Support for Mothers raising an autistic child

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These poor mothers. Having to raise an autistic child. Such an unfair burden to be put on a mother. Was it their choice to have an autistic child? No! Yet they are stuck with spending countless hours of their "free time" dealing with their autistic children.

Let's find a way to help these mothers in some way. Their burden is so great. Let's all work toward finding a cure for autism so that these women don't have to suffer any more. Donate to your local "Mothers of Autistic Children Support Group".

(Take this how you want to. I really don't care. I'm being both sarcastic AND serious. I just find it funny that so many groups are so concerned with the parents' needs. Yes. They have needs. Agree completely. And? Where's the "and"? What about the autistic children?! And do those autistic children ever grow up? Are they magically cured? Where is the support for them?! Well, other than this forum.

What Mothers of Autistic Children Support Group? I have been searching for one in my area for years and not found one.

Actually, I'm pretty sure that raising an autistic child can be very tough and be a full-time job - usually a mother or father have more "jobs" than simply taking care of their one autistic child. If autistic people complain about how difficulty things are and how stressful life can be (as well as how stressful dealing with other people who don't respect an autistic person's needs), I don't understand why anyone would think mothers and father of autistic children won't feel much the same. They're human too, not a different super species who has the choice to shut up and take it all.

If parents complain about "fairness" and talk of "burdens" however, I'm gong to cringe. Yes, life's unfair, there's no supernatural judge that is concerned with making it equally easy for everyone. Besides, parents are responsible for that their child came to life in the first place so if anyone "burdened" them, they "burdened" themselves. Despite the impression such terms leave on me, I realise that it's pointless to be angry about people talking like that because calling an autistic child or adult or calling the live with an autistic child or adult a "burden" is a sign of an ill mind that requires immediate medical attention. Living with an untreated mental disorder such as depression or an acute reaction to stress and ignoring it will both for themselves and their mental well-being as well as for the physical and mental well-being of their child who will be influenced (even without the parents intending so!) by their parents state of mind.

A parent who is disabled or has a disorder but ignores their disorder and the present (and long-term) consequences their disorder has everyday won't be able to take of other people for as long as they cannot take care of themselves. Just putting their child into an institution or into a foster family is often not exactly the best solution for parent and child because, you know, most parents and children love each other, even the autistic children and adult who for some reason don't tell or don't say it often and their parents who're stressed, exhausted and worn down beyond measure and also don't say/think about it as often as they could under different circumstances.

Parents should get more support for when times are tough because if they get support in dealing with their children, their children will profit from that as well if the support is good and sensible. A parent who can take care of themselves can take care of their autistic child much better.

Sorry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcINQS0g ... ata_player

These parents are wonderful and need some support.

Jason