Your Help Requested: A Mom from the UK Seeks Penpals for Her Homeschooled Son
Monday June 25, 2007
If you're the parent of a child with Asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, you may be interested in connecting with this mom:
Hi. I have a 10 year old son with Asperger syndrome, he is now out of school due to being bullied, misunderstood and is now consquentely depressed, etc. He used to bottle it all up during school and then explode at home for the evening. It now looks like I am going to have to home teach him and would love to hear from other parents for me and or children who could become pen friends with him. His interests are Pokemon Pokemon Pokemon!! and Yu-gi-oh, Ferraris and cats. Thanks. Wendy (budgetcards@tiscali.co.uk)Of course, it would be great to find a penpal here for Wendy's son. But there are so many other children like Wendy's, seeking others with the same special interests.
What do you think of the idea of creating an online community for kids on the autism spectrum? How about a website where they could share and debate their special interests in a safe environment? The possibilities are wide open! What are your ideas? Post them here!
Comments
it already exists, try http://www.wrongplanet.net/
Wrongplanet.net is a great resource for adults – but is not really intended for young children.
There’s quite a lot of conversation about dating, sexuality, and related issues, all of which is VERY important – for older teens and adults. But I think that’s a very different audience.
Best,
Lisa
thats obviously why the parent wanted the penfriend idea….someone she or he had chosen to communicate with over a period of time about topics they know about perhaps gradually adding in others later maybe there is someone at N.A.S in the uk who can point the parent and others in the right direction…i know they used to be able to help out in that way and also with young friends in linkups but we havnt used them recently in this way.our autism here is with learning difficulty and some communication delay so might not be a match made in heaven
Hello Lisa,
My son is 15. He has Aspergers too. It’s funny, I got this Google alert today because just this morning, I was asking him if he would like to have a pen-pal. He was not sure. He is going to Europe next week for 15 days. He will land in UK next Tuesday! I am not sure if my email is displayed to you or not. Please communicate if you get my email. I am hesitating to post it in public. My son is still interested in Pokeman and he has a cat too. Not so sure about Yu-gi-oh. Our kids will probably enjoy writing to each other. I can create a Yahoo Group if needed for only Aspie kids to join. There should be an age limit and monitoring because we have all sorts of people leaving comments these days.
Thanks,
JS (Sorry for not leaving my name here).
Readers may be interested in a new news group site called The Aspies Gazette.Based in the UK,the Gazette carries news relating to AS,and is updated most days.To access go to yahoo groups, search theaspiesgazette,or go to http://www.asawareness.org.uk.
Hi!
I am 8 years old(almost 9) and I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I would like to have a penpal who loves Pokemon as much as I do. If your son would like to write to me it would be great to have someone to talk to.
Thanks, Malcolm.
I think it would be a good idea for a online community for kids. My two daughters with Asperger Syndrome find it easier to communicate writing rather than speaking. They already have some pen pals. It makes them feel happier knowing that there are other children who have been bullied and have obsessions.
Hi, My only Child is now 21 yrs. old, has As or PDD included. I was not able to get him the right treatment in time, but instead had him placed in out of home out of State res. care. I know it helped him, especially when they stopped druging him up. Since he has come back into our State, at age 19, he has been in and out of jail and now is in prison for a year term. No matter how much I read and teach him, he just doesnt “get it” He smiles with his almost back and clueless expression. I am sad for him, he isn’t really “living”. When he is out, he wants nothing to do with me, because he wants to be free to live his life, only he chooses the wrong type of friends. The “street people” who use my son to do things for the friendship, since he is “different”. I think they see it as an opportunity to take advantage of him. He ends up being the one to get caught, holding the bag so to speak and he is the only one who gets arrested and does the time. I no longer know what will work for him. He doesn’t believe he has a disability. Says that I am crazy to even think that about him. He is small sized for his age and his body is also small, he could pass for a 16 yr. old kid. What do I do? All I can do is visit him once per week for an hour, through a glass window with a phone, because he has chosen to have them place him in solitary cell which is a room he is completely alone and see no one, eats alone in cell and never goes outside. He has never been one to be a part of the mainstream or make any friends. He talks to an inmate next door to him through a wall, who is age 35 and has a drug problem. I am glad for Gabe, in fact he tell me that he gives his older friend advice and vise versa. The funny thing is that my Son does not like cigerettes, drinking or drugs. I tell him how proud I am of that about him, every time I visit him. I wish I had other children, so it wouldn’t hurt soooo much….Mother of Gabe.
Hi,
I think an online forum for younger kids would be great. I found this thread searching for a penpal, ideally an IM pal, for my son, who just turned 5 in July and has Asperger’s syndrome. Thanks! Beth
I am James Lassan I am 13 I heard of a situation much like this ans so I created aspergerspp.ning.com it currently has no members, maayby everyone here could change that? have a look and tell me what you think thanks, from James Lassan
My 8 yr old son has autism. He is lonely and yearns for friends. His best friend now is the computer and I thought he would be thrilled to have a friend on the spectrum that can email or webcam. I could not find much info in the internet, any suggestions?