The Running Man – Wrong Planet's New Health Column – Wrong Planet

The Running Man – Wrong Planet's New Health Column – Wrong Planet

The Running Man – Wrong Planet's New Health Column – Wrong Planet

What a great addition you are to WP!
I need help. I have a question for all members of WP:

Would you like to have an ASD/High Functioning Autism rec center to meet and m ake friends with others with, [or would you have wanted this when you were 14 to 29]? Would you go [or would you have gone]?

I have had this burning desire for years to open an rec center for Aspergers/ High Functioning Autistics, to make friends with others, do activities: Ping-pong, chess, cards, dancing, chilling, etc.]
A bit of history tells why I want to do this: My 30-year-old son has Asergers; I did the best I could, with minimum success, to help him learn to navigate the world, with no one to guide me. [When he was Dx'ed, in 1999, no one had even heard ot ASD, including the myriad of clinicians I took him to.]
Most sad and painful for him, I couldn’t provide him the one thing he needed more than anything: Friends. He was so lonely, rejected, ridiculed by other kids, it daily ripped my heart through 1st grade. We then found a tiny alternative school for grades 2 & 3, and I then homeschooled him. He attended Homeschooler classes, of which there was a higher % with ASD. He was much happier. This is what gave me the idea of a permanent rec center. ASDs could meet, befrient, form group to go to when they are teens and must separate from their families, in preparation for leaving home.

I have seen that ASDs get along best with other ASDs. However, it’s hard to meet others with ASD; as only about 3% in the population, many don’t even have ASDs in their classes.

So I must know if this idea is viable [or just the pipe dream of a neurotypical mom, who wants to recreate her child's past for others.] Further, the answers will be essential to getting funding. So before I embark on this huge project, I ask you to put this question to the entire WP membership:

“Would you GO if such a rec center existed?”

ALL THOUGHTS AND IDEAS ARE WELCOME; PLEASE GIVE ME GUIDANCE.

Sincerely,
Bean [My nickname for years]