Ds2 has Aspergers and has started 6th form this year. He had all sorts of plans, most of which have gone awry.
The school had an open day for the new intake which seemed to go reasonably well. Some difficulties because he's the new boy, so some of the girls took advantage and we ended up with him being so distressed he threw up. However that was resolved and he told everyone that it was too soon for relationships. That too went out of the window and he has a girlfriend. On paper that is fine, except when 6th form started, he was already involved, she's there too, and the lads he met he is not seeing. This is the first time he's done the social thing, and we're trying to achieve some sort of balance, so we try to encourage him to have some of the lads round too. Not really working at the moment, because he doesn't know how to ask, however, school have been brilliant and have managed to arrange something for this weekend.
On top of this, he insisted he do 5 AS levels. He is bright, but not so bright that he can juggle girlfriend/social/homework stuff. He has already handed in one essay late, and needs an extension for another. We and the school feel that he would be better off dropping the spanish. This would give study periods (what we used to call free periods), meaning he could use the time to both chill in the sixth form common room (meeting people other than the girlfriend) and do study at school, thereby freeing up some evenings for relaxing, socialising, spending time with family instead of nose to the grindstone etc. We have offered to continue spanish lessons, but in his leisure time, perhaps an hour a week, rather than the timetabled four hours, and of course, no exams.
The suggestion has not gone down well and resulted in meltdown last night and this morning. I had to take him into 6th form today ( I thought he should take the day off and come to terms with things but he insisted) and talk to the director. She's brilliant and I know she will call me if there are further problems.
How can I explain to him that it's not the failure he sees it as. It's common sense that he gets a balance and he's better off with 3 A levels about which he knows lots (he'll drop maths after AS) rather than 4 that he knows bits about?