#AutismMom

  • Why I Started Educating Jacob: Support and Resources for Autism Families

    Educating Jacob: Support and Resources for Autism Families

    birthday-reflections-on-autism-blog-post@educatingjacob
    💙 To the parent feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and lost—I see you.

    🎉 Today is a big milestone for me—my 60th birthday! 🎂 As I reflect on my journey, I feel called to share my story and why I started Educating Jacob. Being vulnerable isn’t always easy, but if my experiences can help even one struggling parent, then it’s worth it. Because I’ve been there—I’ve lived that fear, uncertainty, and overwhelming sense of not knowing what to do when my son Jacob was first diagnosed with autism. 💙 Visual Schedule Hacks for autism parents, Starting 2025 CALM!

    The Early Years: Fear, Confusion, and the Search for Answers 🧩

    Fear-and-Confusion-took-over-autism-diagnosis
    #ParentingWithPurpose #AutismSupportCommunity #AutismLife

    When we first received Jacob’s diagnosis, I was terrified. I had no idea how to help him. He would have meltdowns in public, struggle with changes, and his speech wasn’t developing the way his older brother Nicholas’s had. 😞

    I received hugs and kisses, but no “Mama.” The milestones I had celebrated so naturally with my first child weren’t happening. I started pushing doctors for answers, but I kept hearing:

    ❌ “Boys develop speech later than girls.” ❌ “He seems to be meeting his other milestones.”

    But deep down, I knew something was different. And so began the long waitlists, endless evaluations, and finally—the autism diagnosis.

    Now, I had an answer. But I still had no clue how to help my child. 🤷‍♀️ 4 Things I Wish I Would Have Known After Getting the Autism Diagnosis

    A Lack of Guidance, a Desire to Learn, and an Unexpected Truth 📚

    At the time, I had no mentors to guide me. I had wonderful women in my life—my mom, aunts, and friends—but none of them had experience raising a child with autism. There was no one to say, “Try this. This worked for my child.” I felt alone, desperate for support and resources for autism families.

    So, I made a big decision: ✅ I went back to school and earned a graduate degree in special education.

    I thought it would give me all the answers I needed to help Jacob. But here’s the truth:

    💸 Save your money.

    A degree didn’t give me the magic solution—because autism is a spectrum. No textbook could tell me exactly what would work for Jacob. I learned useful tools, but when it came to real life, it was still trial and error.

    Finding What Works: The Birth of Educating Jacob 🌱

    Over time, I started figuring out what worked—not just for Jacob, but for our family as a whole. I learned how to reduce anxiety, minimize meltdowns, and create a home environment that was calm instead of chaotic. 🏡✨

    Now, at 27 years old, Jacob’s life looks very different than it did back then. We still have challenges, but now we have a toolkit, a structure, and a way of doing things that brings peace instead of frustration.

    This is why I started Educating Jacob.

    I never want another parent to feel as lost, helpless, or alone as I did. If I can take everything I’ve learned—from raising Jacob, teaching other children with autism, and even homeschooling my own son—and pass that knowledge on, then I know I’m making a difference.

    My Mission: Helping Families Thrive, Not Just Survive 💙

    Join-Autism-Thrive-Tribe
    Raising a child with autism is challenging—but you don’t have to do it alone.

    I want to be the mentor I never had—for parents who are still struggling, still looking for support and resources for autism families, still searching for answers and guidance in the chaos of autism parenting.

    I want to tell parents: ✨ It gets better.You can do this.You don’t have to figure it out alone.

    And most importantly, I want to help families find what works. Because when life starts going wrong and nothing seems to be working, we have two choices:

    1️⃣ Keep doing the same thing and hope for different results. 2️⃣ Try something new.

    And trying something new is what led me to create the CALM Framework—the foundation of Educating Jacob: ✔ C: Consistent Action ForwardA: Always Celebrate WinsL: Learning to Create SchedulesM: Mindset

    These four pillars help guide families toward a life that is structured, peaceful, and full of hope. 🌟

    The Autism Thrive Tribe: A Community of Support 🤝

    One of the best things to come from this journey has been creating a community. I started the Autism Thrive Tribe to bring parents together—to support one another, share wins and struggles, and learn from each other’s experiences.

    If you’re an autism parent or a teacher trying to support a child with autism, I invite you to join us. Because no one should have to figure this out alone. 💙

    📢 Join here: [AUTISM THRIVE TRIBE]

    A Birthday Reflection: Gratitude, Hope, and Looking Ahead 🎂

    Today, as I turn 60, I look back on the years of struggle, learning, and growth—and I feel grateful. 🙏

    💙 Grateful for my son, for the lessons he’s taught me, and for the opportunity to share those lessons with others. 💙 Grateful that our home is no longer filled with anxiety and constant meltdowns—but instead, with structure, peace, and love. 💙 Grateful that I have the chance to help other families find that same hope.

