Building Things
What's Going On Here?
For the past six weeks, I’ve been writing a book about life after high school for neurodivergent young people. I finished the Introduction and three chapters, about 22,000 words. I should be done with Chapter 4 by the end of the day. Six more chapters to go. I hoped to be done with the entire project by the end of June, but the end of the summer is more realistic
I posted several excerpts of the book here, using the newsletter to get feedback and polish my prose. I’ll spare you today. Instead, I’ll fill you on the autism stuff in our home and professional life. I’ll be brief. I already wrote one newsletter today and have a strict writing goal for the day. At 4:00, we’re meeting my brother for Happy Hour tacos and beers. Important business ahead.
After starting an autism consulting company this spring, it quickly became obvious that I needed an e-book to sell to clients and to help structure my free webinars and private consulting sessions. The writing is going relatively quickly, because I’ve done so much work in the past three years, but I still have a few gaps. To supplement my existing knowledge, I’m interviewing smart people and going to conferences.
This project is my number one priority at the moment. Everything else is on hold.
Well, it’s hard to put everything on hold here, because I’m always doing too much. After losing the School Board election last November, I was recruited for a slew of local groups, and I joined them all. It’s been wonderful, because I feel like I’m making positive changes in my community without the hassles of political office.
One of my groups supports the interests of disabled people and seniors in town, which is a perfect match for me. Yesterday, we took a tour of an autistic day program that teaches computer skills to adults with nonverbal autism. It was inspirational.
I’m also supporting a local philanthropist, who is setting up a new nonprofit for autism about five minutes away from my house. A dream opportunity. More on this soon.
My autism mom stuff never goes away. Ian finally left the public school system on Friday. He’s 22 now. Keeping him in public education after high school, even when he was in suboptimal situations, was the BEST decision. The school kept him busy for 180 days per year. Ian loves being busy, so between a full school day with a two hour commute and after school activities, he was moving all the time.
Staying in public school paid off. His speech and social skills are massively better. He has nine college classes under his belt and is ready for full time community college in the fall. He’ll go away to a summer program at Landmark College for five weeks soon. Yesterday, we went to Target and bought $327 worth of dorm supplies.
Some kids go to college at age 18. Other go at age 22. Some go to a day program and learn about technology. All paths are wonderful and should be equally celebrated.
Ian leaves for Landmark next weekend, but right now, he’s home. I cancelled all his after school therapy sessions, because I thought everyone needed a break. It turns out he didn’t need a break. He’s complaining about being bored, just a few days after school and therapy ended.
I’m thrilled to get a break from chauffeur duties until the fall. Usually, my summers are awful. In the past, I stopped working entirely for the summer months to drive him to special camps around New Jersey, because there was nothing for him nearby. Or I created my own camp just for him and took him on different adventures every day. The beach one day, a museum the next. That can’t happen anymore.
I also can’t pick up all the other pieces at home, because I’m writing and in meetings full time. For the first time, I’m telling everyone to fend for themselves. That means that we’re eating Trader Joe’s pre-made chicken for dinner, and Ian is spending all day on his computer in his bedroom.
It’s all great stuff. Professionally, I’m in a whole new space. While I’m still not an empty nester, I’m making people fend for themselves more often. I think it’s all going to be okay.