Conversation with an Autism Mom: Plans after High School

What are the concerns of parents of spectrum children for life after high school?

It’s finally here, the senior year! The last year is the most significant year in a student’s school career.

What will the next stage of life be like after high school? Every decision made during your child’s final year determines their success after high school.

The high school year creates new stressors and anxiety for students and their parents. For example, the prom and the senior citizens’ trip are two exciting stages. These events, however, will not change the outcome of their lives.

There are other factors which play an important role in the success of postgraduate life. I spoke to several parents of high school students and the intensity of the preparation was the same. Most seniors take college tours, increase their extracurricular activities, increase their GPA, and prepare for the SAT and ACT. All this preparation, in the hope of being accepted by the college of their choice.

Some students feel pressure from their parents, peers, family members, and friends to choose a college that will make everyone proud.

“Should I go to my parents’ alma mater to keep the tradition alive?” Will I get a university scholarship? Will I get a sports scholarship? Did I complete the right classes in my last year? How will my parents pay for college? These are just a few of the concerns students have at the end of high school.

A major concern of a father was his daughter’s ability to make the right decisions based on the values ​​and morals he had been taught all her life. He was moved by his ability to deal with peer pressure and make the right decisions without help from him or his wife. He knew they had set standards for her, but could she make all the decisions on her own in college?

These are the questions that most older people and their parents face. I believe all of these concerns are valid, but there are greater concerns for parents of students with autism.

Last year for parents of autistic children

Parents of seniors who are autistic or have other abnormalities can have very different concerns about life after high school. Parents of seniors with abnormalities have a different perspective when it comes to their seniors – the pressure is greater than determining which college will accept them based on their GPA, extracurricular activities, or scholarship opportunities .

Most of these parents hope that their child will get a diploma rather than a certificate of attendance. These seniors have completed 12 years of schooling, but their accomplishments can and can be defined differently from other seniors in their class.

These elderly people have difficulties that can prevent them from pursuing higher education. The parents of these students are considering employment opportunities, trade schools or, hopefully, colleges that accept (and have arrangements for) spectrum students.

This is not the case for all autistic students, but it is for most. There are parents who have bright autistic children who excel academically, but not socially.

Social anxiety is common in children with autism and can prevent them from making the right choices and trusting the right people. This becomes another concern for parents of troubled children. How will my child survive without me after high school and where will he go? The answer to this question may be very different for each child on the spectrum depending on the severity of their autism.

My concern is the safety of my child in an environment where he can easily be taken advantage of despite his ability to understand danger.

Life after graduation is quite different, and every parent will need to make decisions that are appropriate for their senior. Every parent should help their child research and determine the factors that are important to them so that their child can have a successful life after high school.

This article was featured in Number 124 – Autism around the world

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