Serge Prengel and Andréa Ruhland speak about Andréa’s journey as a mother to a daughter on the autism spectrum. Andréa shares insights into how she navigates her daughter’s emotional world, the difficulties faced in traditional schooling, and the importance of creating a supportive environment that allows her daughter to express herself freely. This heartfelt conversation conveys a down-to-earth sense of the complexities and rewards of mindful parenting.
Andréa says: I have two kids, Kurt, who’s 20, and Kayla, who’s 16. My daughter, Kayla, has borderline low-functioning autism, which they didn’t officially diagnose until she was 14. While I knew she had unique challenges by the time she was a toddler, I was unable to find Kayla the care she needed because no one would really listen. As a toddler, it was common for her to have numerous rages throughout the day, which included screaming, biting, hitting, you name it. I was the only person who was able to calm her down, and lucky enough to be able to stay home and care for her full-time. Each year, the rages slowly lessened and lessened, and we’ve grown together to help one another through life’s ups and downs. I don’t have any answers, but I hope you find my tips helpful.
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