social services – Apt. 11d

One of the long-running themes in my public writing is the fact that I’m raising a child with special needs. The chores related to making sure that Ian overcomes his autistic issues and becomes a fully functioning member of society never ends. At some point tonight, after I finish this newsletter, I must answer some emails from his school and his therapists.

I have a whole separate newsletter about disability stuff, because I know the general audience at Apt. 11D can only handle so much. But let me bend your ear for a moment. My latest round of work for Ian has opened up a whole new world for me, and I want to share.

While I hope that my son’s special math and music skills will translate into a real job some day, I know that full independence for an adult with autism is never a guarantee. At this time, only a small fraction of people with autism — even those that finish college — find a full time job and lead a typical adult life style. So, I have to simultaneously prepare my son for college and prepare ourselves for the fact that he might never find work, friends, or a life outside our house.