Parents of children on the spectrum spend more time than many parents worrying about what lies in their children’s future. We all worry about jobs, economics, relationships, education — but parents of children with autism worry about those things on a more basic level. For many, it’s not “will my child get a good job” but “will my child be able to hold any job?” Not “will my child have a happy relationship” but “is there any kind of romantic partnership in my child’s future?”
“Navigating Love and Autism” profiles a young couple working their way into a happy, healthy relationship, Asperger’s syndrome and all. The young man was diagnosed early and has a father who also has Asperger’s. The young woman (both are college students) found her diagnosis after they met. They share an apartment and a difficulty reading social cues typical of those with the syndrome, and now they share relationship advice and their own difficulties with other young adults whose disorders make dating a particular challenge.
Read their story, and come back to comment. Do you watch a teen on the autism spectrum navigate the dating world, or worry about your adult children? How can parents help?