Transition from High School to the Real World -pt 3

No Football Games, No Prom, No Homecoming, No Dating, No Driving, No First Love, No Phone, No First job

Not having these erases all the landmarks of a typical high school landscape. We as a society put a lot of value in those things. We expect kids to have had some of those life experiences. My kid won't experience nor will he probably experience any of those things before graduation in a few short months.  Often times I feel like his whole high school experience has been learning through adversity mainly self imposed adversity. How do you navigate this transition when all the landmarks of success or normalcy don't exist? When you have a kid straddling the able and disable world, you wonder what success really looks like. More importantly you wonder if they will live with you forever.

January 2016

The clock is ticking down. There is lots to do but it is pretty much hurry up and wait.

Just a link that caught my eye

Am I Spoiling My Child or Accommodating His Special Needs - This hit me hard as my son was having bus troubles and I was accommodating his special needs by transporting him. 

February 2016

I had the opportunity to attend a road show that had speakers from the DDA, DVR, ARC, and Whatcom Disabilities.  It was great to have so much info right there and see how these services work with each other.  There is a still things I am unsure but having them all there cleared a lot up for me.

More interesting links
The Dirty Truth Behind Unemployment in the Autism Community

Parade Magazine had an interesting article on a company that employs autistic animators Exceptional Minds: Movie Magic

March 2016

An overwhelming list of links

Will He Live on His Own - Oh boy do these Mom's word's resonate with me.
I Can Not Die - Karen once again sums up challenges in transition and letting our kids adult
Autism Theory of Mind - this is a topic that is coming up frequently for my child and how he doesn't seem easily able to see other people's perspective. This mind blindness is causing a lot of social problems
Teen with Autism Reluctant to Learn to Drive Should Parent Push - I have a non driving teen.
Because of You - Autism and Marriage.  Once again autism is all the time thing and it takes a toll on relationships.
Top 10 Questions Parents Ask at Seattle Children's Autism Clinic

I spent a lot of time reading In a Different Key, The Story of Autism.  It was enlightening to me on a couple of different levels.  One that parents really were very instrumental in propelling people to think about autism and  research autism.  Secondly, it was helpful to see the whole picture and spectrum.  My review is here.

Attended the transition fair with my kid, he was most interested in getting all the stamps in his passport.  BUT he attended and he has never before done that. 

I also went with him to get an ID card.  That reminded me a lot of some of the challenges he is going to face with waiting, lines, and dealing with government agencies.  There is some work to be done there. Now I need to teach him to carry that ID.

Part 1
Part 2