Year: 2015

My son and I went on an active campaign for a summer internship. The search required my involvement as well as my son. My son has aspergers in the autism spectrum. Our lives have been intertwined all through the stages of life. I am his advocate, his cheerleader, his personal assistant and his mother. I want only the very best for him, but I must let him lead the way. It is his life and his dreams. I am just the task master helping him to find his horizons.

My sons greatest success came from hard work and dedication to a goal. We’ve always paired up because the teamwork kept him focused and on task.Whether I was his study aid or devils advocate, we worked together to succeed at the job at hand.

When tackling the task of applying for internships, we had dueling laptops across from each other at the kitchen table. I searched and he applied to what he was interested in. The system worked fine and he sent out many applications with his portfolio attached. Routine is important to my son, so we would approach the applications this way a couple of times a week, always at the kitchen table .

He did get responses which he was thrilled about. Now , I began to coach him on the elements of interviewing and dressing for the interview. For Matt, grooming has always been a struggle. He does not like the feel of a razor on his skin. The tactile sensitivity is great due to Aspergers. But , since our culture makes opinions on first impressions, he has to overcome those issues. I would ask him to shave everyday , even though he hated it. I was trying to get him to overcome his struggles. Dressing for success is another topic that can be rigid. He has favorite clothes that he loves. Wearing something new and different sometimes feels awkward.I work with him to overcome his anxiety and feel confident about the way he looks and speaks in the interview. Special needs adult children still need personal attention to succeed. In this highly competitive world, we, as parents need to help our kids toward success. In the case of special needs, that time is great. But the results of a happy smile and a winning interview is the best outcome of all.

FEATURE ARTICLE – AUTISM

I decided that when my son was a little boy, mealtime would be my daily teaching format. Awkward social skills were his weakness. I felt the routine of nightly dinner with his family would help him to improve his conversational skills and learn how to pick up on social cues. So, at dinner each night, we would talk about our day, discuss any issues and move on to topics that fascinated him. He would grow with each conversation. The time together help him bond with his siblings and his parents.This love connection gave him more confidence to speak with his heart. He would sometimes repeat in a way we called the loop. We told him when he repeated himself, so he would learn to move forward with his next thought. Sometimes, he would converse and then get stuck, like a record that skips. He would be so excited that the subject was just too stimulating to move on. With awareness, he has improved in this area.

Your child of autism can benefit from the dinner table classroom. Inclusion is key. Interaction and overcoming social obstacles begin at home with loved ones.

Don’t turn away from one of the most valuable lessons you can give. Give your child a variety of people to talk to in a given day. Perhaps, their siblings, friends, grandparents and new acquaintances. Open their world to the art of conversation. Teach them to be a good listener as well as a conversationalist. Kids of autism shy away from these situations. They tend to be loners; often enjoying the company of computers and games.

Encourage them daily to join the family at dinner.Put all tech devices away; put some pleasant music on in the background and just talk. You will be inspired to hear what interesting stories and insights your child shares with you. Enjoy the time together! Life is a series of moments that can inspire and make life very worthwhile!

Happy Dining!