Grades

This week, my sons will finish the first quarter of the new school year. This can be a rather anxious time. Who knows.....they could be making great strides....or they could be on a ROAD TO UTTER FAILURE!!! ARGH!!!! Don't worry...I have not lost my focus as an Aspie mom...just slipped a bit....

When I was in school, I was what one would call an "over-achiever." Extra BONUS homework was a treat, I would make and remake "study guides" for myself until they looked positively perfect, I was always reading something and I relished helping teacher to do "teacher-type" things. So having Aspie sons makes me see things from a completely different perspective. Grades are a VERY NECESSARY guide to how our sons are working or achieving...or how they need to work harder...or when they need help.

It is the "need help" thing that baffles me sometimes..... How do I help someone who, when he is broaching a stressful situation, reverts into a world of his own making....where common vocabulary no longer registers....when he looks at me and says, "Mom...can you help me..." and I am not completely sure that I can.
I unfortunately do not speak ASPIE.
It can be a completely different language.

But there are other things that can be just as important as grades, when it comes to our Aspie sons. For instance, our middle Aspie son recently made a "D" on a science test. At first, I was very disappointed that he only made a "D" on the test. The test covered a subject over which he obsesses...the environment. He knew everything on that test before they discussed it in class. So, why the "D."
I had to take a step back and think about where his BRAIN could have been. The test was given after a very eventful weekend. During that weekend, we went to the park to play...fully expecting him to play by himself as he always does. To our joyful surprise, he struck up a friendship with a little boy. They played together....and when it was time to leave, the little boy waved and called, "Bye!"....with a big smile on his face....he had really enjoyed playing with our son. Then our son stopped, turned around, waved back and told the little boy good-bye....LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL CHILD!
That was  a HUGE development!!!! He actually interacted with another child...and a child that he didn't even know!!!

Grades are an indispensable guide as to the development of our Aspie sons...but they are not the end of the story.
I think our middle son should receive an "A" for stepping out of his Aspie world for a short time and enjoying an afternoon at the park with a new friend.
If only it counted toward his GPA...hahaha.