As part of #AUTISM Awareness Month, I am featuring bloggers, experts, parents and people with ASD here on Acting Balanced, and today I'm pleased to invite author Lynnette Louise to take the spotlight. Later this month I will be reviewing her book MIRACLES ARE MADE: A Real-Life Guide to Autism
and offering you a chance to win it!
and offering you a chance to win it!
The Never-Ending Job, Thank God!
There is
a term in psychology called ‘reframing’. It is just insider lingo for ‘see it
differently’. Of course people do that all the time and
always did - even before the phrase was coined - but now ‘the reframe’ has the
advantage of sounding observable by scientists.
I raised
eight children, six of whom were adopted, four of whom were on the autism
spectrum (only one still is). I know a lot about ‘seeing it differently’.
For
example one day several years ago I was feeling overwhelmed. It seemed that all
I ever did was look for money to pay bills with, explain logic to logic
challenged children, and find ‘Dear Jane’ notes taped to the frdge. One
particular Dear Jane note day I pulled the note down, picked up the mail (AKA
overdue bills) and went to the post office where I worked as a letter carrier.
I then read another note called ‘the pink slip’. As I drove home I saw my
four-year-old autistic son. I assumed he had given the baby sitter the slip
because he ran past my car naked and doing car sound effects… thank God I’d
been fired in time to catch him. He saw me, made a quick u-turn and dove into
our open basement window.
I put my
head down on the steering wheel to cry.
Cash (another autistic son) stood staring at the car. I opened the door
as my armload of bills and rejection slips fell to the ground. Looked at my son
and spoke through him to myself (because I knew he wouldn’t likely care). “I’m
crying because it seems like my job is never done and there are always bills to
pay.”
Surprisingly
he responded to me, in appropriate words, instead of his usual litany composed
of unintelligible car makes and models.
“Isn’t
that what grownups do? Work and pay bills?” I looked at my son and thought ‘Out
of the mouth of autistic babes!’
After
several seconds of shocked silence I mumbled, “Yes son that is exactly what
grownups do. Thanks!” I took his hand and headed in the house. As we slowly
walked (for that is his style) I thought about my children and took a deep
breath of gratitude.
I knew
then, as I know now, I am lucky to be a mom. My children are my gifts. (Besides
parenting is the one job I will never be fired from or divorced out of.)
Luckily my life has been riddled with moments like this. Thus, epiphany upon
epiphany I have survived knowing that it is up to me, to see, whatever it is I
happen to see: An albatross around my neck or the joy of job security.
Article
written by Lynette Louise author of Miracles Are Made: The Real Life Guide To
Autism.
.
BIO
LYNETTE LOUISE: MS,
NTC, BCIA-EEG Board Certified in Neurofeedback; PhD in MOM
Lynette raised eight
children, (six adopted, five disabled, four on the autism spectrum). Only
one retains his label and remains dependent. Born in Canada, Lynette
moved to America in 1995. An expert in Autism, and on how to incorporate
neurofeedback (biofeedback for the brain) as the main therapy approach for the
autistic child, Lynette travels internationally performing and speaking on the
subject, helping children and their families, and teaching professionals. She
is the author of two books. Her latest and most renowned being MIRACLES ARE
MADE: A Real Life Guide To Autism.
Lynette is also on facebook, twitter,
myspace and linkdn.
Disclaimer: Acting Balanced is posting Autism Awareness Posts from a variety of sources for the purposes of education and information. All opinions expressed are that of the author and may not necessarily be that of Acting Balanced. Please discuss all courses of action and treatment with a primary care physician and therapy team before deciding what is right for yourself or your child.
