Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDifferent Situations Require Different SolutionsSingle Parents or GuardiansCouplesTips for Deciding Whether to Stay Home or Not
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Different Situations Require Different Solutions
Single Parents or Guardians
Couples
Tips for Deciding Whether to Stay Home or Not
Your at-home time, relaxing in the yard or watching a video, suddenly becomes “therapy” time as you work to build communication, social, and play skills. Some parents wonder whether the best option is to simply stop working full-time in order to focus on the needs of anautistic child.
This article explores the challenges of a whole new world of responsibilities with autistic kids while also meeting your employer’s expectations. It discusses the pros and cons of working less or not at all.
Victoria Yee / Photographer’s Choice / Getty Images
Whatever choice you make, it’s important to know that autistic children are unpredictable. Costly therapies and lots of guardian time can have great results, but those results aren’t guaranteed.
By the same token, some autistic children flourish in public schools with publicly-funded programs and therapists in settings that rely on the care and involvement of other adults.
If you’re a single parent or guardian, you may have no choice but to take the services offered to you through your local school district or agency. If you have trusted friends and family, try reaching out to them for support.
You can provide more when you get home from work. The focused time with an autistic kid, when you get home, will help fill in any gaps.
For coupled parents or guardians, the choices are trickier. In many cases, assuming you’re willing to make sacrifices, it is possible for one parent or guardian to quit their job to care for an autistic child.
That means there’s a decision to be made. The decision is made easy if the highest earner stays at their job. But what if the higher earner is also the guardian who’s most eager to manage services and work with the child in a home setting?
The idea of forgoing work to care for a child may cross any guardian’s mind, regardless of gender or partner role. But it is realistic and reasonable for the worker with health benefits, for example, to keep their job while the other guardian leaves work to center the child.
Keep in mind that plenty of caregivers quit their jobs in order to be available to their neurotypical kids, at least temporarily. An autistic child has similar, and most often greater, needs to be met.
The decision to become a stay-at-home autism guardian is very personal. Even if you have the money and resources, your family may have excellent reasons to decide against it.
To make your own decision, consider your answers to these questions.
Can you afford it?
Does your child need your full-time attention?
Some autistic children are able to function quite well in public settings and need relatively little therapy outside of the school setting. Others have higher support needs and more challenging behaviors. In some cases, a leave-of-absence can allow you to set up the right situation for the child in your care—and you can return to work feeling that they are in good hands.
How good are the services in your area?
In some places, the autistic child will have automatic access to a range of therapies (occupational therapy, speech therapy,social skills therapy) without you committing a great deal of time. In other communities, it’s really up to you to advocate, pay for, and/or provide therapies. Consider if you’re better off leaving a job, moving, or looking for private options that are a better fit.
Do you want to be a full-time companion?
Summary
Some people love their career and colleagues. If you’re truly happy at work, leaving for a child’s benefit can cause resentment and frustration. On the other hand, caring for your autistic child isn’t really an excuse to leave a job you want to quit.
Be sure you’re making the right decision for the right reasons, and don’t hesitate to discuss options with family and your child’s healthcare team.
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
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