SKILLS FOR LIFE
Autistic kids and young adults are not that different from neurotypical kids and young adults when it comes to choosing a career. We want to enjoy what we do. We also do not want our careers or expertise to merely be seen as diagnostic criteria diminished to special interest. My mom has always been supportive of my zipping from one interest to another, within reason. She has always encouraged me to use my interest as a way to develop a new skill. However, she never allowed me to overindulge in my special interest. Growing up, I had a specific time for whatever my special interest was at the time, usually in the form of lessons. When that time was over, it was over.
I encourage parents to help their kids find a way to turn their interests into a potential job. Now the thing with special interests is that they change every few years, so the special interest the child had at seven will not be the same as at 17. The dance lessons they have at six are not wasted if they become interested in robotics when they are 12. Every opportunity in a new environment or activity is important.
At first, I did not understand why I couldn’t decorate cakes all day, but as an adult, I now realize she was teaching me how to give myself a break so I don’t burn out and get frustrated, and I could learn moderation. She put limits, so I did not become obsessed and addicted to my special interest. She created a healthy education and exploratory environment.
According to Dr. Grandin, exposure to different things builds the autistic child’s development. But if you encourage your child and teach them how to think in ways that lead to a potential career, by the time they are older, they can do it on their own. They learn to be self-motivated because they are doing something they love. They will learn they can be self-sufficient because they are doing a job they love. Breaking the negative autistic stereotypes that those on the spectrum can’t do anything meaningful in their life starts at home. It starts with parents. It starts with a nurtured special interest. Interests serve several purposes—it is a way for the autistic person to decompress and sometimes cope with stress. The interest can be used to foster social skills and group involvement by finding a group around that interest, and who knows? It may end up being the very thing they find fulfillment in as a job or career one day.
As my mom, Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes, has said in many of her speaking engagements, “Too much of a good thing is bad for anyone. The same goes for a special interest. When someone on the spectrum makes up their mind they want to do something, there is not much a parent can do to change their minds. All we can do is show them how to achieve their goals.” She would suggest you find groups or activities where the child or teen could excel in their interest as well as grow in social skills with others around a passion or interest to help get the child/teen there.
Sydney Holmes is a 22-year-old graduate student studying Public History and Museum Studies. She runs a small successful soap business on the side. Sydney was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, now known as Level 1 autism, when she was six years old. Sydney graduated with her bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Education in the fall of 2019. Sydney has spoken with her mother, Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes, at numerous events such as the North Georgia Autism Conference. Sydney has also written many articles for magazines such as Autism Magazine as a teen and young adult. She is an autism advocate available for speaking and writing. Website: https://www.holmesasr.com/staff-and-board
32 | Exceptional Needs Today | Issue 2
