My child has autism…but we’re so much more

Image Source: New York Daily News-What you need to know on World Autism Day

Today is world autism awareness day. I wanted to take this day as an opportunity to tell you the purpose of this blog. I created Stay at Home ZooKeeer to bring you along on our journey so you and your family can gain awareness as well as feel normal in your parenting skin. I wanted you to be aware of what is going on in an autism home so when you see autism in both children and adults in public you can understand and accept them for who they are. This page can be for families of those on the spectrum, but it really is for those who know nothing about autism as well.

Yes, my child has autism. That doesn’t make him more or less of a kid. It makes him a kid. Autism doesn’t make me more or less of a mom. It makes me a mom. I don’t want you to see my being an autism mom as a reason to not follow our blog. My being an autism mom gives me some extra challenges (that sharing can indeed help the other autism families) but it doesn’t take away from the same mom challenges, the same mom hacks, and same veteran mom experience. It is a facet of my life (granted it touches just about everything in my life) but it is not all that I am, he is, or we are.

We eat blue, we decorate blue, when we go blue we go blue!

Yes my child has autism. My kid is different. Not sugar coating it, my kids a little weird. That being said, he’s still a 4 year old boy. He’s still trying to figure out this thing called life–just with a little more chaos in his brain. He still loves chase and jump, he still avoids vegetables, he still can’t handle all his emotions. Your child can ask him (or me) questions. They can ask and try to play. They can learn something about acceptance for who he his not for who he is not. You don’t need to be scared of his differences-you can welcome them.

Just because we have challenges you don’t doesn’t mean we’re stronger or better. It also doesn’t mean you should feel bad for or pity us. This is our life. We live and share ours for the relationships we all have to gain from the window into our home. We want to help and we want to learn. We have perspective and experience to share, and value what you have to share in response. Your input is not less valid if you don’t have a kid or even know another kid on the spectrum.

Basically what I’m saying is:
We want to be a page you can go to to learn from. You may learn about parenting, cleaning, autism, or just life in Wisconsin. We don’t care who you are, we want you here. So please: follow, interact, ask questions, learn, share.

Our child has autism. We are an autism family. We welcome you to our journey.