Autistics possess an incredible range of skills and abilities. In fact, in some corporations, they are highly sought after.
This is because their narrow interests allow them to hone in and master skills.
I think of my husband, who is Aspergers.
He has loved drawing buildings since he was age seven. Drawing is one of his talents. He is now an architect and right now he is drawing a concept plan for a custom duplex. He used his passion in buildings to become an architect. I helped him design his logo that you see here.
You may not know, however, what your child’s passion and callings are, and that’s okay. It’s a discovery process.
Here’s ways to untap the goldmine inside of them. Because Autistic people have God-given talents just like anyone else, and in some cases, they are actually quite brilliant, even on a savant level. Autistics can have rewarding lives full of the pursuit of personal and vocational growth.
So here are some ideas:
1) Observe. What do they like to do in their spare time?
For my son, Sam, it was drawing and engaging in almost any kind of art. He has been drawing in 3D since he was seven. He loved to make models, sculptures, and layout whole cityscapes in software programs. He also loves playing medieval skirmish video games.
2) Provide them experiences.
Once you know their interests, have them explore. What does that mean? As much as you can, enroll them in enrichment classes, go to museums, go on trips, read books, research on the Internet.
When Sam was in second grade, we started by enrolling him in some classes at our local fine art extension school. We would go on field trips to museums. I would give him assignments in some of his favorite programs—like building a pyramid in Minecraft.
As he got older, I took his love for medieval skirmishes and created a live action role playing club around it. We’ve been running this club for more than five years now!
If your child is not at a point to get out much, then first concentrate on them getting out of what’s called Defense Mode. It’s something I learned from Danny Raede at AspergerExperts.com. I highly recommend this resource.
3) Translate their interests to real-life skills.
Once you are aware of their interests and have let them explore so that their interests are refined, deepened, and even expanded, it’s time to take the next step: find out how you can turn that interest into a skill.
For us, this strategy is paying off. Sam decided about a year ago that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and his interests and talents were mostly in computer graphics and illustration. So I taught him how to be a graphic designer since this is my area of expertise. He has already done some paid contract jobs and might be getting another one soon.
Also, I could see that he will be very good at 3D modeling, so I just bought the professional software today that he can work on. We actually already have a paid project for him to work on as part of my husband’s business so he’s going to learn on the job.
Additionally, remember that live action role playing club I told you about? He is now my assistant and I pay him for working with me.
Sam has a bright future between the graphic arts, 3D modeling, and our LARPing business. It all started when I realized he was talented in art.
Now it so happened that our talents and skills were very similar and so it was easy and made sense to make Sam an apprentice for our businesses. But that might not be the case for you.
My suggestion: find classes in-person or online to help them learn. If your child is in high school or beyond, find an apprentice program. Learning a trade is far more lucrative than going to college for a generic degree. Of course, if your child is passionate about becoming a doctor, then support that by all means!
I hope this gives encouragement to you that your child can excel and discover their passions and callings! They, too, can have rewarding lives pursuing personal growth, vocations, and avocations. They too can have a bright future!
Featured photo art by Adobe Stock
Blue Ridge Mountains, autumn scenic sunrise, North Carolina
