As a treatment-level foster parent in Ohio for 3 years, Aubrey noticed many of her kids had similar symptoms that were not trauma based. After one of her children was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), her eyes were opened to the prevalence of this disability.
After a disappointing conversation with a local hospital about FASD supports and services, she realized she would need to follow her mom’s mantra: If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.
This led her on a path to discover everything she could about Prenatal Alcohol Exposure through reading, research, seminars and talking to leading experts in the field. She now advocates, trains and mentors others, as well as consulting with governments in her State to get more resources for FASD.
She has done all this while balancing military careers for both her husband and herself. She discusses similarities and differences between life in the military with raising children with FASD and why she considered a deployment to Afghanistan respite. This time however, her husband has been called on a 180 day deployment to respond to the pandemic, leaving her at home with the children for the first time. She discusses how she is coping with this, as well as:
- How and why she became so involved in the world of FASD
- Tips and strategies she uses to help her children meet with success
- The balance and partnership she has with her husband Nelson
- Which is easier: military deployment or parenting children with FASD
- Ideas on how to make it through this pandemic as a family and her self-care strategy
An important focus of her parenting is preparing her kids for their future:
“They should all be contributing to society because they’re capable and they want to. So, how can we put them in a position to do this?”
I think you will agree Aubrey has achieved so much in a few short years and is an inspiration to many with her straightforward approach to making lives better not only for herself and her family, but others. (Source)