April is Autism Awareness Month - Day 17 & 18

Having a special needs child is tough. It's hard on everyone involved. I think the area that suffers the most is marriage.

I'd love to be able to give you advice on how to keep your marriage happy and healthy but we struggle with this as well. I think the most important thing is to realize the danger. If we are aware and vigilant we are less likely to let things spin out of control.

Communication is vital. It's a good idea to spend time alone and to have some sort of outlet for the frustrations. Marriage is rarely easy and requires a lot of patience from both parties. What ever you do, don't give up easily.

I believe that all children need a stable home and that two parents are better than one. This is experience talking. I've done the single parent thing... not easy. There are days when you are certain you can't handle it and when you are single, you have to handle it. Having someone you can count on for support is priceless.

As for me, right now my marriage is strained. We both want what's best for our kids but we both seem to think different things are best. I can be stubborn so I try to take a step back and see it through my DH's point of view.

With two kids on the autism spectrum, everyday can be a challenge. I pray every morning that I'm up for it. I'm so very blessed. I know that God will never give me more than I can handle.