Life just got really complicated, didn’t it?
And you are debating your options, you never wanted this. You probably wanted a child, but never thought you would have a child with a disability.
Between 80-90% of fathers of autistic children leave or get a divorce; this is a global statistic.
If you are reading this, then you probably have not left yet, but you might be considering it.
After all, you never signed up for this, right?
It’s certainly going to be stressful and heartbreaking, frustrating and at times, rage-inducing!
But it’s also going to be rewarding, Loving, and, overall, it’s going to make you work to be a better version of yourself.
An ASD diagnosis has a broad range of outcomes, and no two diagnoses are the same. You will face some unique challenges. But the rewards of the hard work and overcoming those challenges are unbelievable joy and pride.
But enough about you, the workload for an ASD child on the parents is significant.
There are two main factors that you, as parents and partners, need to work out:
The Medical
- 1. Additional testing
- 2. Treatment and management path
- 3. Educational path – this has strong links to the treatment and management path
The Resource Plan
- 1. Household finances
- 2. Balancing spousal resources, including time management and planning career development to make more resources available
- 3. Leveraging State benefits to supplement resources
Lastly, and most importantly. Your spouse is going to need massive amounts of support. They are going to need your love, your counsel, your compassion, your direction, and your forgiveness for when they inevitably lash out from frustration.
Sure, if you leave, you will be avoiding most, if not all, of the frustration and hard times.
However, you will also miss out on the rewarding and life-changing joy of how this can bring your spouse and yourself closer together than you ever thought you could be. Closer as well, with the wonderful child that exists beneath that ASD diagnosis.