There’s a quiet grief that has settled in my bones over the years — a subtle, enduring, invisible sadness I never expected when I first became a parent.
It’s the grief of constantly co-regulating my child, who is autistic with ADHD, and whose big emotions are often beyond their control.Co-regulation means being present, constantly shifting my own emotional state, even when I’m not ready, to match the urgency of my child’s.
I’ve learned to steady my breath when theirs quickens, to lower my voice, to adjust the environment, to make them feel safe.
But when the storm passes, there’s often no space for me to process the emotional toll it’s taken.Co-regulation is not just about calming my child in a single moment of distress but about managing their entire emotional landscape day after day, which can vary considerably.
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