Parenting, Autism, and Church
For family reasons, I am very interested in church, parenting, pastoral care, and autism.
My wife and I recently did a podcast with the Two Cities crowd about Christian parenting and autism. We address the joys and challenges of parenting an ASD child, what’s been most helpful and unhelpful in the process of parenting, and what we have learned about God and each other. We stress the importance of recognizing that everyone is made in the image of God, and that within the Church we are all members of the Body of Christ with unique giftings and experiences.
We did a seminar on this topic back during the COVID days as well:
If you want to learn more on this subject, my advice is to check out the Centre for Autism and the Church.
As an autistic adult I breathed a huge sigh of relief listening to this, so many 'autism parents' are about changing us and making us fit in, we are stars and we do not fit in rectangle holes, they cut off our sparkly edges, our best bits. I appreciate your observation that we can listen better when not forced to face the front and maintain eye contact. I am glad to hear you say we are all made in God's image.
Regarding school and suchlike, we are not running out of the ability to behave, when we come home, but rather we are in a safe space now, we can meltdown when we trust our parents to give us space and time , and quiet. Our anxiety builds up when we are forced to behave the same way as others, and not be ourselves, we mask,especially girls, but in a supportive environment we can let out our frustration and then be ourselves. Drumkits are not always the problem, indeed many of us play them, it is the noise from the heaters and the lights that is overwhelming, noise many neurotypicals do not even hear.
Thanks also for not using the humiliating jigsaw piece, and instead using our preferred infinity loop.
I found the podcast very interesting, and moving as well. I also have a son on the autism spectrum, though he's much older than yours, and I can relate to most of what you say. I just wish I'd had more knowledge and, especially, more support and understanding from my own family back then.
Now to go and watch the seminar video...