Mom, wife, ex-wife of Aspergians

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Do you sense a theme?

I became aware of Wrong Planet several years ago when my daughter was younger and I was learning about Asperger's, but I am pretty sure I didn't participate in forums then. I did belong to a small community of moms of AS girls, but lost touch years ago, and we sort of found our own way. What has brought me back is my daughter's disastrous transition from high school to college. She never had significant accommodation, aside from allowing her to skip assemblies and other sensory-overload events. I kept in touch with her teachers and did my best to make sure she got stuff done and handed in. She graduated with a low B average, a couple friends and some teachers who cared about her.

Until last week, she attended the local tech college (she lives at home). Over the past couple weeks, I discovered that she had failed 2 of 3 of her first semester classes and was failing all her classes this term. So, we're trying to regroup and figure out what to do next. I'm looking for support and ideas and maybe hoping to find some of the women I connected with when I was first finding my way 10 years ago.

What else? I'm a public library manager, a lapsed writer/blogger, a social hermit in real life & also mother to a 16 year old daughter. My husband, Mark, is somwhere on the spectrum and writes about autism & Asperger's at Shift Journal of Alternatives: Neurodiversity and social change. I don't read much of his stuff--it's weighty, intellectual stuff, whereas I tend to focus on practical stuff (and am a lazy reader).

We've focused on the positive aspects of Asperger's, so it's never been a big tragedy. As a result, my daughter has been relatively happy and emotionally healthy, but this transition has been stressful and disappointing for all of us.

Did I say "hi"? Hi.

hello! I think you will be right at home here!

Merle

Welcome to WrongPlanet and welcome to my time warp.

So, where is the best place for me to jump in to a discussion? Is there an active thread for parents of college-aged Aspies? (That's what my daughter calls herself. I was rather taken with the term "Aspergian" when I found it a couple years ago.

I should also disclose that, while not on the visible spectrum, I certainly don't think of myself as neurotypical, and most others view me as "interesting," "unique," "insert euphemism of choice to indicate 'not mainstream' here." I wondered outloud to a former coworker why so many non-NT, mentally ill and homeless library patrons gravitated to me and she said, "It's because you make them feel normal and okay about themselves." I attribute it to my migraine/ADD brain.

Greetings, greeters.

Greetings, tinfoilraccoon, and welcome to the Wrong Planet.

Hello tinfoilraccoon, welcome,

I don't know if you noticed, but there is a 'parents' discussion forum here on WP, that might be an interesting place for you:
Parents' Discussion (link)

Enjoy your stay on the Wrong Planet!

To WrongPlanet!! !