Mom Tips for Navigating Chaos and Achieving a Peaceful Autism Journey

Thriving Moms of Autistics

Hi Moms! Lately, I’ve been hearing from a lot of moms that they have felt so unsettled lately. They’ve expressed ongoing anxiety or a sense of doom.

I get it. I’ve had these same feelings. As moms of autistics, we work extra hard to protect our children from the unique challenges they face on top of typical child-related challenges.

We are surrounded by daily horror stories from all corners of the world. Seasoned therapists often experience PTSD from repeatedly hearing stories over the years of trauma and devastation.

Think about that for a minute. There is a lot going on around the world right now. When you have experienced extraordinary, repeated situations in your own life, you are more likely to feel the heaviness of what others are experiencing around you.

In this episode, I explore ways to protect yourself from overwhelming circumstances to minimize the long-term effects on you and your child.

Find the full transcript for this episode at http://thrivingmomsofautistics.com/50

Please share the podcast with other moms to help them grow in their autism journey. You can also do this by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. I appreciate you!

Navigating the Chaos as an Autism Mom

I’m just going to jump right into this today. Because we all know why this is important, right? So, I don’t need to examine that.

Being surrounded by so much that is out of one’s control and can take a toll on anyone. No one is exempt from that.

You know yourself best. However, you might miss key warning signs if you’re not paying close attention. It’s a chaotic time after all.

Moms of autistics juggle a lot of balls day after day. One might think it’s impossible to catch everything as a result. However, autism moms tend to have a heightened sense of awareness that works in everyone’s favor.

Unfortunately, they tend to place themselves at the end of the line when it comes to attention. Yes, I’m talking about you! We all have done it.

Tips for Autism Moms to Achieve Peace

Tip #1 Set Boundaries: Moms of autistics lead pretty structured lives given the uncertainty of our days. We live in a technological era. The news is everywhere. It is hard to get away from it.

Sometimes, you must unplug. I keep my phone on all the time when I am not with my son in case his teachers or therapists need me. Like you, I can never completely unplug. But I can decide what I read and watch.

This might mean you need to take a break from the news. That is a trigger waiting to happen. Nothing good comes from the news usually.

It is good to be informed to some extent, but it can have a big impact on you with repeated exposure. This includes social media. Many get their news through social media. Also, it is not a realistic place. I think of it as wonderland, or the land of what others want you to see.

I can’t tell you how many people have told me they took a break from social media for a few days and the difference it made in their lives.

I use social media for marketing but can definitely minimize my use on a daily basis.

Here is a challenge for the week to come. Are you ready? Track how often and how long you are on social media for a 2–3-day period. You might be surprised by the results.

Tip #2 Be Mindful of Your Energy Source: Have you ever heard of garbage in garbage out? What you put into your body matters. Our food and drink options serve as an energy source for our bodies.

I had a meeting earlier today with a friend developing a business about gut health. All I could think about was how my belly hurt from eating too much candy earlier in the day. The sad thing was that it was only 11am. But I was feeling stressed. Needless to say, the candy didn’t help.

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