Raising an Autistic Child | A Mother’s Honest Journey

raising an autistic child

Hello, I'm Vanessa

I'm a mother, a wife, a digital marketing specialist, and for over a year now, part of the New Path Family of Therapy Centers. But today, I'm writing to you simply as a parent—one who's navigating the beautiful, challenging, sometimes overwhelming world of raising a neurodivergent child.

A Little About Me

I'm what you'd call a neurotypical extrovert. I get my energy from people, from conversation, from connection—though I absolutely need time to recharge after social events. My husband is my opposite in many ways: autistic, high-functioning, the steady calm to my animated enthusiasm. He brings pensiveness where I bring passion. He offers clinical realism where I see endless possibilities. He's the reassurance that grounds me, the balance that makes me feel safe.

We're the yin to each other's yang.

Our son Liam, is the spitting image of me physically—same expressions, same mannerisms, same facial features. But mentally? He's far more like his father. And watching the two of them together, understanding each other in ways I sometimes can't fully comprehend, has taught me more about neurodivergence than any book or article ever could.

Why I'm Sharing Our Story

For over a year, I've worked closely with Dr. Motro and the team, running the websites and email marketing. During that time, I've learned so much more than I ever expected—not just about autism and therapy approaches, but also about community, understanding, and the power of shared experiences.

When Dr. Motro offered me the opportunity to share my journey as a parent of an autistic child, I hesitated. I debated. I sat with all the fears and questions that arise from taking a personal scenario public.

But ultimately, I realized that staying silent wasn't serving anyone—not me, not Liam, and certainly not other parents who might be struggling with the same doubts and issues I've faced.

The truth is, for the last decade, I've battled with questions that probably sound familiar to many of you:

• Should I get him "labeled"?

• Why is there so much shame associated with diagnosis?

• Will people assume he's weird and reject him?

• Will he be able to make and maintain "normal" relationships?

• Will this define him in ways that limit rather than help him?

• Am I doing the right thing?

• Am I doing enough?

These thoughts consumed me. The fear of judgment—from others, from myself—was real and heavy.

But here's what I've come to understand: My journey could help someone else. Your journey could help someone else. When we share our stories, when we build communities of understanding and compassion, we create a safer world for all of us.

We fit into a place other parents will never fully understand. We connect in ways others will never understand. And that connection? That shared experience? That's powerful.

What I'm Not

I'm not a therapist. I'm not a behavioral specialist or a child psychologist. I don't have a degree in child development or developmental psychology.

I'm simply a mom navigating a journey I never quite expected.

What I Am

I am a woman, a parent, and a person who's growing, struggling, and facing the same challenges you do every single day.

Some days feel manageable, other days feel overwhelming—and that's true for all of us in different ways.

But we all share something fundamental: a deep, fierce love for our children and an unwavering desire to help them find a safe place in this world where they can grow up happy, understood, and valued for exactly who they are.

What You Can Expect

In this series, I'll be sharing real stories from our lives. The highs and the lows. The victories that others might not understand are victories at all. The struggles that feel uniquely isolating but are actually more common than we think.

I'll talk about:

• The early years and the questions that kept me up at night

• Navigating speculation, diagnoses, and interventions

• The move that turned our world upside down

• Social challenges and the slow work of connection

• Sensory needs and the objects that mean everything

• Holidays and celebrations that look different in our house

• The lies I've had to unlearn about what childhood "should" look like

• The truth about what really matters

An Invitation

If you're a parent of a neurodivergent child, I see you. I see the exhaustion and the joy. I see the advocacy and the doubt. I see the fierce love and the persistent worry.

If you're a therapist or educator working with families like mine, thank you. Your understanding and support mean more to us than you know.

If you're someone trying to understand what it's like for families like ours, welcome. We're glad you're here.

This is our story. Our truth. Our life.

And I'm honored to share it with you.

With gratitude and solidarity,

Vanessa

Coming Next Week: Welcome to Our World - An Introduction to My Son and the Moment I Knew He Experienced the World Differently.

Follow me on Instagram @beyondthemilestonesfam for honest autism parenting—a safe space filled with laughter, love, and the messy reality in between, where we celebrate our own timelines and support each other through the highs and lows. You're not alone here.

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