Parenting Through Stress Without Losing Yourself
Regulation tools for overwhelmed autism and neurodivergent parents.
After Monday’s post, where I shared how this week is…a lot, I’ve been thinking more about what it actually looks like to keep myself regulated in real time.
Because naming the intention is one thing. Living it, during a week full of big appointments, emotional intensity, logistical juggling, and unpredictable kid energy, is something else entirely.
And if you’re parenting autistic or neurodivergent kids, you already know: Hard weeks require a different level of care.
Not because there’s anything wrong with us or our kids. But because our nervous systems are already carrying more: more sensory load, more emotional labor, more responsibility, more anticipatory stress.
On Monday, I talked about how I’m protecting our nervous systems ahead of time with reduced demands, predictable routines, co-regulation built into the day, and de-escalation plans before we need them. Today, I want to give you the HOW.
It’s not perfect or polished, and it’s all stuff I can do at home that costs $0. Just real, practical tools that help me stay grounded when the week feels heavier than usual.
And I promise, these aren’t “go get your nails done” or “drink more water.” Although you probably do need to drink more water, ahem. These are strategies that actually work for overwhelmed ND/autism parents living in the real world.
👉 Let’s talk about what regulation can look like when the stress hits hard, and how you can support yourself through it, too.
