hahaha!  I have a lot of issues with family members!  Getting them to understand to not get fustrated with my child.  I have kept my child away from alot of family members here's why.  With my father and his mother they say that due to other people in my family having special needs I should have seen that and not brought another person with special needs into this world!  I see my daughter with Autism as someone who is gifted not disabled she is a blessing to me and this is exactly why families are so hard to deal with!

Family are the hardest ones to educate because they all seem to have secret degrees in psychology!  Unfortunately, the old thoughts of cold or bad parenting are still haunting us all.  I love getting told, not just by family, that I should just have more discipline and that I should just modify my home so that it won't get messed up! Gotta love the outside help!!! LOL!!

I get the exact same thing too!  Everyone has an opinion!  One person was like oh you have a kid with autism?  You should get a hold of Jenny McCarthy!  What?  Oh diet is the biggest thing!  They don't have anything wrong with them!  They just don't have a good diet!

I lost 3 sisters and one brother because of Autism .  I myself am not blaming a disability. My guys are older now and it just makes me sad sometimes that it had to turn out this way.  I feel if I had someone, maybe a parent with older guys like mine, could of done a sort of intervention  as per say a family get together with the goal in mind. Understanding and support.  Its exhausting to try and explain all the time.  Finding the right words and only getting frustrated and feeling isolated. I think hearing it from someone who's been there maybe families might listen better.  How about you do you feel this might be a good option for you?  Especially the families that are just beginning there journey. I want to know! 

I don't know if it would help.  I think that extended families suffer in 2 ways.  The first is fear.  If it can happen to them what about my kids? They don't want us looking at their kids and seeing the imperfections.  Second, especially with grandparents, is grief.  I have found that with my own mother that her grief process is taking a much longer course than mine.  They have to watch their beloved child go through very difficult times with their child.  It is like a double whammy.  Then there are the stubborn ones who only want to gain knowledge in choice areas.  My ex-sister in law is good friends with a family who have a son of probably 14.  They have been very involved in advocacy and have taken all the Geneva center courses etc.  My SIL still doesn't get it when I say that my daughter would not do well staying with her for a night.  She always complained that I didn't take her for more visits.  It is selective understanding.  I as a parent always welcome the support of a parent who has much older children as it gives me an clearer outlook on an otherwise very foggy future.  

I know exactly how you feel and sometimes its just not worth the trouble, But if iI had my time back again If there was a possible way to help my family to understand and get through their own fears I would of jumped at it , because in the long run its a loss I have to deal with every day and there's no going back and I miss them. Our nieces and nephews don't even know each other and that is so sad when you get  isolated, it hurts even more. If you have young children and your just beginning this journey my advise is to give them time don't try so hard, in time they will see.  Just get them to babysit a few times it doesn't have to be overnight.  They have to spend time around  your children, let them say what they feel let it slide for now.  Once you get programming in place and they are able to open there eyes and see they'll come around.  Unfortunately some people take a lot longer than others.  It could be worth it later in life. 

My attempts to educate my family falls on deaf ears!My dad gives Parry  a stare that says it all!My sister does not want her children arround Parry and seems to have the same attitude my parents have!It still hurts that my family of origin  are not involved or even want to be part of my or there grandchildrens life!