Having a child with an autism spectrum disorder or ASD can be stressful for both the husband and wife. In fact, this kind of mental condition may lead to turmoil in the marital union. According to a recent study, one of the many reasons why marriages end up in divorce is because of the failure of the parents to settle conflicts or indifferences arising from the mental health of their children. Just because it is happening it doesn’t mean that you will also be a part of this number. Luckily, you still have a chance to make your marriage last despite the existence of your child’s ASD.
Go On Vacation
Do not spend most of your time working at the office or managing your business. Learn how to take some time off so that you can create more moments with the family. Take note that having an autistic child is already challenging. Avoid making things more difficult for everyone in the household. To keep the mood light, it is highly recommended that you go on a vacation every once in a while. A quick road trip to a nearby city or a day at the beach is an excellent idea. “Research shows the biggest boost in happiness comes from planning the vacation.” Shannon Torberg, PsyD, LP said.
Get Help
Take note that no matter how much you put effort into taking good care of your autistic child, there will come a time when you would feel exhausted or physically drained. Because of this, it is essential to know when to get some help from your friends or parents. For example, you can call up your mother during the weekends to ask if she can watch over your kid. When the child is already at his grandmother’s place, be sure to find an opportunity to relax or unwind. Take a break with your loved one because you deserve it. Remember, “People need time off from work to recover from stress and prevent burnout.” David W. Ballard, PsyD, MBA notes.
Have Dinner Dates
As already mentioned above, you must not let the autism spectrum disorder of your child prevent you and your partner from experiencing happiness. Make it a habit of going on dinner dates so that you could discuss other essential topics or matters in the relationship. Relive the passion and romance that may have been changed by the mental condition of your child. Remember that dinner dates do not need to expensive. As long as you are spending some quality time with your husband, then that is already enough.
Conclusion
It is true that your marriage has become complicated ever since the day you found out that your child has ASD. Never let this problem bring you farther away from each other. Instead, use it as a reason to establish a deeper connection within the family. Janeen Herskovitz, LMHC used to say, “Just because a child has autism, doesn’t mean their life should be limited — it means they might need extra help or adaptations in order to do the same things that others do.” The last thing that your child needs is a broken family. Keep in mind that his condition may be difficult to deal with, but you have all that it takes to handle the situation. Whenever you are running out of hope, do not hesitate to get some strength from your spouse. As long as you are together, you can survive the different challenging phases in your union.