Regular/Average high school

[Lolly]

I think they do call them service hours. My mistake. It's just one more thing the schools require that the students might not take the initiative to do on their own.

 

 

And, in that case, it doesn't separate them out or make them special at all. It is just another box they have to check to graduate. It is no different than taking 4 years of English.

[KungFuPanda]

And, in that case, it doesn't separate them out or make them special at all. It is just another box they have to check to graduate. It is no different than taking 4 years of English.

It's One More Thing. They have to figure out their individual volunteer position. It's not curing cancer, but if they're competing against kids with no such community-minded endeavors (cooerced or otherwise) it's something. I suspect more than one kid has stumbled upon a worthy task they wouldn't have pursued if they didn't have to check that box.

[creekland]

And, in that case, it doesn't separate them out or make them special at all. It is just another box they have to check to graduate. It is no different than taking 4 years of English.

 

But like 4 years of English, the hope is that they will learn something from their experience.  ;)

 

(Many times, they do.  If nothing else, they learn that they can get out there and do some things and/or that there are many things that need to be done.  They see a wider world than they otherwise might have.)

 

[Night Elf]

Thank you for all of the responses. I feel more at ease for his high school path. I've been in touch with his university of choice several times and they are always quick with an answer. I have very good vibes from that place.

 

Yes, I am grateful that college is a possibility for my Aspie. The problem we face is that we feel he has very few alternatives. The only two jobs we can think of he could do without college is retail or the food industry. We don't feel he would be happy in either one. I'm not sure how well he's going to actually do in school, but he must try. If it doesn't work out, his next choice is retail. At least he could work his way up to a manager some place. He's interested in the game store, naturally.

 

As far as volunteering, we can start with our humane center. It's a no-kill shelter that we've used and donated to before. In researching food banks, I found a community organization that I joined where I donate food every other month and it looks like a very cool set-up. I have a couple of other leads for things ds and I can do together.

 

My son doesn't spend all of his time in his room anymore. I do things with him such as playing board games and putting puzzles together. We also have some tv shows we watch together. I get him to go grocery shopping with me too so he can learn to do it on his own. It doesn't seem like much, but at least he's willing to do family things. He belongs to a monthly teen Aspie group although we haven't made it to the last few meetings. I'm keeping an eye open for the next meetup. The last one was this past Saturday which was SAT day, so we were unable to make it.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I haven't read the responses yet (and there are 50some now) so I'm sure someone has already expressed this.  But I had a low-average child academically speaking.  I think that is fine.  All kids are where they are.  It is a homeschool myth that all kids are advanced (or their parents are slacking).  But to have NOTHING else going on?  I kinda think maybe you're not thinking of something.  Otherwise, what does he do?  Honestly, I don't think that it is normal for a high schooler to have NOTHING else going on.  Now, how formal it is and how many things may be more individual, but I don't think not doing anything outside of average schoolwork is typical, average, ordinary.  So if there is absolutely nothing outside of what he has to do, why?  Has he tried things and not found an interest yet? does he need a little direction in that way?  Or is he depressed?  Is he entitled?  Or?  

 

ETA:  so your post is right above mine.  It sounds like there actually ARE a few things.  There is the teen aspie group. Maybe helping out there on another level?  Or with some younger kids? And by "we" have donated, I assume he was involved somehow.  Maybe he could be involved in that a little more.  For example, maybe he could use coupons and sales to get various items to donate really cheap.  Or maybe spend time there volunteering. He doesn't have to become some sporty band player who volunteers weekly all while keeping a 3.9GPA and taking the top classes he can. Sometimes it is just about 1) recognizing what you DO do or 2) just expanding that a tad more. 

 

[MomatHWTK]

if there is absolutely nothing outside of what he has to do, why?  Has he tried things and not found an interest yet? does he need a little direction in that way?  Or is he depressed?  Is he entitled?  Or?  

 

Did you not get the Asperger's part? 

[OneStepAtATime]

Thank you for all of the responses. I feel more at ease for his high school path. I've been in touch with his university of choice several times and they are always quick with an answer. I have very good vibes from that place.

 

Yes, I am grateful that college is a possibility for my Aspie. The problem we face is that we feel he has very few alternatives. The only two jobs we can think of he could do without college is retail or the food industry. We don't feel he would be happy in either one. I'm not sure how well he's going to actually do in school, but he must try. If it doesn't work out, his next choice is retail. At least he could work his way up to a manager some place. He's interested in the game store, naturally.

 

As far as volunteering, we can start with our humane center. It's a no-kill shelter that we've used and donated to before. In researching food banks, I found a community organization that I joined where I donate food every other month and it looks like a very cool set-up. I have a couple of other leads for things ds and I can do together.

 

My son doesn't spend all of his time in his room anymore. I do things with him such as playing board games and putting puzzles together. We also have some tv shows we watch together. I get him to go grocery shopping with me too so he can learn to do it on his own. It doesn't seem like much, but at least he's willing to do family things. He belongs to a monthly teen Aspie group although we haven't made it to the last few meetings. I'm keeping an eye open for the next meetup. The last one was this past Saturday which was SAT day, so we were unable to make it.

Sounds like you have some good options, and I am really glad that the University is being very responsive, too.  Yeah!  Best wishes to you and your family in your ongoing journey.

[Night Elf]

I forgot to add that my son has an outside class that meets weekly. We did that to give him a classroom feel with lectures, taking notes, tests, homework and deadlines. He's had no problems in that class and is actually enjoying it. I'm hoping the teacher will offer something really cool for next year, as the organization that provides classes doesn't really offer anything else he needs to take. They don't have very many high school level courses. His current class is both middle and high school students.

[ThisIsTheDay]

 

My son doesn't spend all of his time in his room anymore. I do things with him such as playing board games and putting puzzles together. We also have some tv shows we watch together. I get him to go grocery shopping with me too so he can learn to do it on his own. It doesn't seem like much, but at least he's willing to do family things.

 

This is pretty similar to what I do with my ds (who isn't Aspie).  It's hard to find connections, imo, when our interests are so very different.  He also doesn't do a lot of outside things, but I'm looking forward to the upcoming soccer season, which he's played for the past five years or so through a homeschool rec league.

 

I would just encourage you to not compare him to others, particularly many of the hsers here, many of whom are true standouts.  I'm paralleling that to my experience on the College Confidential site last year, when dd was applying.  I used it for the information I could get but realized that the people there had slightly different priorities (not necessarily in a bad way!).

[Haiku]

And, in that case, it doesn't separate them out or make them special at all. It is just another box they have to check to graduate. It is no different than taking 4 years of English.

 

While it may not make them "special" if all the other kids are doing it, it can certainly open their eyes to a world of people in need and the joy of giving to others in much the same way that four years of English might open their eyes to the world of Shakespeare and the joy of poetic language. Requiring service hours is an excellent thing, imo.

[Lolly]

 

[Haiku]

 

 

 

 

I think I missed something here ...

[City Mouse]

While my DD did have extracurriculars, the state school that she is attending, did not ask about any of that. It is not quite open admission, but close. One of the best things about it is that it gives merit scholarships based on ACT (and SAT) scores rather than grades. My DD was a smart underachiever who did not see anything wrong with C's.