From Burnout to Bliss: Breaking Down Barriers for Moms of Autistics

Thriving Moms of Autistics

Hi Moms! Are you tired? Feeling like you are drowning? I get it! Are there things you can do to tackle this problem? Of course, there are! But it’s not that easy, right?

In this episode, we break down some of those barriers to getting your needs met and still take care of the needs of your child. That’s right! You can do both!

Find the full transcript for this episode at

https://thrivingmomsofautistics.com/76

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Breaking Down the Barriers to Achieving Self-Care for Moms of Autistics

It’s not uncommon for autism moms to shoot for the moon trying to handle everything at once and more. Some tasks just have to be done.

Sometimes it feels like you keep going and going and going… much like the Energizer Bunny.

Is that really necessary? It feels like it is. Unfortunately, moms have a hard time slowing down to even consider breaking down these barriers and getting creative with our self-care.

So, why is that?

1. Who has the time? Moms are often afraid to slow down for fear they will drop the ball. They are busy managing appointments, meltdowns, making an additional meal for their child’s needs,etc.
2. Who has the energy? Running around all day, staying ahead of the game in preparation for the unexpected, and managing behaviors is exhausting!
3. Who has the money? Our finances and resources are often tied up in the high cost of raising an autistic child. There is little left for anything else.
4. Who has the support? Commonly, moms are isolated, have no-one to watch their child, or struggle with support in general.
5. Last, but not least… Guilt! We are not used to taking time for ourselves. The common belief is that if we take time to care for ourselves, we are neglecting our child.

How Moms Can Shift From Burnout to Bliss?

What do you have to lose by taking time for self-care? The real question is what will you lose if you don’t?

Self-care is that important!

Engaging in self-care is caring for your child. Not only will you reap the rewards, they will too. There are many benefits, but first let's break down the barriers.

Time- Everyone has the same amount of time in the day. We use our time differently.

Energy-When you care for yourself and are mindful of sleep and nutrition, it makes such a difference.

Support-Start building a community now. It takes time, so get started.

Guilt-When you shift your mindset and recognize that self-care is for you and your child, you better understand that it is not selfish.

Some benefits for engaging in self-care include:

1. Reduce Stress- our children are sponges and our stress and anxiety rubs off on them.
2. Improve Well-Being- When we are happier and optimistic, our child is too.
3. Increase Patience- This goes a long way when dealing with difficult behaviors, such as meltdowns. How we respond matters more than we know. It sends signals for how our child will respond next. It’s a chain reaction!
4. Improve Your Relationship with Your Child & Others- We are much more pleasant to be around.
5. Enhance Resilience
6. Improve Coping Skills

I work with moms 1:1 on developing an individualized plan for getting creative with self-care in my Thrive VIP Program.