@A MyAutismTeam Member - any info from the adult side is appreciated!

Parenting a child on the spectrum is a level beyond the usual issues of parenting. I do agree that working part-time or not at all outside of the house leaves you the needed energy to manage a child on the spectrum. Some of us don't have a choice, but we all do the best we can and we ALL make sacrifices!!!

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A MyAutis...

Hi Andrea! I'm with you on the impact upon parents of all stripes. I found people have no idea how tough this is unless they've been there. Kudos to all parents caring for their children.

If I had my druthers, I 'd be a stay at home parent for scheduling purposes. Most employers I know expect workers to produce. I'm in an exceptional situation where my boss doesn't hassle me about leave. I try to minimize it, but sometimes caregiving throws you a major curveball. Drives me up the wall to see parents "justifying" why they need time off for appointments for their kids. I also take issue with people thinking stay at home parents have an easy time. It's not all sunshine and lollipops! I brought up the career track since I have to work to secure my son 's future.

Hi Diedre! I'm a fed too. I work full time and have an understanding boss. My son is 23. I found there's always something with out kids. Care giving is mighty unpredictable. I sometimes lament the road not taken from a career standpoint. I'm blessed my current job affords the flexibility to have necessary "face time" with various physicians and service providers. I'm reluctant to give this up, and decided to stay put. I asked a lot of questions and concluded "moving up" would not be good for me or my son. I'm with you on the tears over sacrifices. What we do is a zillion times tougher than what's required in upper management, and we need to care for ourselves as well. Hope this makes sense. I'm one tired mama today! Happy Easter to you and your family.

My son is now 19 years old (nonverbal and seizures) and I am once again finding that I have to make this decision again. Ten years ago I left a management position because the demands on my time and energy were so great. I left the private sector and became a Federal employee. But, I now have opportunities in upper management in the Govt. and in my heart of hearts I want to take advantage of the opportunities. But, nothing has changed from 10 years ago. My son’s needs are just as great, if not greater. It is highly unlikely he’ll be placed in a group home once he ages out of the school system due to the lack of available slots. Yet I am in tears at the prospect of more sacrifice.

I thought by now It wouldn’t be a struggle to decide that he comes first. But, with each new phase in life you revisit the loss. At least I do.

I don't know how i managed to keep a job and excel in my career. My son's needs took me away from work so many times a week. But i worked hard and did my job well and I had employers that supported me. But I was so drained after a few years and due to other factors, I have been a stay at home momnow for 6 years. I miss my other life but my family is much more grounded now and I'm not so stressed out.