Parents often have a difficult time accepting that their child has a special need. This can be especially hard for fathers, who might not feel comfortable expressing their emotions about it with other people. A filmmaker named Charles Jones has created a documentary about his experience as a father of a child who has autism.
When a child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, it tends to bring out strong emotions in that child’s parents. A parent might feel a certain amount of relief in finally hearing the term that describes why their child behaves the way that he or she does.
Often, parents also feel some negative emotions after finding out that their child has autism. Many will feel a sense of grief. You might have imagined many things that your child would experience while growing up, or as an adult. Some of those hopes may seem impossible now that you know that your child has autism.
It is normal to feel angry that your child has a special need, (even if you don’t have any idea where to direct that anger). You might feel sadness, or worry, about how hard it could be for your child to make friends. Parents of kids who have an autism spectrum disorder can frequently feel overwhelmed.
These types of emotions are not ones that men tend to have an easy time expressing. A filmmaker named Charles Jones has created a documentary called “Autistic Like Me: A Father’s Perspective”. Some of this film is based on his own experiences , and emotional responses, as the father of a child who has autism. He recalls feeling anger, feeling overwhelmed, and even feeling embarrassment about his son’s disorder.
Another part of the documentary was filmed at a retreat for fathers of autistic children. Charles Jones has helped 14 fathers open up about their experiences and emotions with their autistic children.
He wants his film to show men that they don’t have to go through those emotions on their own. It is ok to reach out to others, to discuss what you are feeling about your child’s disorder, and to begin the healing process.
He also wants fathers to know that their children need them, and that they do understand what is going on. Some fathers may not realize this about their children who have an autism spectrum disorder, because kids with autism do not respond in the same ways that “neurotypical” children would.
Image by Roland Tanglao on Flickr