Brady Bunch of Autism

Family, Chaos, and Creating Opportunity

By Matt Asner & Navah Paskowitz-Asner

If you walked into our home on any given day, you might think you stepped onto the set of a reboot no one asked for, but everyone needed.

Six kids. Different personalities. Different needs. A whole lot of noise.

And autism woven into the fabric of it all.

We jokingly call ourselves The Brady Bunch of Autism. Not because it’s neat and tidy, it’s anything but, but because at its core, it’s about family. It’s about showing up for each other. It’s about figuring it out as we go.

And if there’s one thing autism has taught me, it’s this:

There is no script. There is only commitment.

Beyond Awareness, Into Real Life

For years, the conversation around autism has lived in the realm of awareness.

Awareness is important. But awareness doesn’t get someone a job.

Awareness doesn’t build confidence.

Awareness doesn’t create a future.

What families like mine need, and what our community deserves, is opportunity.

Real opportunity.

The kind that says:

• You belong here.
• You have something to contribute.
• There is a place for you in this world that is not defined by limitation.

What Autism Looks Like in a Family

Autism doesn’t show up the same way twice, even under the same roof.

In our family, it means:

• Different communication styles
• Different ways of processing the world
• Different timelines for growth
• Different definitions of success

It also means humor. A lot of humor.

Because when you’re navigating therapies, school systems, transitions, and uncertainty, sometimes laughter is the only thing that keeps everything from collapsing in on itself.

But beneath the humor is something deeper, a constant recalibration of expectations.

You learn to stop asking, “Why isn’t this normal?”

And start asking, “What does success look like for this person?”

That shift changes everything.

From Parenting to Purpose

Like many parents in the autism community, my journey started with my kids.

But over time, something became painfully clear:

What happens when they grow up?

Where do they go?

Who gives them a chance?

Who sees their value?

That question became the foundation for everything we’ve built at The Ed Asner Family Center.

Because the truth is, there’s a massive gap between childhood services and adult opportunity.

And too many families are left standing in that gap.

Creating Opportunity Isn’t Charity, It’s Strategy

We have to move beyond the idea that supporting the autism community is an act of charity.

It’s not.

It’s an investment.

When you create environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive, through the arts, through employment, through community, you’re unlocking potential that has always been there.

At our Center, we see it every day:

• Young adults discovering confidence through music and art
• Participants gaining real-world job skills
• Individuals who were once isolated becoming leaders in their own right

These are not “special moments.”

These are systemic possibilities, if we choose to build them.

The Power of Autistically-Led Spaces

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is this:

The best programs for the autism community are often built with autistic voices—not just for them.

Many of our initiatives are created, shaped, or led by neurodivergent individuals themselves.

Why?

Because they understand the experience in a way no textbook or training ever could.

And when that perspective is honored, something powerful happens:

Programs stop feeling like services…

…and start feeling like community.

What the Future Should Look Like

Imagine a world where:

• Hiring neurodivergent individuals isn’t seen as “inclusive”, it’s just smart business
• Creative programs are recognized as pathways to employment
• Families don’t fear adulthood, they prepare for it with optimism
• Autism isn’t something to be accommodated, it’s something to be understood and integrated

That world is possible.

But it doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens when families, organizations, employers, and communities decide to build it on purpose.

Our Brady Bunch Reality

Back in our house, the chaos continues.

Schedules overlap. Personalities collide. Someone is always louder than they need to be.

And yet, within that chaos, there is connection.

There is growth.

There is love.

And there is a constant reminder that every individual, no matter how they communicate, process, or experience the world, has value.

That’s the lesson our family lives every day.

And it’s the lesson we’re working to bring into the world.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about autism.

It’s about redefining what we believe people are capable of, and then creating the opportunities to prove it.