To our Advance LA Community,

November may be the very best month of autumn. We have made it through the carving of the pumpkins and the chaotic fun of Halloween. Now we can take a breath, pull on a cozy sweater, and settle into November. It’s a holiday month without the pressure of buying gifts. It is a time to spend with family and friends, cook and bake, and reflect on all that makes us feel grateful. You may appreciate Maya Angelou’s quote, “Be present in all things and thankful for all things” or you may really relate to Martha Stewart’s quote, “So the pie isn’t perfect, cut it into wedges. No need to panic!”

In this month’s blogpost, I share a conversation I had with Heidi, a parent who is a member of our Advance LA Support Group for Parents of Neurodivergent Young Adults. I met Heidi in March 2020 when we moved our group online due to the pandemic. Heidi is a regular at our meetings and she always bring resources, suggestions, support, and a healthy dose of humor. In our chat, Heidi shares her gratitude for raising a child on the autism spectrum and for how this experience has impacted her as a mom. 

Advance LA’s mission is to help our clients advance to independent adulthood. Our Life Skills Coaches meet with their clients remotely, or in person, to provide support and guidance in areas including academics, executive functioning, time management, organization, social/dating skills, job/internship obtainment and maintenance, and independent living skills.

Please contact us at advancela@thehelpgroup.org for more information.

Wishing you all the best,
Jeri Rochman, JD, MS
Program Coordinator
Advance LA

November is the month where having an “attitude of gratitude” is promoted. For parents of neurodivergent young adults, it can be challenging at times to feel gratitude. There can be moments of feeling overwhelmed and time spent wishing life could be easier for your child. But parenting a neurodivergent child can also bring its own unique benefits including new friendships with other parents on the same journey, discovering your own voice as you advocate for your child, and perhaps a better understanding of others. Parenting a neurodivergent young adult may not be a chosen path but it has its own unique beauty.

Joining a parent support group is a wonderful resource for parents of neurodivergent young adults as it can be comforting to talk with fellow parents who truly understand. I facilitate our bi-monthly Advance LA parent support group meetings and I find our sessions to be uplifting and inspiring. Recently I had a conversation with Heidi, a member of our group since March 2020 and we talked about her experience as a mom raising a child on the autism spectrum.