Hi there and welcome to this Tuesday’s Aspergers blog post.

Just another quick reminder that the special offer for getting your free copy of “Surviving the Summer Holidays” ebook runs out in less than 24 hours.

So if you are interested in taking advantage of this offer please go to …
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Anyway here’s this week’s article:

Question

How do I help my 12 year old son to come to terms with his diagnosis and help him to understand that it is not the end of the world?

Answer

So many times in life, we focus on the negative.  It’s raining, getting up early, taking a test, and spilling a glass of milk are things that happen all the time.  None of these are true negatives, but our perspective makes them worse than reality.  You can turn each of these examples into a positive with a shift of thinking:  thick green grass, seeing the sun rise, showing off skills, and a floor that needed a good mopping anyway are all positive outcomes to the same situations.

Asperger’s Syndrome is definitely not the worst thing in the world.  There are many positive qualities to be found in a child with Asperger’s.  They’re smart, so knowledgeable, and have an amazing memory.   Children with Asperger’s have an intense sense of right and wrong and desire to follow the rules.  In the same sense, they are extremely honest.  And although they may have problems focusing on things like reading, spelling, or chores, they have an incredible ability to focus on a subject of interest until they know all there is to know about that subject.

Sit down with your son and make a list of his positive qualities.  I’ve probably listed several here to get you started.   Keep in mind that he may attempt to phrase something as a negative.  Help him see the positive in as many qualities as possible.  His list may look like this:

* Very intelligent
* Remembers everyone’s birthday and phone number
* Can talk about fun things that happened when he was 3 years old
* Almost never breaks the rules
* Almost always tells the truth
* Knows everything there is to know about ___________________(special interest)
* Tries to make sure everyone else follows the rules
Talk to your son about any weaknesses he specifically brings up.  Remind him that none of us are perfect.  We all have weaknesses, but we also have the ability to seek help to control those weaknesses.  Explain to him that the extra help and therapies he receives at school are to help him gain more control over his weaknesses.

Share a few printed resources with your son.  He is old enough to read books and magazines written by and for kids his age.  “Jay Grows an Alien” by Caroline Levine is a good example.  This novel is written for the child with Asperger’s, as well as his peers and shows kids that all of us have differences and are unique and special in our own way.

Finally, let your son know that he is the person he was intended to be and that he is loved just the way he is.  He has Asperger’s Syndrome, but he is not Asperger’s Syndrome.  He is an intelligent, unique, and special twelve year old boy.

Have a great week,

Dave Angel

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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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Why is my son’s world always so “black and white?” He is ALWAYS RIGHT!

Children with Asperger’s Syndrome have a particular way of viewing the world. Children with Asperger’s typically have a lack of understanding of the different levels of social interaction. They lack social imagination, and they tend to have some sort of difficulty with communication. These three traits lead to …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/280.cfm

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My Brain by Matthew Readman

Many people, who do not understand me, always ask how my brain works.  When I was 6, I had an assessment done because I acted differently.  The psychologist used all these terms to describe me, but eventually she came out with, I had Aspergers Syndrome.  She told my parents that I was very bright but when it came to social, my score was below average.  I rock while sitting, I see things black and white, and I am a visual person. How do I see my brain?  I have …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/279.cfm

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Living with Aspergers

This is an excellent video set in the UK at City College in Norwich. It features students with Aspergers as well as their lecturers and learning support assistants. Several students give their experiences of college. This is followed by a lecturer and learning support assistant giving feedback on their students. The main feature of the video is the “rug room” which is an amazing space to help students to cope better with college and was designed by a young person with Aspergers. It features PlayStations, computers, color changing booths (which you can set to match mood), seating arrangements to facilitate social interaction and much more. At the end several students elaborated on the question “What do you find difficult at college” which was very enlightening. This is a high quality video with some great insight into what all colleges/schools should be aiming for with pupils who have Aspergers. Running Time 5 Minutes 17 Seconds . . .

To watch this video go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/278.cfm

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