Reality Check: Nancy Nestor

Take a peek inside the life of local mom Nancy Nestor and get a glimpse of everyday parenting – from the madness to the mess-ups!

Vital Stats: Nancy Nestor, 53
Autism Society of North Carolina Regional Chapter Support and Development Coordinator; volunteers as the Autism Society of North Carolina Mecklenburg County Chapter President and as a preschool Sunday school teacher and children’s church director at Morningstar Presbyterian Church. Recipient of the 2009 Autism Society of North Carolina Parent of the Year award.

Family Tree:
Married to Joe and mom to Paul, 13, and family cat, Maxwell Smart Kitty. The family lives in Mint Hill.

Get Real:
Our house has a touch of chaos, but is heading toward organized. With my son’s autism, things can get compulsively rearranged at any time. Often, it ends up being a good thing. He has a very creative mind, but it also can be quite time consuming.

“Don’t You Dare”:
Being a teenager, Paul has developed a case of mumbling back when he is frustrated.

Parenting Rule #1:
I won’t allow Paul to not be responsible for his “work” – he must get his chores and homework done on time.

Fave Phrase:
“If this is the worst thing that happens today, we can all be happy.”

Top Tip:
Have high expectations of your child, but also have high empathy. See each problem as an opportunity for change and learning. Parenthood is a journey you and your child are on together. If you don’t get things right on the first attempt, there will be another chance very soon to do better. Be patient with your child and with yourself, too.