Bursting some bubbles

I get it. You want to fix it. You're worrying about your kid falling behind. You're trying to hurry and catch up with the rest of the pack.

There's gong to come a point though when it's never going to be enough.  Your kid won't catch up to their typical peers.  I'm not saying that this won't sting or hurt.  It sucks but if you are open to it, you'll realize your kid is going to take their own path.  If you're smart, you'll follow them. They know where they're going.

I'm not going to sugar coat this.  It's not going to get easier.  Each new age will come with it's own new challenges. So just when you get use to one, BAM!  Time to LEVEL UP PUNK! However, the more rounds you go, the more you are going to get used to ducking and weaving. You'll have more in your arsenal for each battle.

You won't just think outside that box.  You'll create that muthaluvin' box.

Kiddo and I are staring down age eleven.  The same age of the autistic students I used to teach prevocational training too.  I'm not going to lie. It's. Freaking. Me. OUT! I thought I had a good old fashioned breakdown when the word "autism" was first mentioned when he was barely two.  Eight years of this under my belt and I'm still just as clueless as to what is going to come down the pike but at the same time kind of familiar with it.

Sometimes I can stop the meltdown before it starts.  I see what's brewing and know what to do to distract it.  Other times, well, The Kiddo reminds me who's boss here and it ain't me.  I'm just the staff.  Oddly enough even with those surprises, I'm getting sort of used to it.  

It's hard to go from the "Got to solve the problem" mentality to "OK. I guess we're just living with this now. Might as well get used to it."  I still struggle with it but I've also accepted our fate with this.  Anyone saying "But yeah, what if they offered you a pill to make the autism go away?" I say this, The Kiddo wouldn't even take the pill.  Literally. He does not swallow pills.  At all.  (Damn I wish he would.  Seriously. Not even a Tylenol!)  So I really see no point of even entertaining those kinds of conversations.

I may not always be happy with our situation but I'm always happy with The Kiddo.  That's the only thing that gets me through on those hard days.

That and another side of fries of course. :-)