Motivation to Leave the House!
My monthy contribution to Hopeful Parents Jacob loves to stay at home and hang out with me. He has great appreciation for inappropriate TV shows (think Southpark, Family Guy or The Boondocks), and one of his favorite things for us to do together is watch one of his DVDs or stream one of his shows online. I actually think these shows are pretty funny, and I manage a chuckle or two during each episode. His buddies also like the shows, so it gives him a socially appropriate reference point with peers. As nice as it is that my son enjoys my company, I am so ready form him to transfer his in-person social connection to someone his own age. For young men like Jacob, those that are higher-funcioning on the autism spectrum but not so high functioning when it comes to social-connectedness, it's perfectly natural to hang out with the family. A fun Friday night for Jacob is for me to make popcorn, order a pizza from our favorite pizzeria, and watch one of his pr...