• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Media
  • Instagram
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Kendall Rayburn

  • PLUS SIZE FASHION
  • BEAUTY
  • DECOR
    • FARMHOUSE FAVORITES
  • Women’s Health
    • ENDOMETRIOSIS
  • FAMILY
    • AUTISM
    • PETS
  • RECIPES

April 3, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

Autism

A huge thanks to the folks at Healthline for sponsoring today’s post.
Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

My son Wyatt is 6, and he has Autism. In just six short years he’s taught me so much, more than I ever would have expected. He is brave, strong, and smart. He loves everything soft, treasures his toy cars and stuffed animals (“lovies” as he calls them), and gives the best hugs and kisses, ever. When people see him, THESE are the things I want them to see – not his struggles, but the real and truly wonderful person that he is.

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

Like I said before, he has taught me so much. He’s awoken so much within me, and I wanted to give you a glimpse into the magic that is Wyatt, and how he’s changed me.

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

Compassion / Empathy 

I remember the day Wyatt was born, it was an over 25 hour labor, and every minute of it was intense. I kept thinking that if the labor was this hard, imagine how great the reward would be. The moment they placed Wyatt into my arms, I knew I was right, and that it had all been worth it. Since day one, I’ve been by his side – and everything he’s been through, I have been through right beside him. We’ve got a special kind of connection that I can’t put into words. Since he struggled verbally I had to rely on my mothers instincts to communicate with him, I can tell by just a look how he’s feeling. And whatever he feels, I begin to feel it too. It’s like carrying the emotions of two people at all times, mine and his. But I’ll happily carry whatever he needs, because the feeling of knowing “something is off” is what got Wyatt diagnosed so early, it’s what got him help early, and I’ll forever be thankful for our special connection and what it’s allowed me to see.

Wyatt helped teach me how to love, and he’s truly enhanced my compassion and empathy. It’d be easy to walk through this life only paying attention to yourself, but my path, my journey – is raising this incredible little boy who just wants to be loved and accepted like everyone else. And the empathy and compassion doesn’t stop at Wyatt, it’s branched out and reached further than I’d ever thought it’d go. Now when we’re in the supermarket and I see a mom struggling, I give her the nod. 

Because, by now I can spot out another Autism parent like we’re two people in a Jeep passing each other – you know how they have the special Jeep wave? It’s kinda like that. Except for us it’s a nod and smile. Something to communicate that we aren’t completely failing at this parenting thing and although our kiddos have struggles, we understand. But what I wish more than anything is that we didn’t have to share something so hard to show that kindness to one another. I wish EVERYONE was more compassionate and empathetic. My son isn’t having a melt-down because he’s a bad kid. He’s having a melt-down because he’s having a hard time.

Our kids deserve a kinder world, but how will they ever learn how to be kind when we’re not showing them ourselves through our own actions? And this is why I’ll be forever thankful that Wyatt awoke this in me. He stirred something up that I didn’t even know was there – and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to spread that empathy and compassion further than the walls of our home.

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

Patience

Oh, the patience you acquire when parenting a kiddo with Autism. Without patience, you’re going to fail. It’s amazing to look back at where our journey began, when Wyatt couldn’t say a single word – and compare it to where we’ve arrived now. But every little stepping stone he delicately walked on, was earned. He worked hard, and heck, so did we. And all of that required patience and understanding, traits that I definitely had, but traits that have grown so much since Wyatt. Because when you’re responsible for aiding and supporting your child, you do it – no matter what it takes – no matter how many times you have to make them request an item to increase their use of language. Whatever it is, you do it. And you do it with mounds of patience. And the more you see that your patience is paying off, the more you use it.

I don’t know that this is something I would have learned without my sweet Wyatt. Or, if I did learn it, it would have taken a lot longer. Because Wyatt was my crash-course fueled by love, and there really is no greater motivator than that to be a better parent and to be the parent your child needs and deserves.

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

Bravery

I’ve always been self-conscious, insecure, and dare I say it – anxiety-ridden. But seeing my son fight and overcome every day has showed me that I too can become brave, just like him. It’s like reading inspirational quotes on repeat, because he’s constantly doing things that he’s afraid to do. The school talent show, the science fair, big things to any kid – things that require you to step out of your comfort zone and share a little piece of yourself for others to see. He did those things, with ease. Because, man is he smart, and man is he BRAVE.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to speak at a conference, in front of a lot of people – and a part of me felt like I just couldn’t do it. I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be on that stage in the first place, and came *this* close to turning it down. But I didn’t – because I want to show my son that he can keep doing anything he puts his mind to, even if it’s scary. He makes me want to be brave, he shows me that I can. 

