“Feeling lonely Mama?”
“Girl, you need to get you some Autism Mama friends! There’s plenty of us out there!”
But seriously, being an Autism Mama can be pretty lonely at times. It genuinely breaks my heart when another Autism Mama expresses to me how lonely she feels. I know how she feels because I was there. I was there for many years ago.
As women, we thrive off of other Mamas to feel supported. We thrive off that connection because THAT is truly what makes us feel good not only as a Mama, but as a woman. When you don’t have that kind of connection with other Mamas, it sucks, it hurts, and it can be down right depressing.
Why do we feel so alone?
The reality is, most of us Mamas have people in our lives that love us and care about us. We have friends that don’t have kiddos on the spectrum but they are empathetic and accepting of our kiddos. The problem is, they don’t have a clue as to what it’s like to parent our kiddos. Watching our Mama friends with their neurotypical kiddos brings up a painful reminder that our kids are different. That is why it’s important to connect with other Autism Mamas because we need to feel accepted and supported.
So…how can you make friends with other ASD Mamas?
- Your child’s classroom-This is by far my favorite way to meet other Autism Mamas if you are wanting that physical presence in a friendship. Your child has classmates. Those classmates have parents. BOOM! Automatic potential Mama friends! Get involved in your child’s classroom. Get to know the other parents on a personal level.
- Social Media-There are a TON of Autism support groups on social media. Search the words “Autism om” or “Autism Support” etc… on FB. You’ll find all kinds of groups. Become active in one of the groups and then when you feel comfortable reach out & post something.
- Asking friends & family-Most of the people that you know, know someone else that has a kiddo on the spectrum.
- Join a local support group-There are organization in most cities (Easter Seals, The ARC, etc…) that have thousands of Autism families that are connected to them. Sign your child up for one of these programs & network with the Mamas.
When you get you some Autism Mama friends, your child gains a friend, which helps their confidence and you gain a friend that makes you feel a little less alone. It’s a win-win so just do it! Go to your child’s school, talk to other Autism Mamas or talk to your child’s teacher and explain to him/her that you want to connect with the other parents in your kids classroom. If that’s not something you feel comfortable with doing, get online and search different support groups with other Autism Mamas. It’s really that simple. You HAVE to put yourself out there. I know that this may be hard for some of you, but it’s soooo worth it.
In other words….
Mamas, my point is this, there is NO REASON to feel or be alone. You have options to find other like-minded Mamas. You just have to reach out & do the work. Put yourself out there!
Remember, you are NOT alone and you are probably the very person another Autism Mama is looking for.
Rachelle Fritz 