SELF CARE FOR PARENTS of Teen or Adult with Autism or Mental Illness

I have found a WONDERFUL FREE Self Care resource for you!!!  It is available worldwide.  I have been personally using it everyday.  WHAT A GIFT FOR PARENTS!!!  Run, do not walk, to the nearest Parents Meeting of Al-Anon in your area!   I have been attending multiple meetings every week for over a year.   It is the best resource I have found for Parents of Youth or Adults with Autism/Aspergers/ADHD/Mental Illness! At those meetings I am learning how to cope with my sons and daughter's autism and mental illness, in ways that are  quality of life enhancing for all concerned .  My children with autism are now ages 17, 19 and 21 years old.  Practicing this program has improved the lives of my entire family. The Al-Anon Literature is very applicable, if you just substitute the word "Autism, Aspergers,ADHD or Mental Illness" for Alcohol or Alcoholic.   This substitution opens up a treasure trove of  valuable coping strategies regar...

Seeking out Comedy and Humor in my life is Excellent Self Care!   Here is a story that I find funny:   I needed something that would take my mind off of parenting 3 children with Autism.  I needed some "me" time or a hobby that I could enjoy and use to relax.  So, the answer I thought was a cute little puppy.  I searched long and hard for "the perfect dog".  Finally after searching a number of possibilities, I decided on a breed I thought would be perfect!  I was thrilled.  We got our dog.  It was the cutest thing I had ever laid eyes on (besides my children of course).  The little puppy grew into a big fluffy bundle of joy!  A wild big bundle of joy.  So, I enrolled him in "Doggie Obedience School".  It wasn't long before the Lead Doggie Trainer approached me and asked to speak with me after class one day.  After all the other Owners and their dogs walked to their vehicles, I was curious to find ou...

 Find Hope and Strength for Overwhelming Challenges!  This Blog Visited By Parents from 30+ different Countries Latvia Turkey South Korea Kenya Ireland Estonia Brazil Singapore Argentina  Croatia Belgium United Arab Emirates Sweden Mexico Russia Hungary Switzerland Malaysia Netherlands France  Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Italy, Germany, China, India, Canada Philippines  Israel New Zealand Pakistan South Africa United States of America   Free Resource for Self Care! The 12 Step Program, Adapted to Help Parents of a Son/Daughter with Autism, Aspergers, ADHD.  Learn more by exploring this Blog!

I am a mom of 4 children.  Three of them have Autism.  Most people gasp, after that statement.  I know what that is like.  When I only had one child with Autism, I remember calling a mom that I had heard had three children on the autistic spectrum .  I just had to call her, just to hear her voice.  I thought my situation was overwhelming with just ONE (so I thought at the time) child with Autism.  I could not imagine having more than one. It was kind of a morbid curiosity that I had... to find out what a person would "sound like", that was parenting three children with autism.  Forgetting all appropriate phone protocol, I blurted, "I don't think that I would still be alive, if I had THREE with Autism!  I think I would have lost it, and that I would be in the fetal position in my closet."  I was embarrassed that I could not come up with something....anything else to say to this poor woman! "Ah....If you don't mind my asking...How...