AGES OF AUTISM...

Yep...I went there...but, these are the ages of Autism in our home!!!

Caitlin, 18 (almost 19).
Deidre, 15.
Erin, 13.
Patrick, 10 this month.
Kiernan, 8.

Yep...we have many ages of autism.

We have lived through the hypes and the myths of what autism is and isn't.

The past month on the blog site AoA...their words, not mine...parent's have been
blogging about the horror of autism. About how their children have regressed and became
violent over the years...all in the name of autism.
A poem was written by a sibling of an autistic child. I write poetry, so I would never
take away from that, but....my question is why does this college aged student have
so much anger towards their sibling (I know the answer, but do you?) ?

Not one of our children have regressed in the last almost 19 years...not one.
They have done nothing but progress...
why is that?

Could it be that we never expected anything more from them than what they are
capable of doing (and that is so very much)?
Could it be that we did not have the anger towards their autism (that has to be tough
on a child and a marriage)?
Could it be that we expect no less from our children with autism than we expect from
our child without autism (Meaghan, 12 in January...and a very typical pre-teen with
amazing friends)?

Speaking of Meaghan...she has a very close group of friends who spend much time
in our home. The parent's never question their children being here..they adore our
kids...but, who wouldn't.??

I wonder why the kids whose parents hate autism so very much have such great
difficulty with their children...maybe it isn't the child or the autism they are having
difficulty with..
maybe it is the fact that they did not get the child they thought THEY deserved.
Maybe it is the ideal of a perfect child that has enabled them to be so angry with
autism.

I have recently gone back to work full time...I am thankful that at the tender age of
49 someone thought enough of me and my talent to hire me. I am doing well and hope
to continue to progress.
I don't have much time for the drama of autism.
I thank God for that.

My husband and myself are the parents of 6 children...5 of them have autism....all of them
are PERFECT....

I will repeat myself...

I thank God every day that I was blessed with my children. I have become a much
calmer and patient person because of these children.
When I was 22, I started working for a residential treatment center...I worked on a dorm
with Autistic teens (whoa, they would be in their late 30's now AoA)..my wonderful Aunt
Gwen asked me, "Why does such a young girl like you want to work in this atmosphere"?
After my children were born, Gwen called me....she remembered that conversation...
she said,"I know now that God put you there..he had a plan for you"...

I think my Aunt Gwen was correct....