Many teenagers with Asperger's Syndrome leave school feeling unsure of how to take the next steps in their lives. Leaving the comforts of home and facing the unknown can be daunting, but with the right support and advice these young adults can adapt and enjoy their newly-acquired independence.Filled with useful advice, easy-to-apply techniques, and personal anecdotes from both the author's own experiences of Asperger's Syndrome and those of his students, this book is a practical guide for helping young adults on the spectrum achieve independence and learn life-long skills of self-knowledge, self-sufficiency, and self-advocacy. With chapters on social skills, handling finances, keeping healthy, and succeeding in higher education or first employment, Dr. McManmon provides the encouragement that any young Aspie needs to make the transition from an adolescent into a happy, confident and engaged adult.This book will be essential reading for parents, young adults with Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning autism or learning differences, and any professionals who work with them.
Foreword by Stephen Shore, Ph.D. Opening Statement. Introduction. 1. Understanding Your Diagnosis: The Power of Knowing. 2. Learning the Art of Letting Go: The Steel Umbilical. 3. Keeping it Real: The Donkey Rule. 4. Pulling it all Together: Executive Functioning. 5. Being in the Groove: Social Competency. 6. Having a Shoulder to Lean On: Social Mentoring. 7. Get a Job, Son: Internships and Community Service. 8. Handling Finances: Money Makes the World Go Round. 9. Feeling Fit, Groomed, and Fueled: Health and Wellness. 10. Learning the ''Hidden Curriculum'': Friendship then Love. 11. Learning Openness, Tolerance, and Diversity: Be Yourself... Everyone Else is Taken. 12. Moving Forward: The Genuine Evokes the Genuine. Epilogue. References. Index.
I found this book truly inspirational (do remember I am British and do not say such things with ease). I thought that the context was exciting and hopeful whilst grounded in reality. It is a must have for parents who are fearful about, or at a loss about, how to help their aspie child move on and gain more independence... The book would be a useful addition to anyone supporting young people in further education and also for the more pro-active person with aspergers. The book is divided into 12 chapters and is extremely well written with a depth of information rarely seen in most self-help books and the material is enlivened and illustrated with relevant examples... this book... covers a lot of ground and gives many useful resources in the forms of photocopiable charts etc. I highly recommend this book but warn that is will leave many UK parents frustrated and wondering why we do not appear to have the equivalent provision over here.
