Coach Yourself Through the Autism Spectrum »

Parenting a child with autism can be isolating, draining, and stressful. Parenting a neurotypical child alongside them is even more complicated and confusing.

Coach Yourself Through the Autism Spectrum offers an opportunity to access your inner creativity, resourcefulness, strengths, and abilities in order to create positive change in your family. There are tips for taking care of your own physical and emotional health, and each section features relevant examples from other families in the same situation, and practical and thought-provoking coaching exercises to help you decide on an action plan that's right for you. Short sections on common problems such as visits to the doctor, community outings, bullying, and childcare make this book easy to read from start to finish, or dip into as needed.

This book offers hope and support for anyone parenting or caring for a child on the autism spectrum.

Foreword 1

Acknowledgements 15

Preface 19

Section I Parenting Children on the Autism Spectrum

1 Meltdowns 23

2 Outings 29

3 Childcare and Respite 35

4 Doctor Visits 47

5 "Invisible" Autism-the Unique Isolation of "High Functioning" 53

6 Parenting Your Child's Strengths (Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder) 57

7 Educational Decisions 62

8 Sleeplessness 71

9 Extended Family 77

10 Bullying 83

11 Stuck Spots 95

Section II Parenting Neurotypical Siblings

12 Asymmetrical Development 103

13 "Autism-free" Zones 109

14 Parenting Your Child's Strengths (Neurotypical Children) 113

15 Fairness 119

16 Message from a Grown Sibling 125

Section III Parent Care and Long-term Health

17 Comparison 135

18 Finding Your Parent-strengths 141

19 Parent Care 151

20 What Fills Your tank? 157

21 "I'm a Dad, What Can I Do?" 165

22 Marriage Building 173

23 For Husbands 181

24 Single Parenting 185

25 Laugh a Little 189

Appendix 1 Note To Grandparents 197

Appendix 2 Parent Checklist: "Ready For a Coach?" 199

Appendix 3 Checklist For Choosing a Coach 201

Appendix 4 "How Can I Help?" [A Brief Coaching Exercise For Friends And Family] 203

"Autism-Ese" Glossary 207

International Resources 211

References 215

Index 219