Three Things my Child with Autism Awoke in Me

I wish everyone could spend time with Wyatt, just to truly see how special he is. I wish everyone could learn the things that I’ve learned from him – and I guess that’s why I write about it on my blog. I guess that a part of me thinks the more things I throw out there, the more that will stick. I mean just think about it, what if there was more of a dialogue behind parenting a child with Autism. And what if this dialogue was read, understood, accepted. Imagine the kind of world we’d be building for kids like Wyatt. Imagine how truly wonderful that would be.

Want more? To read the full article, head to over to Healthline!

You Might Also Like:

  • Autism: Soothing Bedtime Must-HavesAutism: Soothing Bedtime Must-Haves
  • 5 Things My Child with Autism has Taught Me5 Things My Child with Autism has Taught Me
  • Autism | Fun and Function Break BoxAutism | Fun and Function Break Box
  • Autism: Calming Bedtime Must-Haves for KidsAutism: Calming Bedtime Must-Haves for Kids

Newsletter

Drop your e-mail below for a fun weekly newsletter!

Previous Post: « Plus Size Spring Style on a Budget
Next Post: How to Create the Perfect Charcuterie Board »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Meet Kendall

✉️: [email protected]

Hello, there! I’m Kendall and welcome to my little space on the internet. I’m a wife, momma to two adorable boys +  6 fur babies. read more

 

search

let’s connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Disclaimer

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

💕Ah, today was so cool! Taking over the @liketo 💕Ah, today was so cool! Taking over the @liketoknow.it IG was such an honor for us gals.

✨It feels so good to accomplish career goals with some of your very best friends by your side. I don’t know how I got so lucky but I’ll forever be grateful that @hellostefaninicole, @smilesandpearlss, & @anabeth.jpg came into my life.

💕 If you haven’t found your girl gang yet don’t worry - they’re out there! And you can always hang with us. 💕

I shared a few things that bring me joy on the LTK account but wanted to share them here, too. Drop me a comment if they make you smile! 

🐶 Puppy Breath
☁️ Big, fluffy, clouds
☕️ A good cup of coffee
😍 Any Kevin Costner movie (sorry, hubby)
🎶 Girl anthems 
🧀 Cheese
🌈 Rainbows
🌸 Pretty flowers
💕 All things PINK! 
☀️ Sunshine

🥰 You feel better right? 💛✨

🏷 You can instantly shop my looks by following me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app. @liketoknow.it #liketkit #LTKcurves #LTKbeauty #StayHomeWithLTK http://liketk.it/38RKj
🎶 Let’s go girls 🎶 💕 We’re just 4 pl 🎶 Let’s go girls 🎶

💕 We’re just 4 plus size gals taking over the @liketoknow.it feed today & sharing what brings us joy! 

🌸 Be sure to hop over to show us some love and say hello! 👋🏼 

✨Side note: pretty sure @hellostefaninicole was singing Shania during this photo, too. ✨

🏷 Download the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app to shop this pic via screenshot @liketoknow.it #liketkit #LTKcurves #LTKbeauty #LTKstyletip http://liketk.it/390rE
✨Monday Energy✨ Today my therapist and I were ✨Monday Energy✨

Today my therapist and I were talking about the power you have to see your glass as either half full or half empty.

I’m someone with anxiety, depression, and chronic illness - and balancing those while keeping a “half glass full” mentality can be hard. But it’s so necessary.

Here are some morning affirmations I plan on saying every day to keep a positive mindset, wanted to share them in case you want to try it, too!

✨I send love to every part of my body.

✨I am excited to wake up each morning to live this beautiful life I am creating.

✨Today i align myself with freedom, growth, and joy.

✨I give myself permission to go after what I want.

✨I am determined and will never give up.

(outfit pictured is part of my collaboration with @lanebryant that’s live on the blog right now) 💕
✨Saturday✨ today was a full rest day and I am ✨Saturday✨ today was a full rest day and I am so thankful for it! I soaked in the tub, did a face mask, and just relaxed with the fam. 

