Aspies For Freedom

Hi, I am doing an article for USA Today on Asperger's parents raising children (I'm a freelance writer). I would love to hear from anyone in the U.S. diagnosed with Asperger's, whose children may or may not have Asperger's. I'd like to know how the condition impacts your parenting and what are the positives and the negatives. You will be able to check your attributions and quotes prior to publication. Please e-mail me directly at suzannexs@yahoo.com. Thanks. Suzanne

Cool topic.. No kids here, though.

To elaborate, I think it's good that you're seeking real peoples' opinions.  You could maybe PM Amy and Gareth.

I'm not sure how old this thread is as I'm new here.  Are you only looking for parents that have themselves been diagnosised?  I'm self diagnosised, but if I felt the need I have no doubt I'd be easily classified as on the spectrum.  One of my children has been diagnosised as Aspergers, the other 2 won't be diagnosised unless there is a reason that they need to be.

Interesting post. I'm a Dad w/kids and very interested.  What inspired you to write such an article? Your own experiences?  How educated are you on the subject of Aspergers’? There is a lot of controversy in the industry regarding Aspergers’.  Some have grouped it with the spectrum under and including HFA. My own story might sell a book, such as Jerry’s:  “Mozart and the Whale”. But before I share, I’d like to know more about your slant, and read some other articles that you have written. If any such articles exist on the web, please send me a couple of links, thanks.

Regards, Beammeup

As a father (self-dx'ed AS) with two sons (one dx'ed HFA) I'm interested, too. But we're not from the U.S. I would say that NT adults have much more difficulties in understanding my HFA son.

I so get that comment.... And it’s a real peeve for me at the moment...

Would it be wrong to say:  If you don’t have “It” you cannot relate?  Please define “It” for yourself (dislike labels) as our own version of “It” may be different.  Myself and my girls are in that undetectable area, that if you don’t take a close look, “It” will be overlooked. The feedback I get from the Norms (NT) is: “Oh that’s just normal playground behavior” Grrr...  And sadly, my own partner sometimes cannot relate.

It's more like, "if you aren't on the spectrum, it's harder to relate". Thankfully an NT who wants to, usually can--connecting with others is what NTs are good at.

Beammeup, Thanks for responding. I will be sending you a private e-mail with my full name and examples of other articles I've written for USA Today and other publications.
I don't have a specific "slant." I'm intrigued by this subject partly because I'm a parent of young kids and I wonder how/if my parenting would be different if I had AS. More practically, though, I've been frustrated by the number of media reports and studies that have focused on the N/T parents of autistic kids. It's time we heard about the flipside. Suzanne [

quote=Beammeup]
Interesting post. I'm a Dad w/kids and very interested.  What inspired you to write such an article? Your own experiences?  How educated are you on the subject of Aspergers’? There is a lot of controversy in the industry regarding Aspergers’.  Some have grouped it with the spectrum under and including HFA. My own story might sell a book, such as Jerry’s:  “Mozart and the Whale”. But before I share, I’d like to know more about your slant, and read some other articles that you have written. If any such articles exist on the web, please send me a couple of links, thanks.

Regards, Beammeup
[/quote]

Thanks, Shnoing. I have to focus on U.S. parents as it's a U.S. newspaper, but thanks for responding and[ making an interesting point about NT parents. Suzanne

quote=Shnoing]
As a father (self-dx'ed AS) with two sons (one dx'ed HFA) I'm interested, too. But we're not from the U.S. I would say that NT adults have much more difficulties in understanding my HFA son.
[/quote]

Thanks, that was better said. Add: "Much" harder in my case.