Julianna Scott and Kelley Jensen tackle a concept that hits close to home for autism families: Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU) — the tendency to react negatively on emotional, cognitive, and behavioral levels to unpredictable situations. They explore how autism parenting puts this into overdrive, from diagnosis-day fears to hypervigilance and the endless "fix it" mindset. Drawing on personal stories, research, and a recommendation for The Healing Power of Resilience, they offer practical strategies: plan only 3–5 years out, measure progress in "inch stones," find joy in small moments, and treat uncertainty tolerance as a muscle you build — not a problem you solve once.Key TakeawaysIntolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a defined psychological tendency to react negatively to unpredictable situations — and autism parents often experience it intenselyAutism can be an unexpected teacher: it forces a crash course in living with the unknownThe "only until age six" therapy panic is a myth — your child is on their own trajectoryPlan no more than 3–5 years ahead; don't catastrophize about the distant futureYour anxiety is not invisible — your child can sense when it's contributing to theirsHypervigilance is the flip side of uncertainty: constantly scanning for threats fuels more anxiety, not lessExcessive research can actually increase anxiety — know when to turn it offProgress for autistic kids should be measured in "inch stones," not milestonesResilience is a practice, not a destination — build it like a muscle through community, connection, and self-compassionLook for joy in unexpected moments; small shared experiences can quiet the noise of uncertainty🔗 Learn More: Website: refrigeratormoms.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/refrigeratormoms/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/refrigeratormoms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/refrigeratormoms/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@RefrigeratorMomsRefrigerator Moms is sponsored by Brain Performance Technologies, a specialty mental health clinic that offers neuromodulation treatments including SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, as well as MeRT (Magnetic e-resonance therapy) for autistic people aged three or older. Learn more at https://brainperformancetechnologies.com

Introduction & IU defined

One gift of autism: living with the unknown

Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies (SAINT)

Hypervigilance & the diagnosis experience

Plan only 3–5 years out

What diagnosis can't predict

The "only until age 6" myth

Your anxiety affects your child

Sponsor: Brain Performance Technologies (MeRT)

Research on IU and anxiety

When to stop researching

Letting go of "fix it" mode

Predictions that turned out to be wrong

Inch stones & measuring small progress

Finding joy in unexpected moments

Hypervigilance: the perpetual anxiety loop

Don't pack the schedule on hard days

Resilience & The Healing Power of Resilience

Resilience as a daily practice

Keep going — we're all in it

Disclaimer & closing