Becoming a Responsible Adult

Our beautiful Autistic daughter is the only member of our family who didn't get today off from her new job.  On top of that, her County Transit bus line didn't run today so she had to have alternate transportation.  Anyone who knows anything about autism will understand how a simple change like that to her regular schedule could have been reason for a huge blow up, but she was very calm.

Dad got up and took her to work and we will pick her up when her shift is through.  As a treat we are heading to the Mall this afternoon for a little shopping.  She has earned the use of some of her hard earned wages.

Yesterday she did the dishes with only a little help from dad.  She did a wonderful job too, everything  was loaded carefully into the dishwasher (sometimes she can be a little reckless with her dish placement.)  

She has been taking her medication for allergies like clockwork ever since the Dr. told her that her eczema would not get better unless she took the medication every day.   She uses the special cream correctly as well.

Each day I see great strides in her maturity level.  Now, if only I could get her to clean her bedroom.

I know, but a mom has to have one impossible dream.

Pax

HIring the Handicapped

Last spring we had a crucial decision to make when it came to what path our #2 daughter would take for the upcoming year. She is a very high functioning person with Autism, and was about to graduate from High School. She could have gone on to college, but we decided that she would benefit from a year of work to give her some life experience.

We began working with Vocational Rehabilitation and a job coach to find her a part-time job. It is now Februrary and she is on her second job coach and still has not found a single employer in this wonderful progressive college town that is willing to give my daughter a chance at a part time job.

How demoralizing it must be for her to apply for job after job and be turned down time after time because of her obvious disabilities. (she has some serious social interraction deficits). If someone would give her a chance she also has some amazing abilities, such as she can do just about anything with Paintbox Pro, and PhotoShop. She writes really well, and can format flyers and other types of media. She could be taught to run copy equipment or do data entry.

The last few weeks her job coach has resorted to having her apply for jobs like hotel housekeeping, because she has exhausted everywhere else. It has to be frustrating for my daughter. I know I am very frustrated. Handicapped people with much less ability than she are working all over the city, but no one seems to want to give her a chance.

I keep second guessing our choice. Would she have been better off if we had encouraged her to go straight to college? She would have one entire semester of classes under her belt by now instead of half a year of wasted computer time (which is what she does all day when she is at home -- plays around watching web junk. What a life. ) At least she is volunteering one morning a week at the school library where I volunteer, but even that isn't giving her any real outlet, or leading to a job.

If anyone has any ideas of which saints I should be praying to, or where I might suggest to her job coach to look for a placement for Molly, please help me out. The year is about over, and the life lesson that Molly has learned is that when you are handicapped you have to work ten times as hard to get anywhere. Which I suppose will be a good lesson in the long run. I would have liked for her to at least be getting a little income along with the lesson though.

Pax

Human Rights has a New "Voice"

This is a powerful video by a woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I have two children who fall under the umbrella of this disorder. While neither of my children are this severe, there are times when both of my children have been judged because they are "different". This video is an amazing attempt to show that every human being has the right to be treated with justice and equality.





h/t to Rotating Chaos for the link.

Pax

What Kind of World Do You Want?

This month is Autism Awareness Month.

If you follow this link and watch this amazing video of autistic children and their families set to a Five for Fighting song money will be donated to Autism Speaks.

Do if for a better world

History starts Now!


h/t to Ashley Potter, doing good works even on bedrest.

Pax