Ditching the Milestones: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Unexpected Parenting

About this episode

Rachel Elimelech interviews Jenny Briggs about her journey as a mother navigating autism and the challenges of unexpected parenting.

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jenny Briggs, whose daughter Sarah was diagnosed with a rare genetic anomaly and autism. Jenny opens up about the raw, unspoken reality of realizing your child's future will look vastly different from what you imagined. We discuss the heavy burden of parent guilt, the necessity of grieving the expected child, and the profound shift from trying to fix a child to simply joining them in their world. KEY TAKEAWAYS Your grief is valid: It is completely okay to love your child fiercely while simultaneously grieving the version of motherhood and the future you originally pictured. Connection over correction: Instead of constantly trying to stop repetitive or atypical behaviors, use them as a doorway. Joining a child in their current world builds trust and leads to a genuine connection. Throw away the timeline: Standard developmental milestones can become a source of profound stress. Progress is still progress, even if it happens years later than expected. Celebrate the micro-wins. Comparison is isolating: Looking at neurotypical peers or even other neurodivergent children can quickly lead to feelings of inadequacy and loneliness. Self-compassion…

People in this episode

Host: Rachel Elimelech

Guest: Jenny Briggs

Topics covered

• autism
• parenting
• grief
• self-compassion
• neurodiversity
• developmental milestones

Keywords

• autism
• parent guilt
• grieving motherhood
• connection
• developmental milestones
• self-compassion
• neurodivergent

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