OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME FOR A WHILE AND I JUST FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO  WRITE ABOUT IT

I DONT KNOW IF IT IS HAVING THE YEARS UNDER MY BELT OR IF IT IS THE AGE PROGRESION FO DAKOTA BUT  IT DOES SEEM AS IF THE AUTISM HAS BECOME MORE MANAGEABLE OR TOLERABLE

MAYBE IT IS JUST BECAUSE  AFTER YOU LIVE THROUGH EACH EXPERIENCE IT IS ONE STEP FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD TO UNDERSTANDING  AND ACCEPTING  THE AUTISM OR THE BEHAVIORS --MAYBE  IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TRAVELED THRU THE MORNING FOR THE "TYPICAL CHILD AND ARE ARRIVING AT THE OTHERSIDE OR MAYBE BECAUSE YOU HAVE COLLECTED MORE TOOLS FOR YOU TO HANDLE AND DEAL WITH THE AUTISM   NEVER-THE-LESS  IT DOES SEEM TO GET BETTER/EASIER--

THATS NOT TO SAY EVERYDAY IS STILL A CHALLENGE AND NOT LIKE LIVING WITH A "TYPICAL" CHILD BUT MORE TO SAY THAT THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND OR DISECT A BEHAVIOR  CONTINUES TO BE COME  LESS  OF AN  ISSUE AND MORE OF A CHALLENGE FOR ME TO FIND A SOLUTION

ALL THAT BEING SAID  MY FRUSTRATION IS WITH THE WEB BASED GROUPS  I SUBSCRIBE TO-- THESE ARE SUPPORT GROUPS  COMPRISED MOSTLY OF PARENTS WITH CHILDREN THAT HAVE AUTISM--WHILE THE MAJORITY HAVE LITTLER CHILDREN  AND ARE ON A DIFFERENT  SPOT ON THE  SPECTRUM    IT SEEMS AS IF THERE IS A CONSTANT LAMENT AMONG THESE PARENTS TO "FIX" THE AUTISM.

AS I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER  I DONT FAULT THEM FOR WANTING THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND  NEVER GIVING UP ON THE  POSSIBILITY OF "DEFEATING " THIS MONSTER ; I HAVE ARRIVED AT A PLACE WHERE  I WOULD CHEER AND RAISE MY HANDS TO HEAVEN AND THANK GOD IF A "CURE" WAS FOUND TOMMORROW  BUT THE COLD REALITY IS THAT THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE AUTISM PROBABLY WILL BE  PLAGUED WITH AUTISM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES  AND OUR LIVES TOO!  SO WE NEED TO EMBRACE THAT  AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE LIFE  THE BEST WE CAN FOR OUR KIDS  JUST THE WAY THEY ARE--- THATS NOT TO SAY WE SHOULD GIVE UP OR NOT TRY NEW THINGS BUT  TO BE SO WRAPPED UP IN  EVERY MIMUTE AND EVERY HOUR OF DOING THIS CHEALATION OR THAT DETOX --THIS BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS OR THAT  INTERVENTION  WE LOOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE AUTISM IS WHO OUT KIDS ARE AND THEY NEED TO HAVE NORMALCY  TOO.  I READ ABOUT MEGA VITAMINS AND GFCF DIETS AND HYPERBARIC CHAMBERS AND  VISION THERAPY AND AUDIO TRAINING  ENYMES --- YIKES IT MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM SOMETIMES--- EVERY DAY FILLED WITH APPOINTMENT AFTER APPOINTMENT WHEN DOES THE CHILD HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE A KID??? WE LIKE TO COME HOME AND TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF AND  EAT SOME COMFORT FOOD AND RELAX AFTER  A HARD DAY  BUT HERE WE ARE AS DEDICATED PARENTS SPENDING EXHAUSTING HOUR AFTER HOUR MAKING SURE WE HAVENT MISSED OUT ON SOME MIRACLE CURE THAT WORKED FOR THIS KID OR THAT KID--- WHAT HAPPENED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE?? I REALIZE WE ALL GO THRU THE "WHAT IF" STAGE BUT I GUESS I HAVE ARRIVED AT A POINT WHERE I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT  IT IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR DAKOTA TO DO WHAT HE WANTS  AND TO LIVE HIS WAY AND LIKE WHAT HE LIKES  --HOW CAN HE DEFINE HIS PERSONALITY  IF I AM  DRIVING  EVERY WAKING MOMENT?

I DONT FAULT ANY PARENT FOR DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN I JUST THINK THAT  SOMETIMES ITS THE OLD ADAGE OF "CANT SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES'   how can our kids find out who they are if we are constantly trying to  mold them in to being something OTHER THAN AUTISTIC

I GUESS I JUST HAVE TO LET OF SOME STEAM AND  CERTAINLY NOT RAG ON ANYONE ELSE JUST TRY TO PRESENT A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM ONE WHO HAS BEEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD FOR QUITE A LONG TIME AND  HAS  ARRIVED  AT A  "LOOK OUT POINT" THAT SEEMS TO BE  BEAUTIFUL AND INVITING AND  A BIT OFF THE BEATEN PATH.  PERHAPS NOT ONE THAT MANY ARE READY FOR BUT CERTAINLY AN OPTION.