Every Story is Different Always : no superpower

Not Every Autism Story Looks the Same

One of the most damaging things happening in the autism conversation right now is the idea that there is only one acceptable way to talk about it.

For some people autism looks like a personality trait.

For others it looks like a lifelong disability that requires daily support.

Both exist.

And pretending only one of those realities is allowed to be discussed doesn’t help families navigating the harder side of this journey.

April 1st. The beginning of Autism Awareness Month…

or Autism Acceptance Month… depending on who you ask.

For some people, April has become the month where the “autism is a superpower” crowd gets really loud.

And look… if that is someone's experience with autism, I am genuinely glad for them.

But I’m going to say something that might not fit neatly into the social media version of autism that gets shared the most. That is not everyone's story.

For many of us raising autistic children into adulthood, autism doesn’t look like a quirky personality trait or a hidden genius waiting to be discovered.

It looks like:

• children who cannot live independently

• adults who still struggle with emotional regulation

• communication barriers that never fully go away

• parents who quietly wonder what the future will look like when we’re no longer here

This is my daughter Samie, she is 21 years old.

She is smart.

She is exactly who God made her to be.

Shee is part of the heartbeat of our family..My whole career grew learning from her .

But she also cannot live independently till now

And telling that truth doesn’t make me negative.

It makes me honest.

Somewhere along the way, parents like me started getting villainized for sharing the reality of raising children with significant support needs.

Apparently we’re only allowed to talk about autism if it’s inspirational. 🥴

But the truth is… You can love your child with every fiber of your being and still acknowledge that autism can be incredibly hard.

Both things can be true.

So this April, I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done. Sharing our story.

I’ll share the joy.

I’ll share the progress.

And I’ll share the reality.

Because the families living this life deserve to see their story represented too.

And those families raising children who may need lifelong support are watching quietly from the sidelines wondering if anyone sees them.

I do. I see you.

And if that makes some people uncomfortable… I’m okay with that. 🥰

Parents raising autistic children, I'm curious what does April mean to you? 🤔