I think the biggest challenge is the misunderstood part and it's like people think everyone should fit in the same box, like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole! I'm bad enough but manageable and also more observant and analytic then the average. The problem becomes paying attention in school/training and sit quietly...Given I'm in heavy industrial trades, I just kinda fit right in now...lol. I have endless amounts of energy that allows me to do such a highly demanding physical job. The main thing is to spend that extra energy productively before it has time to build up and turn into a negative disruption.
No one will understand him and his needs more than his parents but at the end of the day, the more people in his life to understand, the less frustrating it will be and you have different tools to deal and teach that yourself might not even be aware of until the moment comes.
Tell them it's a blessing and to stop denying it!! hehe
Ohh yes thats true, I have always been the odd one out, and used to struggle with it, but now I must admit I embrace it, I am what I am and if people don't like it, I see it as their problem and not mine, maybe thats easier as I am getting on in age LOL
I excelled at school as int he exams, but not at sitting still and listening in the class, luckily I had a few teachers who realized sitting listening to them waffle did nothing for me and I would likely cause trouble if not occupied, so they just gave me text books to read or projects to do separate from what they class was doing, it worked out for them as then I wasn't distracting others in the class, plus that way I learned all that was needed and did very well in the exams.
with some health issues I dont have endless energy these days but I am still hyper so I can't sit still for long, so always getting up for walks around during the day luckily my bosses are Ok with that as I churn out the work that is needed in my break sitting at my desk LOL
my grandson is very lucky his parents do not understand all his differences of course, but they do understand he is different and embrace that he is so special in many ways soon we will be living closer to them hopefully in the same city and I will get to spend more time with him and his siblings which I am so looking forward to
Same for me and exams, I do really well because of my memory and if they let me sleep in class I'm less disruptive, all depends if the teacher is smart enough to clue into that or not (I still go to college and take training from time to time). I can't focus on stuff I don't give a shit about but hyperfocus on stuff I find interesting. Good for investigating things I probably shouldn't 😝. One of the ways it gets me, when something doesn't add up, it stands out like a sore thumb, it's kind of an uneasy feeling given the world we live in.
I still have my auto-immune that messes with me but being born with it, I don't know any different I guess, I just ignore the pain until it's life threatening and I have to seek treatment, otherwise nothing anyone can do but control my environment and eliminate the triggers as best as possible to avoid reactions. That will catch up at some point, dunno when, push the limits until I can't anymore. It's good that you get to walk around when you get restless, I can't handle a desk job at all, I tried it, it's too much. If I don't burn my energy, I get insomnia really bad.
At the end of the day, nobody really understands except the person going thru it, it's complex to explain something we don't even understand ourselves. I think just them being mindful and supportive of that, he will do great. Hope you get your wish to live closer and spend more time, it's precious.
that all sounds familiar, when something doesn't add up to me I am driven to research and try and work it out for myself, I just can not let it go till I have an answer that makes sense to me.
and the same with exams, especially with ones that have maths or scientific formula, those stick in my brains but names especially of people I just do not remember well
Sorry to heal you are also dealing with an autoimmune disease I understand not wanting to let it control you and hence pushing it, but also take care of yourself
Ohh yes I totally agree no one can ever fully understand what someone else is goign through, but we can try to be supportive and understanding