Are you raising a child with autism? Perhaps you are raising more than one, on different ends of the spectrum.  If so, then consider yourself blessed! These children have chosen to come here at this time all together to literally change the world, and chose YOU to be their Mommy or Daddy. Looking at it from that point of view, you are in a position of great honor.  You have been blessed with the gift of raising a gifted child!

I’ve seen many people, when faced with a child, whose diagnosis fall somewhere along the spectrum, literally “mourn” their child, and what their lives’ may have been like if their child had been “normal”. Some even go to great lengths to find ways to make their child “normal”, or hide the fact the child has autism. Certainly not to say that we shouldn’t help our children in every possible way that we can to improve  their skills, but hiding it or pretending it isn’t there, is unhealthy for all, especially the child!

 Many are on brave crusades to expose the truth behind the causes. Others are finding great success in returning to our earth for nutrition, and teaching others how to do the same.  Still, others are rescuing hundreds of families by providing appropriate, affordable, school environments, therapies, and centers.  All, when raising a child with autism, find their voice in joining with others in one arena or another.  All  are badly needed, and bring blessings and hope to the many families  they touch.  I assure you, though, all of us came here with the purpose of learning and growing from autism being part of our larger plan.  

What has raising a child with autism taught you about yourself?  How have you grown?  What was your life like before autism compared to now?  I had a corporate career before autism.  Autism forced me to use my  gifts, and to think outside of the box more naturally than thinking inside the box.  Sometimes things are put into our blueprints to lead us in an entirely different direction. They cause us to create paths that would not otherwise have been created, and use talents and abilities we might  otherwise, have been unaware we even had. 

When you really take a look at all you have learned about yourself through the trials of raising a child with autism, you will be amazed at how it has transformed you, and made you a better person.  I have found that I have strength, patience, and determination beyond any measure I could have ever imagined. Autism has taught me that I am a teacher and an educator, an advocate, an entrepreneur, a protector, a defender, survivor, and a nurturer, among many, many other things. It has brought me together with people who I would not otherwise have come in contact with, and truly blessed my life through all we have been able to accomplish by pooling our strengths and talents.

Autism is bringing great gifts to the whole world. It is bringing together people worldwide for a common cause. It is teaching our world to live and act in more positive ways. It is exposing truths that would not otherwise be exposed. It is bringing tolerance and understanding to mass amounts of people. It is teaching us to love freely and openly. It is teaching us to return to the healing gifts of our earth. It is showing us how to walk different paths. It is teaching us to turn away from the negative and focus on the positive in our lives.

These children are gifted in many, many different ways.  Many are our next generation of inventors, writers, actors, scientists, scholars, experts, meteorologists, designers, programmers, producers, musicians, and artists.  

The obsessions of aspergers syndrome that you initially may have tried to “get rid of” in your child, will ultimately lead to very fulfilling careers. The facts that your child is constantly absorbing and telling you non- stop will lead to becoming an expert in a field of fascinating interest to him/her later in life.

We may help them to learn the social rules, learn better communication, and to appear like other children who do not have autism, but the gifts of autism are still there. The mind of a person with autism thinks differently, and creates freely, without the social fears usually associated great accomplishments. They also are able to hyper focus in areas where they have an extreme interest helping them excel in very specific careers and businesses. What we do now, including whether issues are handled positively with love, or negatively with anger, will make the difference in how far they are able to go.