Changes

Changes are scary, am I right? For our special needs kiddos, change is even more frightening! David handles some changes well, and others, well let’s just say they take time.

If you know my son, you know he’s massive for lack of a better word. My boy has been in the 99th percentile since birth. He looks like he’s about double his age. This is no problem, of course, other than he is still a toddler. An autistic toddler that I have to help keep him regulated. One way he stays regulated in public is his stroller. If he has his stroller, he is usually up for whatever around others, which is huge! I know many special needs parents that struggle to take their children in stores due to sensory problems and other issues they may be dealing with. So for my sanity as well, we need a stroller.

Now, remember, David is the size of a 7/8 year old child. He long out grew his stroller. After a ton of research, we found a BOB jogging stroller that could support him up to 75 lbs. We invested and tried transitioning David. Well, my boy was not having it. We even worked on it while he was receiving therapy. Still, nothing. This went on for months. We took a few months off of trying, but recently, I decided let’s try this again and pulled it out. He didn’t get near it or touch it for weeks. Then, suddenly, David climbed in his new stroller and decided to change it up.

I am sharing this because sometimes, we can do all the “right things” to try and help our autistic children handle change. However, it doesn’t matter. David wasn’t ready to change strollers, so he didn’t. He did this on his own terms. Because of this, this new stroller is now a safe space for him and we were able to donate his other.

If your child isn’t handling change well and its something that is okay taking time, let them take that time. Autism can make minor changes feel massive. It can cause stress and anxiety in many autistic children. Be patient. They’re doing their best 🖤

How cute is my guy in his new stroller?