Published on 12, July, 2020
OK, so the title probably covers it!!!
For a number of years now my autistic mother has been living with myself and my husband because we knew that she would struggle to live independently.
Anyway in January we welcomed our first child and I thought it was a lovely thing to have three generations under the same roof. Mum struggled when baby cried but would just take herself out of the way when it became too much for her.
Fast forward 6 months and its becoming more and more difficult.
Tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back as my mum nearly gassed us all by mixing together two household chemicals so that she could clean more effectively.
Now she has done something that has actually put my baby in harms way. I'm beginning to think that its not possible to live under the same roof.
I feel there's a lot more to this - you also have to remember that your mum was just as autistic when she had you as a baby but her being younger, had the physical strength to power through your crying and all your needs as a baby - she appears to be coping very well with the randomness and stress of having a new baby around by just excusing herself from an uncomfortable position. I suspect she'll be a lot more comfortable when the baby becomes interactive and can be played with and taught things.
The accident is just one of those things - even I've done that - it's a learning experience.