There are two types of parents in this world: the ones that like to have as much information as possible and the ones who don't. When I found out Alanna had autism, I researched as much as I could about everything having to do with autism. This has served me well, to a point...
Once you have learned what you can and have setup an intervention program for your child, you can monitor it and keep participating in it, but there comes a point when you need to step back and catch your breath. I feel like I've run a marathon over the last several months with no time for stopping. But parents need rest too... and need to retain some semblence of their normal lives, activities and interests. I've put those on the backburner too long and am not serving Alanna well be being her autism-a-holic information daddy.
To other parents in information overload... you need the information, keep getting it, keep analyzing it, keep filing it away. But take a break; don't burn out. You won't be effective to your kids this way, trust me.
I agree. I was on the internet for 4 hours per day for almost 6 months straight going through all of the message boards until I couldn't tajke it anymore and, as you said, went on "cruise control" on the interventions that we started. I still go looking now but a lot more relazed knowing that we are doing something about it, but it was very stressful in the begninning when we were trying to figure out what to do.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog btw! I love that is from Ontario so it gives us the local feel...
Oh I get it. I know where you are at right now. This is where I was exactly one year ago. Then it sort of became a way of life. Now I do the same thing but the frenzy is gone. I pace myself. I still read lots. I have a few books, when you guys are sick of the internet, give me a shout and you are welcome to borrow from my growing library. I am in Toronto.
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