What does being a parent of an Aspie feel like?

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I'm curious. How do you cope? Is it difficult? How does one adapt (I'm sure it varies)? I would imagine it would be could be frustrating rather often.

Its both rewarding and frustrating, it makes you cry and it makes you laugh. I wouldnt change a thing about it though, everyday I learn something new about how to cope with different situations because it constantly changes. Keeps you on your toes I tell you!! !

How does it feel? Well...it varies from being frustrating to being wonderful - and it's given me a chance to REALLY learn different ways of parenting, because my Aspie son and NT daughter are so incredibly different.

Here's the thing though - it's no more frustrating than being the parent of an NT though. It's just different. I'm learning how to look at the world completely differently, and actually - I'm enjoying learning all I can. It's just really nice to know what exactly has been going on all this time with my son. I never could put my finger on it until recently, and that alone is a huge relief.

Its just the same as being the parent of any other kid. You love your child immeasurably. Yes there are difficulties - but NT kids have difficulties too (just in different areas.)

My Aspie daughter makes me laugh a hundred times a day. She is so very literal and that just cracks me up. She's bright, precocious, and sweet. We do have "those days" but every single family I know has days like that, and their kids are NT. In our family, bad days consist of screaming and banging heads on walls - in my friends' families, bad days consist of back talk and fighting with siblings. Similar issues - different degrees.

I wouldn't change it for the world. My kids are awesome, and having AS just makes my oldest that much more interesting.

I'll echo the responces of the other posters, it is definitely a fantastic adventure. Z is a fascinating kid and keeps us on our toes. Frustrating sometimes but rewarding in a thousand ways.

How do I cope? I take a deep breath and refocus often. Try to help him do the same. Laugh a lot, a very necessary coping mechanism. Don't get too serious except when you are angry with the school's stubborn refusal to understand your child. (this keeps the anger directed away from your child and toward an area of our society where it might do some good.) Interacting with your Aspie and learning to help him understand himself and others is fun, frightening, frustrating and rewarding. Taking him fishing and not throwing him in the water is an exercise in personal self control, especially when he catches more than you do. Realizing that I wouldn't change this for the world is the best way of coping.