Why aren't you still involved?

[scoutdad]

If you were involved as a parent in scouting and dropped out, please let us know why.

[hatboro89]

My son has Aspergers Syndrome and can not handle a troop meeting. We have been out of Scouting for 15 mths and want to get back into but not sure how we can make this time a better experience for him

hatboro

[Nuts4Scouts]

Have you considered Lone Scouting?

[C.A. Green]

I had a Scout with Ausberger's and we had a very successful time, after some initial difficulties.

It began with a basically untenable situation- as you have found the stimulation of a Troop meeting was unbearable. He had to leave the troop for some months until counseling and medication adjustments helped him better manage the experience. It also took some understanding from me, the Scoutmaster, about AS.

Once I understood AS and how the boy would react to various situations I was able to help. One really helpful thing for me was reading "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the nighttime" by Mark Haddon. Haddon writes from the viewpoint of a boy with autism. I was introduced to another way of looking at the world. When I was able to see what my AS Scout was seeing it became much easier to help him interpret Scouting.

He left the Troop at the age of seventeen as a star Scout and went on to attend Cambridge University in England. I like to think his experience with us helped him, it certainly helped us.

So my advice is helping to educate the scouts and leaders of your son's Troop about AS and how it can be successfully managed. If they are not interested, find another Troop that is (you will not change a recalcitrant troop, don't waste your time). Engage a counselor or other professional to help. If the Troop and family work together, if the Scouts and leaders all have a frank discussion about the whys and wherefores this can be a great experience.

If I may jump up on the soapbox for a moment (understanding that you are not necessarily experiencing refusal to work with you son from his Troop) -
I have heard too many people carp about learning differences, the over diagnosis and over medication of boys, etc, etc. Any responsible person who works with youth knows that they ALL look at the world differently, all have different talents and interests. If they refuse to work with these differences it is their loss. Scout Troops should welcome any boy and learn to work with whatever they bring to the mix - that is the heart of Scouting.