"Therapy Fridays and Meltdown Mondays: Juggling Appointments, Babies, Preppies & Your Own Sanity"

Raising an autistic child often means your calendar looks like a game of appointment bingo—OT here, speech there, psychologist next week. Now toss in a baby or two, two preppies who need support with their early learning, another child mid-diagnosis, a house that never stops, and a partner who’s gone from 3am to 6pm. Sound familiar?

You’re not alone—and you’re doing an amazing job, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

1. The Therapy Treadmill: OT, Speech & Psych on Repeat

For families navigating autism, early intervention is gold—but it comes at a cost: time, energy, and mental bandwidth. OT sessions to help with sensory regulation, speech therapy to support communication, psychology for emotional wellbeing... each one is vital, but the back-to-back nature can leave even the most organised parent running on fumes.

Survival tip:
Batch appointments where possible, and always ask if telehealth is an option. It’s okay to reschedule. You’re allowed to prioritize yourself, too.

2. The School Hustle: Supporting Your Preppies

Getting two preppies through the school gates every day (with shoes on the correct feet and no forgotten readers) is a win in itself. But when they still need help with their learning, emotions, or routines, school mornings and afternoons become another demanding job on your already overflowing list.

Add in school pick-up right when therapy ends, or trying to get dinner going while also spelling out sight words? It’s like running a classroom and a clinic at home—with babies attached to your hips.

Smart move:
Keep a folder or box for each preppy’s schoolwork to avoid the "Where’s your homework?" panic. Use short, sensory-friendly activities to help them learn without meltdowns. And never underestimate the power of educational apps on your phone during car rides!

3. The Other Kids Need You Too (All At Once)

While you're in the middle of a meltdown in the OT waiting room, your toddler is trying to eat crayons and the baby just had an explosive nappy. Meanwhile, your child still awaiting diagnosis is expressing their own needs in ways that are hard to decode. It's a full-blown circus... but you’re the ringleader, lion tamer and clown all at once.

Sanity saver:
Create a "therapy day bag" packed with snacks, sensory toys, nappies, headphones, and something just for you (like a choccy bar or a podcast). Think of it as your emergency kit for emotional CPR.

4. Don’t Forget You Exist Too

You're not just a parent or a scheduler—you’re a whole person. But when the days blur together in a storm of school runs, toddler tantrums, and therapy appointments, your own mental health can quietly take a back seat.

It’s easy to say “take time for yourself,” but harder to do when there's no time to take. Still, even micro-moments—like sipping tea while the kids nap or crying in the shower (no shame here)—can help keep your tank from going completely dry.

Mental health checkpoint:
If you feel like you're constantly surviving instead of living, reach out. There’s no gold medal for burnout. Local parenting groups, online ASD communities, and even your GP can help you get support. You deserve it just as much as your kids do.

5. The Invisible Load of the Long-Hour Parent

Your partner might be up at 3am and gone before the sun, but that doesn't mean your 19-hour shift isn't just as intense. The solo parenting days can feel endless, and the resentment? That creeps in even when you love them deeply.

Connection idea:
Try a weekly 10-minute “check-in” call or message with your partner. Share something funny that happened, a win with the kids, or even just: “Today sucked. I need a hug later.”

It’s not about perfection—it’s about partnership.

6. Celebrate the Tiny Wins (Because They’re Huge)

You made it to the appointment—even if one shoe was missing.
Your ASD child used a new word.
Your preppies recognised a sight word.
The toddler didn’t scream for 10 minutes straight.
You remembered to eat breakfast.
You’re still standing. That counts. That always counts.

Closing Thoughts:
You are not failing. You are managing an invisible load few people see and even fewer understand. The appointments, the babies, the preppies, the exhaustion—it’s a lot. But you're still here. Showing up. Advocating. Loving. Trying.

Take a breath. Cry if you need to. Laugh when you can. And remember, you’re doing the work of a village—and you deserve support, too.

Call to Action:
If you’re in the trenches too, drop by our blog for more real talk and support. You're never alone here 💛