help! teenage son being awkward during quarantine

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Wolfram87
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24 Apr 2020, 11:49 am

He means this thing:

Quote:
I'm Carrie.

Have diagnosis of autism.


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Last edited by Wolfram87 on 24 Apr 2020, 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

Caz72
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24 Apr 2020, 11:56 am

edited


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Have diagnosis of autism.
Have a neurotypical son.


Last edited by Caz72 on 24 Apr 2020, 12:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wolfram87
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24 Apr 2020, 12:00 pm

Edited my post to remove it. Edit yours, and it's all gone.


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Mountain Goat
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24 Apr 2020, 12:00 pm

Yes. Is just to protect yourself.



DW_a_mom
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30 Apr 2020, 6:59 pm

I love belko61 wrote:
Kids can do many things at once and can successfully do homework, play a game, talk to their friends, all at once with many tabs open on the computer. I know - my boys did it for years. At least give him a chance to prove himself to you and maybe have a little peace in the house. If you think the homework will take an hour give him three to complete it, and allow the multi-tasking. If he doesn't take it seriously feel free to go back to how it is now. Set a rule and a consequence to breaking it.
A teenager needs some freedom to figure things out on his own, and to be treated a little more like a man each year. He won't screw up any more than you did at his age, let him make some minor mistakes so he can learn from them.


I like this answer.

I'd like to note that my star student daughter has simply dropped all her classes. Thankfully, as a college student she has that option. The short answer is that remote, home learning doesn't work for everyone. It did not work at all for her.

Since high school is less flexible than college, you have less options, but if the current situation isn't working, try changing it up. My daughter also studies best when she can multi-task, talk to her friends, or watch a show in the background. Everyone is different; what your tutor did for you may not be the right answer for your son. Don't be afraid to experiment. Do be willing to brainstorm with him and let him try out some of his own ideas.

I realize you may prefer a simple protocol you can follow, but parenting isn't always like that. One-size-fits all answers do not exist. Sometimes it is in everyone's best interest to experiment. Allowing social media to be part of his homework routine; maybe doing homework on zoom with friends; could turn out to be a positive option. You don't know how it will be for him unless you let him try.

The most common negative comment I've read from NT children who grew up with ASD parents is that the ASD parent was too rigid, unable to see that the child wasn't like them and had different needs. As difficult as it is to break out of the box, I hope you will try. That said, your needs are just as valid as his, but be careful separating your actual needs from your decisions as to what is best for him. He's old enough to have a voice in the process.

The situation is hard on everyone and each person is going to have to find their own way to adapt. I hope you will let him try to find his own answers.


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cyberdad
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30 Apr 2020, 7:38 pm

Most NT teens are on google hangout....does your son have access to internet?



TheOneAndOnlyShane
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02 May 2020, 4:42 am

Caz72 wrote:
so its the 3 of us cooped up together , me,my husband and my 14 y/o
i have to self isolate and sometimes have meltdown because im missing my usual routine of going to work as a bus driver but i sit in the garden shed to calm myself

my husband is actually taking this rather well but my son is being difficult,he can be so sulky because he cant see his friends and ii have limited his time on social media so that he can get on with his school work his teachers send him but he thinks I'm being unfair by doing that
but
i dont think I m being unfair because he has to do his work and i tell him he can play videogames and face time his mates after hes done his school work but he still thinks im being unfair

when hes bored me and my husband offer to do things like play board games or some other activity with him but he thinks it's babyish so i tried t get him into baking but he says no

what are people supposed to do with a surly teenager during these weeks and months of having no freedom ???


I don't know how much this is going to help, but I don't think you're being unfair at all. The world is grappling with the worst public health disaster in a century, and the worst disruption to the global economy since the Great Depression.

I'm not that old, only 24 at the moment. I still rely on my parents for quite a lot, and I speak with them regularly. My mother remembers the events and aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis, the various economic disasters of the 80s and 90s, and 9/11, all in great detail. She has said that this is unquestionably worse.

I don't know if this has been suggested (I've only read the OP, not the rest of the thread, sorry about that), but if you guys are so desperate for some kind of activity outside of the schoolwork obligations, why not make yourselves available for volunteer work? Countless people are suffering from shortages of food and other essential supplies, and various food banks and other charitable organizations are hurting for manpower in the face of the crisis. If you're feeling healthy and well, I'm sure that many would be greatly appreciative of whatever assistance your family can render.

Excursions like that can also double as social opportunities. In high school I used to volunteer for food bank activities with my roommates, and we'd figure out ways to have a good time.

It's difficult to have a poor attitude in the face of genuine gratitude, even for surly teenagers.


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