is a family friendly event so strollers are welcome. To register and for more information go to www.lowcountryautismfoundation.org. Or you can download the registration form here.