    I won’t pretend that every day is easy. Autism parenting is a journey, and it comes with ups and downs. But I can tell you this—

    It is possible to find joy again.It is possible to go from surviving to thriving.And if you’re feeling lost right now, you’re not alone.

    I see you. I’ve been you. And I’m here to help. 💙

    Let’s Connect! 🌍

    If my story resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me: 👉 Join the Autism Thrive Tribe – A supportive group for parents navigating autism. 👉 Follow Educating Jacob – For tips, encouragement, and practical strategies. 👉 Explore the CALM Frameworks – Learn how to create a structured, peaceful life for your child and your family.

    On this special birthday, my wish is to bless someone else with what I’ve learned. Because together, we can make this journey so much easier. 💙

    With love and gratitude,
    Melissa Garcia
    Founder, Educating Jacob

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  • Autism Diagnosis: My Home Was in Chaos and I Felt Like a Terrible Mom!

    My Home Was in Chaos

    Before Jacob’s autism diagnosis, doctors reassured us with comments like, “He’s meeting his other developmental milestones” and “Boys talk later than girls sometimes.” Jacob was 2 years old and still had no language. After a mom fit in the doctor’s office, they finally put in a referral for speech therapy. It took almost 6 months to get into the speech therapist covered by our insurance. After the first visit, she told me to get him tested and into preschool.

    autism mom worry, When I'm afraid, Psalm 56:3
    1 Corinthians 3:11 “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

     

    Autism Diagnosis: The Fear 😔

    Researching autism and therapies!
    Researching and going to approved therapies for autism!

    My confidence as a mom plummeted, and the fear was real. My first son was perfect, with all the typical milestones. It took another 4-6 months to get Jacob tested for autism through the schools and Teacch, who were wonderful and conducted thorough evaluations over several days. The meltdowns at the testing sites stripped the rest of my confidence. I felt like I was being judged by everyone when they happened. I felt clueless.

    Navigating the Early Stages 🍼

    Meanwhile, I learned from watching the speech therapist. Jacob was not comfortable with anyone outside the family. No therapies or testing went well. Jacob was obviously upset to be somewhere other than home. He was a fussy eater, didn’t sleep well at night, frequently had ear infections, then tubes in his ears, and frequent bowel issues. Initially, we blamed the ear infections and eventually had his hearing checked.

    Our home was full of worry by this time. We knew something wasn’t right but didn’t know what or how long it would take to get a handle on it. Jacob now had full-on meltdowns as we tried to get speech therapy and more engagement with him.

    The Diagnosis and Initial Steps 🏫

    Jacob was very independent, probably because he didn’t have language to ask us for things. When Jacob started preschool, he did not engage with the other kids and only with the adults when he needed something. The official diagnosis came in, and Jacob was placed into a self-contained autism room. It was necessary because he had no success in the other room, and the teacher had no clue what to do with him. In the autism self-contained room, the teacher started him on a visual schedule from day one. But, there was only a limited time each child could have, and Jacob was really behind, so we started considering homeschooling.

    The Power of Visual Schedules 📅

    Today's Schedule, Jacob-educatingjacob.com
    Jacob’s earlier schedules could not contain more than 1 item per line.

    From that point on, we used visual schedules at home. I started going to the Teacch office, and they helped me build activities that Jacob could understand without needing language. Now, I can build schedules with work (activities) he needs to do to be a member of the family. He discovered he could learn, do work like the rest of the family, and have activities before movies, trains, toys, etc. Can a schedule help hyperactivity in toddlers? #Autism Challenges🧩

    Finding Our Rhythm 🎬

    It took years to figure things out, and Jacob is still not talking, but we started using movie quotes from movies he liked to see him light up. We were speaking his language. We also started using sign language, which really helped Jacob. Using his hands and the visual of watching someone complete a sign allowed Jacob’s brain to locate the word he wanted to say. He learned basic signs that we used while watching a show called Signing Time. 3 ways American Sign Language helped my son with autism speak in short sentences?

    Gaining Control and Peace 🧘‍♂️

    We have more confidence as parents and peace in the home now. Jacob has a schedule, he can communicate some of his wants and needs, he’s doing schoolwork and chores, and we also started homeschooling him and his brother.

    His brother, Nicholas, is now in graduate school and Jacob is grown and living at home with us today. He still does schoolwork, chores and shopping with us and he is able to do so with less anxiety using schedules. His day is chaotic and anxious without schedules. We are all much happier now.

    A Message to Other Autism Parents 💪

    To all the parents out there feeling the weight of an autism diagnosis and the chaos that follows, know that you are not alone. It’s a journey filled with ups and downs, but with patience, love, and the right strategies, you can create a structured and peaceful environment for your child. Remember, it’s okay to have off days. Just keep moving forward, one step at a time. You’ve got this! 💖

    Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Want more information? Sign up for my ebook: https://educatingjacob.myflodesk.com/tfgvkumbkg Let’s support each other on this journey! 📢💬

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