Occasionally, people will say to me, “it’s good to hear from Dads because there are so few Autism Dads who are really involved like you.” Honestly, I have avoided writing this piece even though it has been on my mind since I started I’mSimplyaDad.com. I just am not sure that people could truly identify with my point of view as an Autism Dad. Nonetheless, I’ve decided to go ahead and tell my story.
This post is going to be a bit different than most of my other writings. Typically, when I create a new blog post, I like to provide some type of advice, insight, or actionable steps for my readers. At the very least, provide a little bit of hope or inspiration that may brighten up their day. In this article, I am simply offering an open, honest look at what it feels like to be a stay-at-home Autism Dad.
In Defense of the Typical Autism Dad
Before I dive into my own feelings, I’d like to take a minute to defend my cohorts that serve their families in a more traditional sense. Being an autism Dad is hard. There’s no getting around that. We all deal with it in different ways. Moms may think their husbands are out of touch or care more about their jobs, but that may not be the case. It may just be a case of they don’t know how to cope with the reality of having a kid with autism. It’s heartbreaking to realize that you’ll never get to take your son to his first baseball game, talk fantasy football with him, or see him take his first girlfriend on a date. What you thought your life would be like as a Dad gets turned upside down when autism enters the picture.
For some Dads, working 60 hours a week is the best way they can provide for their families. Autism isn’t just hard for us Dads to deal with, but it is also insanely expensive. Dads appreciate this and many of them work the butts off to make sure their kids can get everything the need. To some Dads working is their way of being a good Dad. Being a stay at home autism Dad, I honestly can’t relate to this perspective, but I certainly can respect it.
Where Do I Fit In?
If being an autism Dad isn’t isolating enough, being a stay at home autism Dad makes it so much harder. I don’t fit in anywhere. I can’t relate to my working counterparts. The go to conversation for most guys is their jobs. Obviously, I don’t have anything to contribute. Guys don’t want to hear about your kids, which is of course my job. Likewise, I don’t care about their jobs because I can’t relate to it at all. I don’t want to hear about how many hours they had to put in to get this “huge” project done. While they were flying to New York on business last week, I was busy scrubbing poop of the walls and preventing my son from banging his head on the floor. You see the disconnect?
Some guys like to talk sports, but the sad fact is that I have become so busy with autism, researching how to help my son, and taking care of the day-to-day needs of my family that I am now out of touch with the current sports world. To make matters worse, some Dads will even complain/make fun of their wives. They’ll sarcastically say things like “my wife says we have to limit the sugar so no more bananas for the kids….” This inevitably leads to a conversation where they think their wife goes too far, but they just go along with it. I just politely smile, all the while realizing they that are essentially making fun of me as I say very similar things to my wife.
Sad but True
It’s gotten to the point where I almost avoid contact with other Dads. Even when there are events with fellow autism Dads, I tend to find a reason not to attend. As much as I would love to make connections with other Dads and maybe make a friend or two, it’s just easier to avoid these situations. These events remind me that I don’t really fit in anywhere. Honestly, it makes me sad, so I’ll just stay in my bubble and avoid the potential letdown.
Moms: Polite but not Welcoming
Most Mom groups, special needs or otherwise, don’t want to let a Dad in their club. I remember trying to get the boys involved with playgroups even before autism came into the picture. The moms were always nice and polite, but I never felt welcome. I tried several outings, but I never felt like I was part of the group. These playgroups are social groups for stay-at-home moms as much as they are for the kids. I was hoping they could be an outlet for me to meet people too and maybe make a friend or 2. It was clear this would not happen in a Mom’s group.
The rare stay at home Dad playgroups were quickly out of the picture once autism became more obvious. Ethan didn’t really play with anyone, and often times the meetups were at McDonalds or some fun pizza joint. We started the gluten free diet immediately after the diagnosis, so Ethan could not eat at these places, which sparked a couple of meltdowns. It didn’t take long for me to give up on the idea that playgroups would be a good place for us all to make friends.
What Do You Do?
The loneliness of being a stay at home autism Dad is made more evident when you realize you don’t really fit into society either. There is still this lingering stigma that all Dads should be working. If someone needs to stay home, it should be the Mom. I can’t tell you the awkward conversations I have had with people that start with the simple question, “What do you do for a living?” Most people are polite, some will even say how great it is that I’m with my kids, but in reality, I can just sense their disapproving sentiments.
Similarly, a trip to the grocery store will yield a minimum of 2 mean looks from strangers. Of course when Ethan is having a hard time in the middle of Costco that number is exponentially higher. All autism parents get these looks during public meltdowns, but it’s so much worse when you’re a Dad. I’m sure my own insecure perception makes this feel worse, but I’m quite certain most of the shoppers are thinking that I have no control over my kids.
You Don’t Do Enough for Your Family
As if it’s not isolating enough to be a stay-at-home autism Dad, the loneliness cuts even deeper when your own family members question your efforts. Not that long ago, someone in my family said, “I don’t like Dave. I don’t think he does enough for his family.” This is by far, the most hurtful thing that has ever been said to me or about me. It states perfectly the very thing that I believe the rest of the world thinks of me. Of course, I don’t agree with it, but that doesn’t make it any less hurtful.
From my perspective, I am now the first person in my house to wake up in the morning, and the last to go to bed at night. I cook 3 meals from scratch everyday (and two snacks). I do all the work of a stay at home Mom plus the chores or a working dad (i.e. the lawn, garage…) At the same time, I am doing countless hours of research learning how I can become healthier, and how I can help treat my son’s autism. I’m reading about how to handle my stress level, so that I can be a better husband and support my wife even more. Meanwhile, I’ve completed a Master’s degree, worked part time, and now I am trying to help other parents through my blog.