Mum, Autism and Me
Hello
If you have found my blog, then I'm just as new to this as you are to me! I have come out of my comfort zone over the last year or so due to stresses and strains that life has had to throw at me. I think this blog is my way of turning something bad into something good that can hopefully help others as I know when I was struggling the most, there was not the help or support I needed.
I am no expert about all the things I will share and talk about, but I feel I have become an expert through some of the life experiences and have lived what I talk about.
If this helps just one person smile or breathe a sigh of relief then that makes me happy!
Me
So, a bit about me.... I’m 37 and am married with two beautiful girls.
I grew up always wanting to do some sort of childcare and always loved looking after my nieces and nephews so thought it was inevitable, I would have my own children. I admit that path didn't go as smoothly as I thought. I think we all assume if you want children then it’s a given that you get pregnant the minute you come off the pill but that isn’t the case, not for me and my husband anyway.
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Each child took us two years to conceive with tears and stress along the way. it's the hardest thing to be relaxed and just accept it will happen when it’s supposed to but when everyone around you seems to be pregnant, it’s not that easy.
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Anyway, fast forward 15 years, I now have a Bachelor’s Degree in Childhood and Youth, my eldest daughter has just started college and I'm home educating my youngest daughter.
I never planned to home school my children but when Covid hit, my eldest daughter could not return to secondary school due to personal reasons so I gave up my job where I worked in a special needs nursery to support her needs which obviously would come first. Now she is settled at college and doing amazingly well, and I unexpectedly have swapped home schooling her for my youngest who is eleven.
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Both my girls are autistic, and each have their own quirks and personalities with very different likes and dislikes.
I wanted to use this blog to share my own experiences of supporting my children with the autistic needs as well as mental health and disorders such as anorexia nervosa, but also the creative side of me such as crafting and resource making for my daughter which gave me an outlet through the tough times.
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My blog name came to me when I thought of how I think of my own role within autism and the fact I am Mum, living with autistic children but I’m also me- Rachel. I can get lost in amongst our family and life, but I am beginning to find my way out again into the world.
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It feels like the last year or so has seen my little family unit be held inside a chrysalis, but now it feels like we are emerging from that and each of our wings and colours are hopefully being able to emerge and take flight in our own ways.