Heart Breaking Dave Ramsey Phone Call From a Stressed Out Autism Dad
I have blogged about Autism and Dave Ramsey in the past, but a recent call to Dave’s show really drives home the point that having debt takes away a lot of your options to helping your child with autism. The caller on this day had twin boys with autism, lots of debt, massive stress, and a second job delivering pizzas.
The caller stressed how his wife’s only concern was getting the treatments, therapy, supplements, etc. that the boys need. I felt horrible for this family. By choosing to go into debt, they left themselves with some horrible options. Money that could go to therapy goes to service credit card and other debt. What a horrible choice, do I send money to MASTERcard or pay for x and y therapies. Dave really didn’t have much of an answer, because there really isn’t an easy one. Make more money, clean up the mess, and don’t go into any more debt.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone has done stupid with money, and this family would be your normal American family (aka -broke and in debt) until autism came along. Typical American + Autism = Financial Crisis.
How many such families are there out there? How many kids with autism are suffering and living under their potential because of outside financial strains on their family?
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace is a must for families with Autism. If divorce rates for autism parents really is 80% and money fights and money problems are the #1 cause of divorce, it is critical for families to control their finances and LIVE ON LESS THAN YOU MAKE!
Filed under: Dave Ramsey and Autism, Family, Marriage, Stress
One question…when the family income is $38,000 a year and the costs of the necessary therapies and special schooling for a child with autism in this area are over $80,000 a year…how do you live on less than you make?
I don’t know, but you are setting yourself up for much worse later.
The answer is…you sacrifice the child…settle for public education that is lacking in quality and forgo the private education and any therapy that is not covered under some insurance or other plan. You have no choice other than this so you are defeated from the beginning. You are not pleased with this, but it is all you have when you live in a state (NC) that doesn’t support insurance covering the needs of a child with autism. Your only real choices are…sacrifice all you can on what you make to get the most you can afford…or be fortunate enough to be rich. Setting ourselves up for worse later? We have no choice here but to forego what is needed and live with the result. It’s a no-win situation for most parents of autistic children…unless they win the lottery.
Interesting that nobody has commented on my last statement. I’m assuming that it hit home.