Start Where You Are 🫂💙

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and I want to take these next few weeks to share more about my story as an "Autism Mama." 💙

"Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition involving persistent challenges with social communication, restricted interests and repetitive behavior. While autism is considered a lifelong condition, the need for services and supports because of these challenges varies among individuals with autism." -American Psychiatric Association​

*****

I remember the day Quincy was diagnosed. It was like a weight had been lifted. I didn’t feel fear or sadness in that moment. I felt relief. I knew something was going on with my baby, but I didn’t know what. And not knowing? That was the part that had me up at night.

I didn’t question the diagnosis. I had been pushing for answers since he was two years old. His first diagnosis was a speech delay, and he started speech therapy soon after. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t the full picture. That was just one part of whatever was going on. So I kept pushing.

When I finally heard “autism spectrum disorder,” things clicked. The pieces made sense. But then came the truly hard part. No one told me what to do next. There was no guide, no roadmap. There was just me and my baby, trying to figure out what life looked like now. I didn’t have a lot of knowledge about the subject. I didn’t have a lot of money. And honestly? I didn’t have a lot of time. But I did have love, determination, and a willingness to learn. That became my guide.

I won’t go into every little detail, but I will say this: I did what I could with what I had. I made sacrifices. I made moves. Literally. I sold all my things and moved to another state where I believed Quincy would have more resources and opportunities to support him. And from that place of not knowing, I created a foundation for us both to grow.

That’s why I created my course Single Mom's Intro to Autism Parenting. It's self-guided course for the mom (or any caretaker) who’s trying to figure things out without all the resources or answers, but with a whole lot of love.

✨ Click here to start the course with 25% off

I’m also holding a Q&A later this month. If you’ve got questions or just want to be part of a conversation that’s real and supportive, you can send your questions in here: 📩 Autism Mama Q&A​

You don’t have to have it all together. You just need to start. 💙

​Ingrid​

​