AutismParentSupport….who has the answers?
Well, I am almost there.
I have been working away making a site that reflects the bigger picture of who I am and what AutismParentSupport is about.
One of the fun things has been looking for great photos to put on the pages. I love visuals. (I also love words, but let’s face it, too many words on the screen are …zzzz….) So one of the photos I found was this one here…ANSWERS next exit. My web designer (Dawud- see the bottom of the page) loved it! But I noticed my own reaction…all these thought stumbling on top of each other in my mind as I said “No, I don’t think so….
“I don’t have the answers…”
“People will think I think I have the answers…”
“People will think I am big headed…”
“I don’t have the answers!!!!”
So there’s a lot going on here.
Certainly some of my own limiting beliefs
- that I want people (yes, you!) to like me so I should toe the line and be a good girl…
- that I truly don’t want people (yes, you!) to think that I have all the answers because of course I don’t…
- that even if I did have useful answers I’m certainly not “big” enough to put them out so confidently…
But what if I do have some answers?
What would it be like to present my new site with the true confidence that I actually have in my work?
How would that be for my readers?
Maybe it’s OK to have answers…
Because my “answers” are options
- options that work for some but probably not for all
- options that I believe in but I wouldn’t force on anyone
- options that people can take and people can leave
Phew! that’s settled
“Anwers” don’t work because they imply rightness and rigidity. An answer seems like the only way, but of course on the path of being an ASD parent there have to be as many answers as there are people. All our children are different after all…
So I am proud to present options and not answers
glad that I chose the photo of the signpost with different destinations – support, maintenance, assistance…
I hold this particular sign post. You choose the path.
What sort of help do you reach out for? I’d love to know, so please post a comment below…
Posted in autism
September 13th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Claire,
You said “my answers are options …” – what a great way to say that. So often we think there is ONE RIGHT WAY and if we’re not doing it that way, well, we’re doing it wrong.
On any path, the very best thing are to know you have options so that if one thing you do isn’t a fit, there are other things that might work. Then maybe, just maybe, it won’t feel so overwhelming.
Love your way of expressing what you can offer. I don’t have a child with autism but even I could feel the energy of hope in your words.
Beautifully said.