Five Things I Want You To Know About Autism

By Kim McIsaac

Please don't tell me you are sorry if I tell you my daughter had autism , I interpret that as you are sorry for my daughter. Yes I grieved as her mother that is my right not yours. I want you to celebrate my daughter I am proud of her and adore her. If I confide in you a difficult situation or struggle she is having, then it ok to say sorry but never for her.

We do not live a sad life. It is at times a hard life, I won't deny that. We have lots of trials and tribulations just like everyone else. Our life is just different. We celebrate every accomplishment. We laugh and love and are grateful for every success.

Autism affects the whole family. The siblings endure a lot. Try to include them when you can. It encompasses us all and we try very hard as parents to give everyone what they need but sometimes it is an impossible task. The siblings are the true unsung heroes in this life.

Autism is perplexing and mysterious. It does not discriminate. It is nothing we did or didn't do. It does not come from over use of a tablet, autism was around long before iPads existed. It doesn't always make sense, even to us. Please don't make comments on your theories about our parenting , we carry enough guilt ourselves. Believe me no one could scrutinize or judge us harder then we already do to ourselves.

Autism is a spectrum , and yes they can be labeled mild, moderate, or severe , but it's not linear. It looks different for everyone. Each individual has their own struggles, strengths and experiences. It is an invisible disability and you can't always see the whole picture. Yes of course there are similarities but there are way more differences. Do not presume to know our journey because you know someone else with autism.

As we walk into autism awareness month , I do it with pride. I am more than happy to talk about our differences. I want the world to understand our journey. Compassion and kindness go a long long way in this complicated , beautiful, and colorful life.

Hi my name is Kim , I am married with 4 children one who is a young adult with non verbal autism . We live Massachusetts and I work full time as a director of a daycare . I have a Facebook page that follows the progress my daughter has made while making transitions into the scary world of an adult with a disability. She has made incredible progress beginning with words coming at the age of 21 . I want to spread awareness of severe autism while giving others hope as we ride this crazy autism rollercoaster with all the joy and heartache that comes along with it . You can follow our journey on Facebook Autism adventures with Alyssa and on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/autismadventureswithalyssa Website https://autismadventureswithalyssa.com