First Time Parents with Children on the Spectrum

By Dr Parker Rugeley-Valle 

As a clinical supervisor for an ABA company, I provide parent training for families regarding historical information on ASD, current practices, and Applied Behavior Analysis. What I want to say is that many first time parents are silently going through so much emotionally.

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Parents are not just being a mother or a father for the first time but they are being parents to a child with ASD for the first time. They may not be knowledgeable in appropriate practices and techniques for helping with behavior concerns, hyperactivity, OCD tendencies, or self-stimulation to name a few. They are fearful of how the world will see them and how the world will treat them. Parents are scared to take their kids out in public because of the looks they receive from other adults who do not understand. Parents are scared to put their children in school because they don’t know how educators will treat them. They are fearful of their child being hurt and bullied.

I have been in parent training with families who have cried because the emotions are so overfilling. They feel they are alone. They are continuously researching how to better serve their child on the spectrum, how to help them regulate, and how to teach them. No one truly teaches you how to be a parent and no one teaches you how to be a parent to someone on the spectrum. Parents are trying their best and they love unconditionally. I want society to love everyone the same. I want to bring awareness to those who assume the negative stereotypes about children on the spectrum.

I want people to be more open-minded, caring, compassionate, and loving. Everyone deserves understanding and love. I love my kids, my clients, and their families. And I love you.

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Dr. Parker Rugeley (-Valle) works as a Clinical Supervisor/Parent Trainer for Mylestones Therapy providing therapy to children on the Autism Spectrum and other behavioral challenges. A member of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Dr. Parker strives to provide spaces for minoritized groups to congregate and have an open dialogue about issues they face in various environments. 

In 2018, Parker graduated from California State University, East Bay with a B.A. in Political Science with an option in Pre-Law and a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration with an option in Justice and Enforcement. In 2020, Parker graduated from his Alma Mater with a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Management & Policy Analysis. In December of 2023, Dr. Parker earned his professional doctorate in education at the University of the Pacific concentrating on Transformative Action in Education.

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