Just discovered that my comment gets deleted as I type it if my phone switches screen layout, so let’s try this again: This has been my exact experience. I went from my kids jokingly saying “Yeah, I think Dad’s just autistic” to me finding the r/autism subreddit and relating way to hard with folks there, to discovering self-assessment RBQ-2, AQ, RAADS-R, SQ, EQ, and CAT-Q tests that all spelled things out plain as day, to my kids being like “Yeah, Dad. We were weren’t joking. We meant that you are actually, literally autistic”.

I understand myself better because of r/autism, and I’ve learned to have more patience and understanding for myself. I’ve found my people.