Accept
Acceptance is the starting point for every challenge. It is not about giving up, lowering expectations or deciding that nothing will ever change. It is simply recognising where your child is today without judgement. Neurodivergent development is often uneven, and accepting your child's current reality allows you to support them from where they are, rather than where you hoped they would be.
Acceptance also means deciding where to invest your energy. Not every behaviour deserves your attention. Focus on the challenges that genuinely matter and allow less important annoyances to pass by without comment or action. Once you stop fighting today's reality, you are in a much stronger position to influence tomorrow.
Your fifteen-year-old still refuses to use a knife and fork because the sound of cutlery on a plate is overwhelming. Rather than turning every meal into a battle, you simply accept that they use chopsticks or a spoon for now. The goal of eating independently remains, but the way they achieve it is no longer the issue.