What Motivates Me

Have you ever paused in your day and asked yourself "Why in the world am I doing this?"

Well, I did this past week. So bear with me as I dive into my 'why' a bit more...

I worked at the Christian Broadcasting Network for over a dozen years and it was known that I was a parent of an autistic kid. And I had the opportunity at times to share a little of my story in midday chappels. After all, the opportunity to share a bit of autism awareness and understanding should be shared if it is made available and I'm very grateful I was able to share some insight as I was learning as much then as I am trying to now.

One thing I don't often share is why after so many years I am more involved in the community now than I was before. To some, it's teaching the world about autism from a dad's perspective. And yes, I do that when it is possible for a teaching moment to occur. I've also shared openly that my selfish goal is to learn more about my son... and that has always remained the case.

But this journey has shown me one inherent truth: this effort is not just about my own selfish needs or desires. Over the years I've seen far too often news reports that break my heart. I've read thousands of articles on Autisable that have offered some deep insight into the thoughts of other parents and autistic individuals that have both enlightened - and were also warning signs.

You see, years ago I was talking with my good friend Rob Gorski about the news of an autism mom just 'snapping' and committing the worst thing any parent could think of doing... harming their own child - and then themselves.

We've also talked regularly about those kids who have a tendency to elope at a moment's notice at any time of the day, being found later - in the worst of circumstances.

We've also seen too often in the news, as well as in online support groups, where our autistic kids are being bullied soo much, and those same bullies are encouraging our kids to kill themselves... and find out when all this happens that the schools take no action.

There was a period of time when we'd see these stories happen almost every month. Years would pass by for these families and they'd set up a routine and structure to make their lives and lifestyles manageable. Then, their kid ages out of all of the services made available to them. They had no outlet, no friends they felt they could open up to, no safety net to help them as their kid got older... and then... they'd mentally snap.

This week, I share more about this topic on the next edition of the Autisable Dad's Podcast.

Now for the Podcast News...

Of course, Autisable Dad's is available on most streaming services where you can find podcasts, we're always growing and expanding our efforts. Just select your preferred podcast streaming service and search for 'Autisable Dad's'.

Next month I'll be sharing more from our first season of Autisable Dad's, both on our YouTube channel, as well as in this newsletter.

I'm also incredibly grateful for our Patrons, who know more about this journey, and know that this effort still needs to keep moving forward. If you'd like to be a patron, please visit our Patreon page to support this effort:?https://www.patreon.com/Autisable

There's even more behind-the-scenes information and collaboration on Patreon.

And now, for more!

Sometimes an individual and organization need a bit of a shoutout, as they are making great strides in helping the autism community in some way. Here is this week's highlight:

1. Dr. Shelley A. Stravitz who has been helping and educating parents to optimize interventions for their child with ASD for over 30 years through virtual parent & professional private consultations and group workshops across the U.S. & worldwide.
2. Jaeden Shafer who is the CEO and Co-Founder of Self-Pause, a positive affirmation app available on iOS and Android. Who reminded me this past week to remain positive. (and no, that wasn't a paid plug for his efforts)

If you have a company or individual that needs a shout-out, leave a comment.

Thank you for subscribing and being a part of this journey.