Lumps, bumps and stretch marks

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I was really brave this week.

Brave for two reasons…

Firstly, because I went on a spa day and left my son for the first time for a 7 hour stretch.

Secondly, because while at the spa I wore a bikini for the first time since having my son.

Eek!

Both decisions I was worrying and fussing over for weeks.

The bikini one I battled with myself right up to the point where I was in the spa changing rooms.

I ended up packing a bikini and a costume, so I had a plan B if I wasn’t feeling brave enough to put on the bikini. (I’m a total wimp, I know!)

Because if I’m totally honest, it’s kind of hard to accept the permanent changes in my body since having a child.

The lumps, bumps, stretch marks and scars ain’t going anywhere…

And I have to accept that.

And you what, it was this exact thought that made me think…

“Screw it; I’ll wear the bikini.”

I wouldn’t go as far as to say I’m one of those “I earnt my tiger stripes and am proud of my stretch marks!” Type Mums.

It’s just that I’m trying to accept the changes. Embracing them fully comes later.

Ok, so why am I sharing this with you?

Well, accepting change is something many children with autism really struggle with too.

And that can be in a whole variety of situations, things most people wouldn’t even think about like…

A newly branded cereal.

A toy being tidied away somewhere different.

A new living room blind being fitted.

A change of bedding.

A change of weather.

A different colour lunchbox.

I once wore my hair up when working in a school. I’d been working 1:1 with an autistic boy called Zack for 2 or 3 weeks. And on this particular day, I wore my hair differently, not realising this was the first time.

Not a drastic change.

I had not dyed my hair a different colour or cut in a dramatic fridge.

Just tied it up into a pony tail.

Well, the minute Zack saw me he pounced on me and began pulling my pony tail as hard as he could while shouting “Hair, hair, hair, it doesn’t!”

He absolutely couldn’t handle the change in my appearance.

Like I said it’s not always the things you’d expect that trigger an autistic child into meltdown.

Now it’s unrealistic to think you can prevent your child from being exposed any changes in their daily life.

So it may be useful to think of some ways you can help them accept change through self-regulation.

One thing I’ll be working on with parents and carers in my new program is to help their child self-regulate.

This is part of a brand new program that will be launching in the new year. To be the first to know about it and get on the priority notification list click the link below.

I want to be on the priority notification list.

Speak with you soon, until then

Live every moment, Love beyond words and make a difference today…

Emma Ottaway

The Ambitious Autism Ambassador

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