Caleb and friends

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Well, here is summer and Caleb has no friends. He is a beautiful Aspergers boy who could be a true friend to someone. His "weird" way of interacting has left him with no one. He will keep pursuing friends because he is very courageous but his failures make me ready to cry. How can I help him get a friend? Paul

Has Caleb complained about not having friends? Or about being bored? I sometimes found with my dd it was more about having interesting things to do than about having friends to do them with when she was younger. In the teen years it changed, and it worked out better to have one friend I knew come along with us when we did things.

I have given up on that for now. My son has to want friends badly enough to attempt to engage in a reciprocal relationship. He doesn't.

As kids get older, it gets harder because reciprocity is not the only required skill. (We have not even cleared that) and they have to have the skills to get along and survive socially-- and not all of these skills are good traits, frankly, once you get to a certain age.

My son has managed to make a few at-school friends, but I think it's largely due to them wanting to play with the heaps of Legos he brings to school. Whatever, as long as he's happy. He doesn't have anyone to hang out with during the summer, but I've signed him up for a day-camp so at least he'll get some interaction that way.

Yes, my son goes to a camp funded by the Rotary- great camp and will be his 3rd year -but it doesn't start til mid August. Paul

I would suggest trying to sign up for a summer camp. Preferably one where they are OK with AS kids. I don't think that a generic soccer/baseball/football camp is a great choice, unless Caleb likes those types of things.
What is his hobbies/interests? There are technology camps, art camps, filmmaking camps, all types of camps. But if you live in a small town, you're outta luck mostly. It's the big cities that have the most variety of kids camps.
Maybe take him to a public pool? There's lots of kids that hang out at the parks and pools through the summer. He may make a new friend, or two!

I get those summertime blues quite well. You have loads of friends up through the end of school, and then they scurry away into a million different places. Some in summer sports, some in camps, some playing video games, some on expensive vacations in RVs, some at the beach, some at the library, but it seems like everyone is away from you.
Like I said, try the camps and pool. He may make some good friends.

My daughter (8, will be 9 in a few weeks) doesn't seem to want friends. She never asks to have a playdate. Ever. If we go to the park she may sometimes make a "single serving" friend. That's rare. And the other kid, more often than not, usually also has aspergers or HFA. She definately gets along better with boys than with girls. I really wish she had a friend, but I'm under the distinct impression that I'm the only one who feels that. I really don't think she gives a hoot.