🍿 Tonight we’re making popcorn & having a movie night, starting with my fav 🧜🏻‍♀️ ✨& followed by King Kong (Wyatt’s pick). 🦍 

🐪✨ I am loving this new @printfresh robe -  it has a gorgeous blue camel print 😍 I’m sharing some other patterns in my stories for you & a discount code, too!

🌙✨Hope you have a great night! 

#printfresh #robe #ltkcurves
#ad 📌 A priority for nearly everyone right now #ad 📌 A priority for nearly everyone right now is just to stay healthy, especially amid COVID. Our hospitals are near capacity and struggling, so let’s help them out and try to do everything in our power to prevent unnecessary hospital visits. 

📊 Last year in the U.S., there were an estimated 39 – 56 million cases of the flu, 18 – 26 million medical visits due to the flu, and approximately half a million flu hospitalizations. Getting the flu shot and protecting ourselves and our families can help to reduce that number. 

📲 Learn more today on the blog (link in profile) and visit my stories to take a quiz to see just how many facts about the flu that you know already! 

@michiganhhs #IGotMIVax #iVaccinate
✨reminder✨ you’re magic. light. wonder. You’re made to do big, bold, things. Don’t sell yourself short. Get out there and LIVE your life! 💕 

📱 Tap the link in my bio to get all of the details on this @lanebryant look! This is just one pair of the pants featured in the 5 Pants You Need for Spring sponsored blog post! Click the link in my bio to read more! 🌸

☁️ What’s a BIG dream that you have? Let’s speak it into existence & put it out into the universe today! 👇🏼 ✨
💕Hope you had the best Valentine’s Day! My hu 💕Hope you had the best Valentine’s Day! My hubby surprised me with roses & chocolates, Levi made me the sweetest paper flower craft, and Wyatt said his valentine to me was hugs & kisses, so yesterday was perfect. 💕

🎮 We sprinkled in a little work, and now the boys are on winter break so we’ve been playing the new @nintendo Super Mario 3D World! It’s so fun!✨

💕Hope you had the sweetest Valentine’s Day 💕Swipe to see this cute cardigan dressed down, and swipe again to see roses! 🌹 

✨🌟✨

🏷 Shop my daily looks by following me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app @liketoknow.it #liketkit #LTKcurves #StayHomeWithLTK #LTKbeauty http://liketk.it/38j89
🍨 Sweet as Ice Cream 🍨 (ad) 💕 Staying co 🍨 Sweet as Ice Cream 🍨

(ad) 💕 Staying comfortable and stylish for Valentine’s Day is easy with @teamfitforme. My hunt for comfy underwear that feels good and is specifically #madeforcurves and makes me feel better from the inside out is over. 

🌬 I love these Breathable Cotton-Mesh Briefs because they’re so soft and light - and they truly are (as the name suggests) “breathable” - perfect for those of us who have hot flashes. 😉 🔥 

🎀 Have you tried Fit for Me by Fruit of the Loom? Tell me below! 👇🏼
✨chronic illness warriors✨ It can be REALLY e ✨chronic illness warriors✨

It can be REALLY easy to feel shame for "not doing enough" on the days that are hard for us. But taking the time to heal and give your body what it needs IS being productive, and that’s something that I’m always trying to remind myself.

Just wanted to share in case anyone else needs the reminder, too. ✨ You ARE enough, and you’re DOING enough, even if it’s not as much as you did yesterday. 

📸 @quotesbychristie / words inspired by @thehappysnapshot
✨EVERYbody deserves to move and feel good✨ #a ✨EVERYbody deserves to move and feel good✨

#ad 💕 I was so excited to hear that @athleta had worked with active women of all sizes to not only extend their sizing but also to test each piece to ensure the fit and performance was perfect. I’ve always marveled at the Athleta styles and to finally wear them myself was huge!

I am a 22/24 and wear a 3X typically, in Athleta I am a 2X and the pieces fit like a glove. The fabrics are soft and comfortable and I just really feel like they succeeded in their mission to create gorgeous, size-inclusive workout wear.

I’m doing a full try-on of a few different styles in my stories. Take a peek and let me know which active look I shared is your favorite! 

#athleta #powerofshe

🌟 You can instantly shop this look and the looks in my stories by following me on the LIKEtoKNOW.it shopping app. @liketoknow.it #liketkit #LTKcurves #LTKfit #StayHomeWithLTK http://liketk.it/38aEg
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · KENDALL RAYBURN | MLL DESIGN + BRANADING STUDIO