Autistic and can’t work but would like ideas of how to fill my time?

[furtheringeducation]

Once my youngest goes to school full time in September?

Im thinking about a OU course but is it worth it if it’s just for me and not towards a qualification specifically for a job but just something I enjoy ? Do they ever make you go in person or a it all done from home ?
Im also wondering about some DIY projects as I really enjoy this type of thing and the house does need a lot of work.

I don’t really leave the house much but can get into the garden although I know nothing about gardening at all. I just don’t want to do nothing I’d like to find some things to keep my mind active

Go fuck yourself.

It’s not a choice when it’s putting food on the table for my DC or not. We CANNOT live on my DH’s wage so what would you have me do? Put the kids up for adoption. I have to work, it’s wrecked my mental health even further than living with autism for 38 years before diagnosis.

I think you fully misunderstand me.

You have said you work so therefore you can work, that has nothing to do with OP ability.

I have reported you anyhow.

Please tell me how I feed and clothe my kids if DH doesn’t make enough money?

It isn’t a choice when you have no other options.

Please tell me how I feed and clothe my kids if DH doesn’t make enough money?

I'm not at all interested in how you do this, my comment was about you minimising OP ability to work based on your own.

It isn’t a choice when you have no other options.

Ok, lets removed the word 'choice'

You suggested that even though OP has said she cannot work, that because you work; she should be able to.

How about you stick in your own lane?

I really don’t get why you’re so obsessed with my posts. My brother lives in assisted living he will never work, at what point did I say all autistic people can work or should work? I said I work because I don’t have a choice, I didn’t say the OP should work even if she could work if they can afford for her not to then I’d still say she shouldn’t work.

But you seem to think people working is a choice, when it’s either work and feed my kids or don’t work and starve? Is that an option?

I really don’t get why you’re so obsessed with my posts

I'm not. I commented. You told me to go duck myself. I responded. That's normal.

I'm out now though.

@furtheringeducation im sorry for de-railing your thread, I did not in anyway mean that because I work you have to or should do!

I hope you find something that suits you. I’m hiding this thread now it’s just upsetting.

OP I'm really sorry that I derailed a bit there.

I'm also really sorry for all the awful people who have dismissed you and told you they know better.

I hope you take the good in this thread going forward, there are a lot of helpful suggestions.

Do you not miss the school run? When I started working full time and it was a childminder I felt a bit sad/guilty that it wasn't me.

Jesus Christ it just gets worse

@memesndmoreme you are completely tone deaf and haven't read the OPs comments.

OP can find a partner, have a child, use a phone/computer and start a thread on here - she is capable of a lot of things and I don’t think she should be seen as a lost cause just because she is ND.

Nobody said she is "a lost cause". And even if she never works, that does not make her "a lost cause". That is not the only value of someone's existence. Maybe at some point when she has a less demanding life with raising children she'll be able to, but that wasn't the point of the thread. She didn't ask for this unsolicited advice about her employment status from strangers who are so presumptuous as to decide to advise her about a topic totally unrelated to the thread.

Many people I know with autism have an area of special interest that brings them joy.

If you have a special and personal interest can you do more of this?

I turned my special interest into a way of making money from my knowledge. I make about £100 a week alongside being at home with children. I get to enjoy my special interest every week. The only down side is people visibly zone out when I talk about it.

A slightly depressing thread.

OP, who can't work, reached out for advice and got some great suggestions. I hope she can take these on board and find some fulfilment and enjoyment. Good luck, OP.

Unfortunately, lots of ignorant people who've never met OP and clearly have no knowledge or experience of autism came on to say that she could work!

I can't be arsed to list the multiple reasons that my clever and talented autistic daughter will find most work impossible, but please believe that this is the case.

When the OP pointed out a lack of qualifications as one of the reasons why she doesn’t work, then solving that particular issue will be very helpful.

Maybe, if she'd asked for advice about working. But she didn't.

The level of condescension and patronising on this thread is unbelievable.

Yep. Got a mirror handy?

You could do a gardening course and plan out a little garden project. Choose plants that tend to not get eaten by slugs too much. You can also do a Functional Skills in Maths which is a bit easier than GCSE but is accepted by employers at Level 2. You could aim to try to WFH at some point in future.

memesndmoreme

😱You are really showing your ignorance. The school run is often a hugely upsetting and stressful time for those of us with autism. CBT often doesn’t work with autism.

No I don’t work because I can, I work because I have to.

My point is you can work because you're able to.

@memesndmoreme

I have reported your disgusting post. How dare you try to shame someone because of their disability?

OK take that part out and focus on everything else I've said. If it were me I would try again with the CBT/exposure therapy. I would want to know I done everything I possibly could as I have learned through an elderly relative, now deceased that in her old age she really regretted missing out on things with the children. Obviously her husband done it all as does the OPs, I just know by what she had told me. As I also said in my post therapies and medicines weren't what they are now in the 50's

Yeah your name says it all. I apologise for the school run part that was tone deaf I admit. But everything else I stand by.

OK take that part out and focus on everything else I've said. If it were me I would try again with the CBT/exposure therapy. I would want to know I done everything I possibly could as I have learned through an elderly relative, now deceased that in her old age she really regretted missing out on things with the children. Obviously her husband done it all as does the OPs, I just know by what she had told me. As I also said in my post therapies and medicines weren't what they are now in the 50's

You know that autism is a disability, right?

Because you are sounding like a real nasty human

@memesndmoreme

You've basically said that OP should make more of an effort to be less autistic because she'd have regrets later, it's not fair on her husband and her children would be resentful later on.

Autism is a congenital, lifelong condition. You may be able to temper some of its effects, but you can't CBT or medicate your way out of it.

Who in their right mind would miss doing the school run 🤣

As for saying they'll look back and remember mum always in the house...well, that has its advantages doesn't it. Maybe they'll say Mum was always there when I got in from school, ready to listen about my day. Mum always helped me with my homework.

Maybe your kids will look back and think what a shame mum was never there because she worked full time! As you say, they're only little once...

We are nearly all autistic in our family .
one of my sons also has learning difficulties,but he’s training to become an accountant,he never leaves the house except for once a week to college for 2 hours for his course ..it’s been a long time of study ,6 years part time ,with breaks for mental health along the way.another year or two to go before he qualifies
he will never live independently as he has high support needs but he’s slogged along at this ,as he’s determined to be independent financially

“ I just know by what she had told me. As I also said in my post therapies and medicines weren't what they are now in the 50's”

😂😱Um autism can’t just be medicated and therapied away. It’s a protected disability. Are you like this with all disabilities or just hidden disabilities?