Raising a child with autism can be beautiful, exhausting, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at the same time. There are days filled with laughter and connection, and there are days when everything feels heavy.
If you are in one of those heavy seasons right now, I want you to know something important.
You are not alone.
There were seasons in our life with Jacob when I cried more than I talked about. I researched everything I could find. I questioned myself as a mother. I felt overwhelmed and even depressed at times.
But one thing never changed.
I could not and would not give up on my son. This too shall pass, how we changed our mindset on autism island!
When Raising a Child With Autism Feels Overwhelming
When Jacob was younger, I often felt like I was constantly searching for answers.
I read books.
I researched therapies.
I tried different approaches.
My confidence as a mom took a hit because I wanted so badly to help him, and sometimes it felt like nothing was working.
When I didn’t know what else to do, I made a big decision.
I went back to school and earned my master’s degree in special education, hoping it would help me better understand autism and help me parent Jacob more effectively.
Education helped me learn strategies. But the truth is something deeper carried our family forward.
We refused to give up on each other.
Our Family Chose to Love Through the Hard
Jacob’s journey has never been walked alone.
Our family stood together.
David, Nicholas, Jacob, and I held on to each other through seasons that were messy and exhausting.
Sometimes we supported each other with energy and determination.
Other times we simply hugged each other because that was all we had left.
We prayed.
We studied.
We tried again.
But we never gave up.
Trying Everything While Raising a Child With Autism
Like many autism families, we tried many different things hoping something would help.
We explored:
- Special diets
- Different strategies
- New routines
- Various therapies
Some things helped. Some things didn’t.
But something surprising happened along the way.
The biggest progress often came from the smallest changes.
The Small Things That Changed Everything
At one point, I honestly did not believe that something as simple as visual schedules would help our family.
It seemed too small to make a difference.
But we tried them anyway.
Visual schedules created structure for Jacob. They helped him understand his day. They reduced anxiety and made transitions easier.
We also focused on routines, nutrition, and most importantly, our mindset as a family.
Those small steps did not fix everything overnight. But over time they helped replace chaos with calm.
Choose Your Hard When Raising a Child With Autism
There is a phrase that has stayed with me over the years.
Choose your hard.
Exercise is hard.
Living with disease from not exercising is hard.
Saving money is hard.
Living with financial stress is hard.
Autism can be hard for the child.
Autism can be hard for the family.
So we had to choose our hard.
We could give in to exhaustion and let life happen to us.
Or we could choose the hard work of moving forward, learning, adjusting, and trying again.
We chose to keep moving forward.
The CALM Framework Became Our Way Forward
Over time, the lessons our family learned became the CALM Framework that now guides both our home and my classroom.
C – Consistent Action Forward
We kept taking the next step even when progress felt slow.
A – Always Celebrate Wins
Small victories matter. Independence grows one step at a time.
L – Learning to Create Schedules
Schedules helped bring structure to Jacob’s world and calm to our home.
M – Mindset
The most important piece of all was believing that we would keep going, even when things were hard.
Life Can Get Better When You Keep Moving Forward
Raising a child with autism is not about finding a perfect solution.
It is about building systems that support your child and your family over time.
Today our life looks different than it did in those early chaotic seasons.
We still face challenges. Autism and epilepsy are part of Jacob’s life and always will be. But we have learned how to move forward with structure, patience, and hope.
Jacob continues to grow in independence. Our family has time for rest, laughter, and even fun again.
And we continue to adjust as each new season comes. How to replace Chaos with Calm, plays for the long game! #autismschedules
If Autism Parenting Feels Hard Right Now
If you are raising a child with autism and things feel overwhelming today, please hear this.
You are not alone. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1093600039340070
You do not need to solve everything today.
Just take the next step forward.
Try something new.
Celebrate small wins.
Lean on your support system.
And when things feel impossible, remember this:
You do not have to give up.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13