WHAT THE PRINCESS BRIDE TAUGHT ME ABOUT AUTISM PARENTING

WOW - It's been a while since my last blog entry. (Turns out my 4-yr-old's sensory issues are more time-consuming than my 6-yr-old's autism...GO FIGURE!)

Anyhooo...I just happened upon this AWESOME blog today, and thought I'd share. It's called Snagglebox, "a place for honest, practical and encouraging help from someone who knows there's a light at the end of the tunnel but still remembers how fricken' hard it can be to find it". LOVE IT!!! They have a webpage (www.snagglebox.com) and appear on Facebook (under "Snagglebox - Autism Parenting Support"). 

Their most recent post is entitled, "17 Things The Princess Bride Taught Me About Autism Parenting". Being the Princess Bride cult follower I am, I just had to check it out.

 http://www.snagglebox.com/2013/02/17-things-princess-bride-taught-me.html

As blogger etiquette would have it, you must visit this link to read the whole list, but I took it upon myself to highlight a few of my favorite quotes and add some anecdotes of my own: 

 

"You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles" 

If there's one thing I've learned as a mother and teacher of kids with special needs, it's patience! I've never considered myself a patient person. Just ask my family or coworkers - I'm known for getting overly-excited about something (DIY projects, new lesson plan ideas, new exercise program), only to be "over it" two weeks later. However, when it comes to my kiddos (biological or otherwise), I have to be patient. There is no choice in the matter if our special little guys are going to succeed.

“Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. 

But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience.”  

- author unknown (from thinkexist.com)

 

 

"Don’t believe the hype"

OK, this one can get me in a lot of trouble, but here it goes... Whether you're on the gluten-free train, the heavy-metal detox wagon, or drinking the Jenny McCarthy Kool-Aid, stay informed. Don't rely on one organization or public figure to persuade you into what is right for your child. You know what they say, "if you've met one child with autism...you've met one child with autism"! Each case is unique. Parents can become desperate when looking for a way to communicate with a nonverbal child or stop an aggressive child from hurting himself. Unfortunately, there are people who will prey upon that desperation. Be Smart.

"There’s not a lot of money in revenge"

There will always be that teacher that doesn't agree with the diagnosis, that family member that thinks your kid is just weird, or that stranger that thinks your kid just needs a "good old-fashioned butt whoopin'". Forget the haters.

 

And finally...

"Optimism can get you through the fire swamp." 

Sometimes all you can do is laugh. If your glass is not half-full, you're gonna be one thirsty bitch.