Vent: Asperger's and mandatory community service ... ARRGH

[bookwormde]

Effective lack of empathy is very real, but at the core it is about social skills deficits not some emotional deficit (which is how it is viewed by many people). When I talk about lack of empathy being a myth it is about the emotional descriptive definition.

I know it is a fine line, but is an important delineation when trying to help our kids with their lack of empathy. Sorry that I am not as precise as I should be sometimes. It is one of my favorite things to talk to our kids with the parents watching is draw out their empathy (usually around an area of special interest) and to watch the parents smile.

bookwormde

 

[clanmcculloch]

I think you're missing the fact that he CAN contribute but you'll likely need to come up with something specifically for him rather than finding a community service project already created and needing a body to fill the spot. I ask again, what are his interests? That really needs to be the starting point. If he's really into books then maybe he can learn how to repair books which can then be a skill used to repair text books and library books in your school or anywhere else that has books like a senior center, Ronald McDonald House, hospital, etc. So, what are his interests?

 

[DisneyNutMary]

You should check with your school to see if they accept time spent "walking for a cure" as community service. My niece and nephew have earned tons of hours walking for breast cancer, leukemia, aids, etc. They got to spend time with friends, get some fresh air and exercise, and earn hours without it feeling like work.

My 12 year old is doing his service now, volunteering for such things as selling lemonade for Alex's Lemonade Stand, fundraising to find a cure for childhood cancer, and he will be giving out balloons and t-shirts for Light the Night, a fundraiser for leukemia.

It's so hard to find opportunities for kids so young that will keep their attention, and fit their needs, so sometimes it takes some creativity, and lots of suggestions from others who have been in your position.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think you're missing the fact that he CAN contribute but you'll likely need to come up with something specifically for him rather than finding a community service project already created and needing a body to fill the spot. I ask again, what are his interests? That really needs to be the starting point. If he's really into books then maybe he can learn how to repair books which can then be a skill used to repair text books and library books in your school or anywhere else that has books like a senior center, Ronald McDonald House, hospital, etc. So, what are his interests?

Right now his interests are computer games and astrophysics, but of course, he could find something new tomorrow.

The two promising leads that I have found for him since I started this are demonstrating displays at our local children's science museum, (if he qualifies and has the needed hours available), and a program that refurbs donated computers for shelters and for programs for the elderly. He'd love to volunteer at the planetarium, but they don't take youth volunteers; the youngest they will accept are college juniors.

Funny you should mention book repair -- I've tried for years to get him interested in it, because that's MY volunteer work. I went to rare book school and I have an entire bindery setup at home: I've been the point person who repairs worn-out books from his school libraries all his life. Unfortunately, it's just not something that he has any interest in; he finds it too slow. He's a big reader, though.

 

[kathyk2]

Could he read something on tape for blind folks? In my city we have a service called the Audio Journal where volunteers read items over the cable access station. That sounds ideal in his situation.