When to tell a child 'You have Asperger's...'

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yikes! I would hope Janjt wanted to simply break down the old ideas and build up again on a new foundation.

but I can't speak for Janjt.

Merle

Fair enough, Tahitiii...it was probably an unfortunate choice of terms -- so, I'm curious as to what you would call it?

Understand that the information is basic stuff that ALL teenagers need to have in order to take care of themselves when they leave the family home. The summer course is taught as a two-week course, and runs from 9 am until 5 pm. And, it's a lot of fun as well as helpful, or so the teenagers who have taken it tell me. But it is a lot of work (hence the boot camp name) in that we cover a ton of material, from CPR to where the nearest Planned Parenthood is and how to deal with DOR and how to use Quicken to do your finances. All the stuff that you never learn in high school that most 'adults' are supposed to know. At the end, everyone gets a huge resource binder. It's certainly not everything, but it's better than nothing.

So, what would you call it? I would love your feedback.

"It certainly isn't everything, but it's better than nothing."

It certainly is!! !

"Boot Camp" has probably gotten a bad rap in the media, but I would have loved to have been able to go to such a place myself, in my day. It probably would have made all the difference.

Just keep doing what you're doing. That's all I have to say!!

[quote="aspiartist"]"I would have loved to have been able to go to such a place myself, in my day. It probably would have made all the difference.[\quote]

One of the things the kids say about this course is that they like being with other Aspies and HFAs. They don't get nearly enough time to hang with other spectrum kids, and here they can be themselves and know they are NORMAL in the context of other Aspies, and to learn that there are a whole lot more Aspies out there than they ever imagined.

BTW, my goal over the next two years is to start training HR departments in Silicon Valley on autism so that they can create hospitable work environments for neurodiverse employees. It is literally criminal how Aspies are treated in the workforce, and it is due to ignorance and stupidity, pure and simple. The timing is good -- baby boomers are aging out of the workforce, H1 visas are being curtailed (so that we won't have the insurgance of immigrant workers), offshoring is proving to not work as well as companies had thought, all of which will force SV to hire younger Americans -- including those with disabilities. The key is to train the NTs!!

I probably can't change the entire world in my lifetime, but I can change little bits of it.

I'm sure what you're doing can make a VERY big difference, no doubt about it!! ! Like everything else, it starts somewhere and then it blooms, expands and grows from there. I think you can and will make a difference.

Thanks again!! !

BTW, I did lose out on a lot of opportunities because the right resources weren't available to me and I still suffer the consequences today.

The work you're doing is immeasurable with regard to its necessity and importance.