You should not feel like an inconvenience to other people bc of your child having special needs. It's so much harder with mental special needs bc most autistics look like their neurotypical peers. If our kids had physical special needs and confined to a wheelchair, there would be no question about being included bc people could see it.

You figure out what works best for your child. We had a struggle with my oldest son at my friend's wedding. I sat with him in our van for the bulk of the wedding. He was happy about it but I sure wasn't. He has matured a lot since then. Sometimes it just takes them getting older.

You do what you need to do and don't worry about what others may say. Still be respectful for the events but take care of the needs of your child. If they have favorite sensory items, it may help to make a to go bag with those items in it that you can take to different events. That way they have something to focus on. You are doing awesome! Hang in there!

I’ve been in your shoes. It isn’t easy. In my case, my husband took care of my youngest son during my dad’s funeral. He took him outside and took him and our other son home early. They were young. Two years old going on three, and five years old. The family was understanding, but others who’ve never met our son, not so much. I’ve grown thick skin, but some of the comments were rude. 😞

You know your child best so it’s a good idea to come up with plan A and plan B. 🙏🏽

Thanks for the notes, appreciate the camaraderie in this situation