Depending on your child’s diagnosis (autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, sensory processing disorder, dyslexia, etc), your parenting journey might feel like you’re riding a wild roller coaster rather than a straightforward path. 

  First, I want to normalize what you’re feeling. You’re not alone. The stress you’re feeling is real. Here’s why:

• Your sleep deficit is not a joke. Almost every family I see in my consulting practice experiences sleep issues in both parents and children. Often, neurodiverse children have difficulty sleeping soundly and consistently due to both biomedical issues and challenges with routine. Even when the child does sleep well it’s common for parents to struggle with insomnia due to the worry and stress associated with their child’s neurodiversity. Additionally, insomnia leads to a psychological profile associated with depressed mood, rumination, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and poor coping resources.* If you feel like you can’t shake the dark cloud that’s been hovering over your brain, you’re not hallucinating. Sleep deprivation intensifies it.

• Mothers of children with ASD, who tend to serve as the child’s case manager and advocate, are less likely to work outside the home. On average, they work fewer hours per week and earn 56 percent less than mothers of children with no health limitations and 35 percent less than mothers of children with other disabilities or disorders. Some mothers choose this intentionally while others struggle to balance the increased demands of caregiving with a career they love (or one they depend on to support their family).

• On average, children and adolescents with ASD have medical costs of 4.1-6.2 times higher than their neurotypical peers. Children with autism, allergies, behavioral issues, and other neurodiversities require more frequent trips to doctors and specialists than their neurotypical counterparts. Of course, this requires more time, energy, and resources from the parent as well, a demand that parents of neurotypical kids don’t experience. 

• Parents of kids with needs are often frustrated by the limited options in school environments, sports, and social settings. There is no cookie cutter approach for supporting neurodiversities, but many schools still struggle to provide varied and effective options for children who learn differently. Families are finding that they need to “be the change they wish to see in the world” but don’t know where to start. 

In a nutshell, parenting a neurodiverse child has a steeper learning curve than “normal” parenting does. You took to the internet to educate yourself and step up your game, and I’m glad you did because you’re in the right place. Because there’s no reward for martyrdom, I’ve created this check list of 5 simple steps to lower your stress right now so you step out of survival mode and start thriving. 

Spoiler alert: doing these things will affect your child’s well being in the most powerful ways. They are absorbing your stress and anxiety whether you know it or not. By helping yourself you’re lowering their stress response too. Is there any better way to support them than that? 

Fill in your info below to get your checklist today.