Re: Re: Does your child do well in school, but not in the ...

[Guest guest]

It's ok! Yes, I am An Aspie too, though noone back int he 1980's and up to the time I graduated in 1990 ever wanted to believe that. I was pigeon-holed as a whole LOT of things including "just emotionally disturbed" so I never really got any help. When I was a senior in high school (1988) I started the year as a regular student, but I couldn't handle it so I acted out and almost killed myself and threatened to over and over, so they sent me to a Psych hospital until Feb. 1989 where I was discharged ONLY because I was turning 18 and this was an adolescent unit. My mom's insurance would no longer pay for it. I went back to school in March of 1989...in a class for Emotionally Disturbed children in another school district. I had a mainstream class and I really didn't fit with the kids in my class because I was so much older than most of them and I wasn't disturbed...just Aspie! I finished that year and then in September 1989, I went back to that class for a FULL year...same deal. They had me doing such "baby work" that I was clearly above (I am talking workbooks for 6 year olds!) so I was labeled "difficult" when I refused to do it. I HATED school and in June of 1990, I was thrilled to learn I would be allowed to graduate with my own school (though I didn't know any of the kids in my graduating class!) and that I was DONE with all the nonsense of school and doing work that was clearly way too simple for an 18 year old. After I graduated, I drifted into college, only to flunk out after my first semester because I was too busy drinking and not going to class. I was drinking really heavily to forget what pain I had gone through for the past few years with school and not being understood, and I really did still want to die. I was trying to drink myself to death, I guess. After college (my mom was STEAMED that I flunked out!) I was told that I could go back, only on Probation, but I never did. I drifted from job to job, lost and depressed. I had to pay my mom rent (now I understand how right that was, but then I resented her for it) so I was depressed, lost AND broke since the only jobs I could get were minimum-wage type jobs. THEN, in 1991, I went bowling in a singles' league and there I met the most WONDERFUL man in the whole world. I won't go into details as this is long enough, but let's just say that I am still with that wonderful man today after nearly 20 years. We will be married 17 years next July. We have 5 wonderful kids, 2 with Developmental Issues...both boys. One is DEFINITELY PDD-NOS and the other is still Adjustment Disorder, but I am pushing for the PDD diagnosis for him too since he is showing some of the same "troubles" as his older brother. He has the behavior issues and the older boy has really obvious social difficulties. So we come full-circle. I advocate for the boys a lot since I myself am Aspie (even my mom after years of denying it had to admit that it fit me perfectly) so I understand what they are going through. I don't let the school get away with any nonsense...and the school is kind of "afraid" of me since I am not above going right to the Superintendant of the school district to complain. I am one tough broad, but only because I have to be. I HATE people (der...as a general rule that means people I don't know) and writing letters is safer to me than a face-to-face meeting. Inside, I am still the quivering, socially outcast and forgotten about child I was back then.

Sorry it is so long. I hope that gives y'all a bigger picture.

In a message dated 10/24/2010 2:46:03 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, blessedmom1305@... writes:

Since I am new to the group forgive me. But then am I understanding correctly that you too are an Aspie?