Well my son has begun summer "sessions" to aid in honing his social skills, which most with Aspergers are sadly lacking in until they learn the how to's...
On Monday he was involved in his first social group session with several other kids that need to improve their friend making skills...
These 45 minute sessions will continue once a week until school starts up again in the hopes that he will be better prepared to interact with peers in his classroom...
The kids first introduced themselves one at a time telling their name and what school they attend. When this was done a ball of yarn was brought out and handed to one of them. He took hold of the end of the yarn and rolled the ball to another child and then asked that person a question about that person. The question was answered and the yarn held and rolled to another. Each child kept holding the yarn and passing the ball until a "web" was formed connecting them together...an interesting way to get the kids to interact and get to know one another.....
Today my son had his first session with his summer counselor....another 45 minute session but this time a one on one.....I got to sit in for the first half of the first session and picked up some good tips on how to get my son to respond to things he really didnt want to respond to.....
I noticed things in his behavior that I hadnt picked up on until we researched the syndrome upon his diagnosis...
When asked questions about a subject he did not really want to talk about, his head rested in his hands and he answered questions in one or two words never making eye contact...
When the counselor touched upon a subject that had personal meaning to him however, his face lit up and the words flowed while never taking his eyes off of her and hardly letting her get a word in edgewise at times...his hands gesturing wildly when making a point about something....
The amazing thing to me was how this behavior turned on and off like a switch when the suject matter changed between something he was interested in and things he did not care much about....
Tis going to be a long summer and school year that follows while my wife and I do what we can to help him modify his approach when interacting with others.....
On Monday he was involved in his first social group session with several other kids that need to improve their friend making skills...
These 45 minute sessions will continue once a week until school starts up again in the hopes that he will be better prepared to interact with peers in his classroom...
The kids first introduced themselves one at a time telling their name and what school they attend. When this was done a ball of yarn was brought out and handed to one of them. He took hold of the end of the yarn and rolled the ball to another child and then asked that person a question about that person. The question was answered and the yarn held and rolled to another. Each child kept holding the yarn and passing the ball until a "web" was formed connecting them together...an interesting way to get the kids to interact and get to know one another.....
Today my son had his first session with his summer counselor....another 45 minute session but this time a one on one.....I got to sit in for the first half of the first session and picked up some good tips on how to get my son to respond to things he really didnt want to respond to.....
I noticed things in his behavior that I hadnt picked up on until we researched the syndrome upon his diagnosis...
When asked questions about a subject he did not really want to talk about, his head rested in his hands and he answered questions in one or two words never making eye contact...
When the counselor touched upon a subject that had personal meaning to him however, his face lit up and the words flowed while never taking his eyes off of her and hardly letting her get a word in edgewise at times...his hands gesturing wildly when making a point about something....
The amazing thing to me was how this behavior turned on and off like a switch when the suject matter changed between something he was interested in and things he did not care much about....
Tis going to be a long summer and school year that follows while my wife and I do what we can to help him modify his approach when interacting with others.....
