Driving with Aspergers- the argument
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/the-challenge-of-driving-with-aspergers/
The boy is driving with aspergers. He has to drive to get a job and make friends. Locally it isn't happening for him. Ergo the drivers ed question.
Putting him in drivers ed was the smartest thing we ever did. He learned a lot. Scared the crap out of him too and that was a good thing. Many people questioned out judgment. They thought we were nuts....they told us he would not make it as a driver.
They are wrong.
Most of the time we underestimate what our kids are able to do. We work hard, but the kids are forced to work in an environment that may be unfriendly to them on a million different levels. At school, socially, in different places, even where you don't expect negative things to happen it still does. It makes the cougar Mom jump up and say, "No."
It makes parents like myself become offensive and not care too much about it. The offensive part I mean. I won't allow anyone to pick apart or make fun of my kid. IT is bad enough parents like us do the picking part to each other regularly. The cuter half and I get slammed regularly for any number of things....for believing the boy shouldn't lay about playing video games all day, for not allowing constant computer access and for putting major limits on the wifi.
As far as the driving goes....we are going slower, taking longer, the boy isn't enthusiastic, but he will still drive and get his license......and we are looking for him to try, practice and learn. Most of his driving will be local and from what cuter half tells me he is getting better at it and would do quite well if he practiced every day like we do....but he does practice a lot. Driving is an important skill to have. It is vital for these kids to be able to drive and go to work or go to the movies or out for dinner. They can't live out of our pockets forever.
How much do we know about what our kids are able to do and what they can't? I can only imagine....what it will be like.....
The boy is driving with aspergers. He has to drive to get a job and make friends. Locally it isn't happening for him. Ergo the drivers ed question.
Putting him in drivers ed was the smartest thing we ever did. He learned a lot. Scared the crap out of him too and that was a good thing. Many people questioned out judgment. They thought we were nuts....they told us he would not make it as a driver.
They are wrong.
Most of the time we underestimate what our kids are able to do. We work hard, but the kids are forced to work in an environment that may be unfriendly to them on a million different levels. At school, socially, in different places, even where you don't expect negative things to happen it still does. It makes the cougar Mom jump up and say, "No."
It makes parents like myself become offensive and not care too much about it. The offensive part I mean. I won't allow anyone to pick apart or make fun of my kid. IT is bad enough parents like us do the picking part to each other regularly. The cuter half and I get slammed regularly for any number of things....for believing the boy shouldn't lay about playing video games all day, for not allowing constant computer access and for putting major limits on the wifi.
As far as the driving goes....we are going slower, taking longer, the boy isn't enthusiastic, but he will still drive and get his license......and we are looking for him to try, practice and learn. Most of his driving will be local and from what cuter half tells me he is getting better at it and would do quite well if he practiced every day like we do....but he does practice a lot. Driving is an important skill to have. It is vital for these kids to be able to drive and go to work or go to the movies or out for dinner. They can't live out of our pockets forever.
How much do we know about what our kids are able to do and what they can't? I can only imagine....what it will be like.....
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