We have limited our exposure to a lot of people due to ASD and becoming Foster Parents that are adopting an ASD child. Even my Mom - that I adore - has said this is too much for me or tried to make me feel bad about my new child taking time away from my other child. Some of our so called friends made comments about behavior or just looked down their nose at our kids and their very different types of communication.

So many articles and books talk about your support system - and if you can keep a friend and have that support do it. We wish we had more people in our life - I keep saying next year we will try to see if we can broaden our circle.

This site has helped me a lot. I don't "know" anyone on here but I feel a sense of community I REALLY needed.

I think the best way to think about it is -
- take care of you (you are needed!)
- protect your family
- only share your world with people that deserve to be in it!

I've not cut ties but I've have drifted apart from lots of friends who just weren't comfortable around the kids or because I didn't have the time to do all the things I used to do. lol Sometimes you do have to let those that aren't "with the program" go because they will just make your hectic life that much worse. Keep those that don't make your life harder than it already is and just let go of others. You'll meet new friends who have more in common with you and your family do don't stress those that can't or won't understand.

It is tough being a parent of a child with ASD it really is, and no matter how much you try to make some people understand the way you have to do thing or live your life they just do not understand.

We have not only had to let friends go but family as well. Trust me I am a guy and it is harder for guys to come to terms with the fact that you have an ASD child, but eventually you cannot help but know something is very different and the normal life you thought you were going to have is now out the window. People these days seem to be so on the run and so into what they are doing for themselves that anything that is going to take a little extra time or aggravation is something they avoid like the plague. And dealing with us and our children fall into that category.

Let’s face it we have to much going on to get ourselves more aggravated than we need to so keeping these people around is just one more thing for us to deal with so it is not worth it. I just move on and if they really ask me why I am being distant I tell them the truth, and if they accept it then we stay friends and if they have an issue with it and do not understand I just move on.

Ooo very often. I'm actually pulling away from one right now that i feel has deliberately pulled away since we found our son had PDD. I don't know. Maybe I'm going crazy but it just seems they are too busy now for every little thing when before they were always available. i mean seriously, who isn't busier than a parent with a child on the spectrum? lol whatever, i just let it go and slowly pull away because it's not worth talking to them about it.

Hi... sadly this has happened to me as well. Friends, the man I dated for awhile (I'm a divorced single mom), even my own parents get impatient, offended, and disgusted by my sons behaviors. So they pull away or completely walk out. I have found a few good friends who either have kids on the spectrum themselves, or who have family members who face other mental challenges like ADHD, bi-polar, or schizophrenia. I have also found that families who have kids with physical disabilities also understand our challenges. They feel that just because the disability isn't necessarily apparent on the outside, it doesn't make it any less difficult to deal with. Here's a hug from Colorado. Keep loving your kids, keep yourself healthy (mentally and physically), and keep moving forward. You will find your niche.