Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Original poster

anyone like to hold my hand for a weekend? (reposted from teens

44 replies

ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 07:15

DS (has aspergers, dyslexia) has gone away for the weekend with a friend. he is 18. he has gone away to a computer festival type thing in Scotland at a university (i think its called Geek Con!) he is travelling from yorkshire by train.(he will have to make 3 different changes...!) he is going with another lad, who is 19, who is a black belt in martial arts but who also has aspergers. he has made all his own travel arrangements and booked a guest house.

i am being very brave on the outside. i will keep busy and he has promised to text on arrival and phone me tonight.

would anyone like to tell me i am worrying for nowt and he will be ok, and that i have to let him do these things....i know im fussing. i hope to god he remembers to buy some soap and toothpaste....

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/07/2010 07:32

He will be OK..and what a great achievement.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 07:47

he isnt very streetwise, so it will be an achievement if he gets home in tact - i know deep down he will be ok - its geek con! but i just hope he doesnt flash his hotel money about or lose his train tickets or his inhaler...

he has only been gone an hour and im already resisting the urge to text!

am off to hit hte gym in a mo....that should keep me busy till im at work this afternoon

OP posts:
PositiveAttitude · 02/07/2010 07:54

Jusst posted this on your other one :

AArrrrr Vicar, Dont worry!!! - easy to say, I know. If he has his mobile with him he will call if there's a problem.

I would keep enough petrol in the car in case I had to dash up and do a quick rescue, myself. (sorry, probably not very reassuring noises there!!) Have you spoken with the other mum? Has her lad done anything like this before? Does he have to change on the train?

I am sure he will get on fine and will be so pleased with himself for dealing with it all himself. If the worst that happens is that he forgets toothpaste and soap, so what?? You collect a smelly lad after the weekend, direct him to the bathroom on his return home - simples!!

jetcat · 02/07/2010 08:14

Vicar - thats fab that he has gone on his own, you must be so proud (as well as worried)

I was worried enough when my DD (13) went out on her first paper round by herself, was only 3 streets and with a very detailed list of where she was going (newsagent is a friend, so knows her struggles) but she came back with her £1.50 as if she had won the lottery

Just imagine how proud of himself your DS is going to be - as well as having a fab time

IndigoBell · 02/07/2010 08:36

Geek con will be absolutely fabulous for him and he'll love it. He certainly won't be the only person there who has forgotten to have a bath. Nor will he be the only one on The spectrum...

I have been to a lot of computer conferences...

You should be really proud of him. I hope he gets a degree in computer science and does really well in it.

LollipopViolet · 02/07/2010 10:13

Aaah Vicar, I know the feeling. Me and my friend H went down to London for 2 days in April, and both our mums were texting us, mine even text to ask if we'd made it on the train OK, and told me to text when we were at the hotel! Of course I obliged

If you didn't know, I'm visually impaired and H is a wheelchair user, neither of us had done trains that much before, so we did feel very proud!

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 10:40

thanks everyone. i know he will be ok, its just you cant stop worrying can you.

he just txt to say he crossed the border. he said he will phone me tonight. hope he remembers!

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 20:04

well he txt me at 2.15 to say he had got there. hope he remembers to phone me tonight.

OP posts:
fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/07/2010 20:12

I can imagine how worried you are. But it will just be so amazing when he gets back and he has managed, isn't independence what we all dream of for our kids..sounds like he has found his niche...I know you have worked hard to get him there..well done.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 22:33

thanks fanjo.

and he phoned me at about 9pm. sounds like he is having a good time. he says he has bought toothpaste...!

his pal had gone to bed already. he has to be up for the conference tomorrow which starts at 10....hope he remembers to get up!

he promised to phone again tomorrow.

OP posts:
2shoes · 02/07/2010 22:35

are you on FB?
he sounds very grown up.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 22:40

i am 2shoes. do you have CAT? he isnt very grown up usually but with this he has surprised me somewhat!

OP posts:
MrsYamada · 02/07/2010 22:47

Wow, that's really impressive. I can appreciate how worried you must be but....that is really impressive!

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 22:59

i am quite impressed. still worried though!

OP posts:
2shoes · 02/07/2010 23:01

add me
[email protected]
I can talk more freely on there

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 02/07/2010 23:37

sent you a friend request 2shoes

OP posts:
2shoes · 02/07/2010 23:48

ohhhhh so that was you lol

PositiveAttitude · 03/07/2010 07:35

Really pleased he got there safely and without any problem.
I'm sure he will now have a fantastic weekend doing what he loves.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 03/07/2010 17:36

lol 2shoes! yep it was me!

he text earlier today to say he had had breakfast and was at conference.

so far so good. hope he remembered to pay for his room - last night he asked me waht to do with the money - id rather him pay than carry cash about or leave it in his room.

ill see tonight when i speak to him. (if he phones - signal was terrible last night)

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 04/07/2010 21:29

i am very very impressed with my boy.

he rang again tonight. he has sorted out a problem with his train ticket. he has had a fab time. he is getting up on time, eating well, and has proved himself more capable than i was giving credit for.
he has asked if he can put the university of Ayre on his list omg. how far away!!

i would really miss him. i have really missed him and he has only been gone since friday.

but i am also one incredibly proud mum. he has proved that whatever we have done to get him here has been ok - he will be ok, he will survive.

i am a bit emotional!

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 04/07/2010 21:31

(he should be home at about 7.30 pm tomorrow night)

OP posts:
IndigoBell · 04/07/2010 21:45

Well done! An important lesson for us all. It is so easy to become over protective even when we don't want to....

But congratulations. I hope my DS does equally well when he is older.... ( And I'd be really thrilled if he chose Geek Con to flex his independence at )

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 04/07/2010 22:15

yeah - geek con does seem fitting somehow...

OP posts:
PositiveAttitude · 04/07/2010 23:45

Really pleased for you and him, Vicar.

genieinabottle · 05/07/2010 00:19

You must be so proud of your DS. Well done to him.
Thanks for sharing, it gives me hope... my DS who is still only little (4.7) has asd.