M- and Day Two
I dropped M- at work on my way to choir practice. He was eager to go and practically leapt out of the car.
R- picked him up after *his* choir practice, and spoke to his store manager. The manager said M- was an excellent worker, and particularly praised how well he got along with other employees and especially with customers.
That is not something usually said about autists. Getting along well with coworkers and customers in a noisy, crowded environment is not usually their strength.
M- was gleeful tonight and ready to tell me all about his day.
Frankly, I'm gobsmacked. We worked and worked and worked, hoping for (and getting) improvement, smidgen by smidgen, in his social skills and his tolerance for noise, for conflicting/distracting visual input, crowds, smells of foods he didn't personally like...but this is a leap beyond.
R- picked him up after *his* choir practice, and spoke to his store manager. The manager said M- was an excellent worker, and particularly praised how well he got along with other employees and especially with customers.
That is not something usually said about autists. Getting along well with coworkers and customers in a noisy, crowded environment is not usually their strength.
M- was gleeful tonight and ready to tell me all about his day.
Frankly, I'm gobsmacked. We worked and worked and worked, hoping for (and getting) improvement, smidgen by smidgen, in his social skills and his tolerance for noise, for conflicting/distracting visual input, crowds, smells of foods he didn't personally like...but this is a leap beyond.