I Work With Special Ed Students, And Myka Stauffer 'Rehoming' Her Autistic Child Breaks My Heart
Start writing a post
Currently

I Work With Special Ed Students, And Myka Stauffer 'Rehoming' Her Autistic Child Breaks My Heart

A child isn't a T-shirt you can return if you don't like it.

133781
I Work With Special Ed Students, And Myka Stauffer 'Rehoming' Her Autistic Child Breaks My Heart

To be honest, I don't even know quite where to start with this one. Myka Stauffer and her husband are famous YouTube influencers who recently made the news for rehoming their adopted, autistic child.

I understand that meeting the needs of these children can be challenging. They may have verbal or physical challenges that make certain activities or communication more challenging than what it is designed to be. I fully get that Stauffer and her husband may not have fully understood what they were getting into when adopting a child who has an autism diagnosis. But what if this is doing more harm than good for this child?


Back in 2018, Stauffer posted on Instagram about how she would never trade her adopted son, Huxley, for anything in the world.

That's exactly what she did, though. She passed him on because she couldn't handle it.

I would bet that no one would say that raising a child with special needs is an easy task. In fact, many sources warn parents who are looking at adopting a child with special needs that they will feel overwhelmed, and even alone, at times. There's no promise of a smooth-as-can-be, picturesque, Hallmark movie lifestyle.

That just isn't realistic.

Some of Stauffer's followers even believe she only used Huxley for money. The New York Post reported that in addition to the Instagram post above promoting Dreft products that several other posts had been made by Stauffer using Huxley and promoting Dreft products as well, including the video below.

Myka Stauffer / YouTube

The sad reality, though, is that Stauffer isn't the only one passing on her child with special needs. Children with an autism diagnosis are two and a half times more likely to end up in the foster care system than their counterparts without a diagnosis. One of the biggest things I have learned working around students with various needs is the importance of consistency. By passing Huxley on to another home, they just interrupted his consistency, his routine, his normalcy.

They interrupted the very thing he probably thrives on.

His world is probably shaken up now, more than ever, even if this new home does end up being a better fit for him overall.

But, perhaps the thing about students and children with special needs that Stauffer missed the most is this: They're worth it.

At the end of the day, a person is a person, and giving up on them because they're different, because times got tough, breaks my heart. No one ever said it would be easy raising a child with an Autism diagnosis. And they certainly didn't say to give up on him.

I light up when a non-verbal child finally says a word, when a child begins to understand their own social/emotional capacity, when they find their niche interests and understand who they are.

I've spent my entire professional career working around children with special needs in some capacity, and I can assure you they're worth it.

I understand it's not an easy task, but one day Huxley is going to look back and feel unwanted.

How does that sit?

A child who will already be labeled as different will look back and feel unwanted not by just his biological family but an adopted family as well.

Again, I understand it's not easy, but no one said it would be. Giving up on a child is never an option. Plain and simple.

Report this Content
Featured

How Technology Has Changed Our Lives

While we are all very dependant on technology, we are losing touch with humanity.

2374
How Technology Has Changed Our Lives

If we look back on how our ancestors lived we can sense a totally different lifestyle. If they could come back and live with all our technological devices they surely would think they are in a completely new alien world. They lived such a simple life without our devices that it seems as if centuries have passed by. In reality most of the discoveries were accomplished in the past twenty years. Indeed we have assisted a total technological distortion. This change in our lives was characterized by a myriad of technological innovations, due to globalization.

Keep Reading...Show less
Sports

Why I Love Football

Why Is Football A Sport That Is So Celebrated Across The Nation?

5563
College quarterback drops back to make pass as football season begins
https://pixabay.com/en/quarterback-american-football-sport-67701/

It is the time of year when the athletic event of football tends to exhilarate fans across the Nation. Why is football a sport that is so celebrated across the Nation? Many times I have asked myself why I even love the game of football so much, especially being a female, but I came up with a few of the many reasons why football fans love the game. though this may not be everyone's reasons for loving the game, here are some reasons that I love football.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Nostalgic Early 2000s Barbies: 34 Forgotten Treasures

For all the 90's babies and their obsession with Barbies.

29504
Barbies on a display case
LATimes

With Barbie mania overtaking society with the release of the new movie, here is some late 90's/early 2000's nostalgia for you in Barbie form.

It's sure to stir up old memories and unlock some good ones. And if you're feeling inspired by a particular toy but you don't remember where you put it, we've listed where you can find one today. You're welcome.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Riots and Protests rock Paris and other French cities

Crazy European Summer

1237
Riots and Protests rock Paris and other French cities
A 17 year old boy of North African origin was shot and killed by French police during a traffic stop on Tuesday. The police claimed they "feared for their lives" when the boy started driving away from them and opened fire, killing him.
Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

When DEI goes haywire

Shocking Revelation: Doctors Resort to Ethnicity-Based Prioritization in Medical Care

1448
When DEI goes haywire
In a shocking move in New Zealand, surgeons must now consider ethnicity in prioritizing patients for operations.
Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments