No Need to be a Supermom: 5 Things I Wish I Knew
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As a mom of an adult son with autism, I have learned so much about myself having a front row seat in my son’s classroom.  

He was diagnosed at 25 months and has non-vocal autism. At that time, I had three children all under the age of 5, and when I say life was busy with a side of chaos – that is an understatement.  

Looking back, there are five things I wish I knew. If another mom would have grabbed my shoulders, looked me in my eyes and said the following to me, my life would have been a lot more fun and a lot less stressful. 

Here is what I wish I knew:

It’s OK to Fall Asleep

It’s okay to fall asleep if you are exhausted. When my children were younger, I was often sleep deprived because my son’s sleep pattern was not always consistent. I found myself fighting to get through the days on two or three hours of sleep which often left me cranky and impatient. A nap would have felt so good, but I convinced myself that there was no time. 

Today, I encourage you mom, take a quick nap.  You will feel so much better and be so glad you did.

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It’s OK to Cry

Tears are cleansing. Mommy guilt is real, so cry those tears of frustration. Let them all out and then move on. Tomorrow will be better than yesterday, I promise. 

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It’s OK Not to Have all the Answers

It is a daily work in progress. There will be times when you will have more questions than answers about tomorrow and moms, that is ok.  Again, give yourself grace. When our children feel loved, safe, and secure, we can figure out the rest.  

It’s OK to be Unsure About the Future

As a mom of a son with autism, there were so many questions and there is still so much uncertainty about the future. I pray each day and I trust God’s plan. So, mom, exhale, take it one day at a time and know that no matter what, it really will be okay.

It’s OK to Have a Tantrum

As moms, we take ourselves and our assignment so seriously. I learned (much too late) to give myself grace and now that I have, I am truly enjoying life. Moms, after that tantrum, laugh at yourself and go on to have a great day!

Ronalda Sullivan is founder and CEO of Dream Differently® a company created for moms of children with autism. She is a speaker and coach as well as a veteran of the Air Force and federal civil service with over 29 years of experience as a mentor and leader.