Still No Mother Teresa
By Kim Rossi
Sunday was Mother’s Day in the USA. Society likes to claim that motherhood is sacred. And autism motherhood gets elevated to the point of beatification. Sainthood. We are not machines who can endure anything and everything that life PLUS autism launches at us. This well intentioned compliment, “Strongest women I know,” sets us up for isolated, sadness, guilt-ridden moments. And sometimes much worse.
Most of us ARE incredibly strong and dedicated to our children, long after the nest should have been 
emptied. We never get a real break. We worry at every turn. We run at varying speeds on a treadmill with no emergency cut off button. We cope. Please let’s keep in mind that some small number do not cope.
If you know an autism Mom who is struggling, maybe hiding her diminished arsenal of defenses, try to help her. We must acknowledge that this journey gets tougher and scarier as we grow older along with our children, most of whom will need some level of loving care long after we are gone.
If you know an autism Mom who is struggling, maybe hiding her diminished arsenal of defenses, try to help her. We must acknowledge that this journey gets tougher and scarier as we grow older along with our children, most of whom will need some level of loving care long after we are gone.
Some days we crush life, other days we feel crushed. For most of us, and I can assure you that for me, the good days far outnumber the bad. But our normal would blow other folks’ minds.
We are not machines. We are flesh and blood mothers. And none of us is Mother Teresa.
Kim ROSSI
I'm grateful for Age of Autism and the effort you put forth to inform us and give us readers a wonderful support system, Kim.
Posted by: repo | June 16, 2025 at 04:41 AM
Kim-I feel exactly the same way about being an autism mother as you do. My son is also now an adult and should be functioning independently, but he needs so much assistance with self help, such as, taking a shower. that I feel like he is still a child. I love him dearly and have done everything in my ability to give him a loving, caring and safe home. I am not getting any younger and it's becoming very difficult to keep up this pace of caregiving, especially now that my parents are gone who were such a source of support for my son and for me emotionally. I worry about what the future holds for him every day and grow more anxious the more I think about it. I have your book that you mention above and I identified with many of the experiences you wrote about. Living with autism is a full time job with no pay and no vacations. I pray every day for the strength to be able to keep going and provide the care that my son needs. Thank God for Age of Autism and the hard work you do Kim to keep us informed and also providing all of us readers a great support network!
Posted by: Gayle | May 14, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Let Jesus lift your soul and spirit in the midst of the storm of life:
This song beautifully illustrates Matthew 14:22-33 (Jesus walks on water)
This Video Will Lift Your Spirit | "Oceans" by Hillsong United
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOZ0Tlyl_3s
Matthew 14:22-33
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2014:22-33&version=NKJV
also:
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Posted by: Emmaphiladelphia | May 14, 2025 at 03:11 PM