Hello to all. I want to share concerns that I wonder if others have about their adult offspring with ASD. That is how low self-esteem contributes to vulnerability and lack of self-advocating. One of my major concerns is how my son is totally vulnerable to being taken advantage of. A couple years ago, he got roped into some online scam and his information compromised and his financial records affected. They asked him for information that most people would have found an immediate deal breaker. Also, he works very hard at his job as a deli clerk, however he had been taken advantage of by a store director who constantly had him working 7 days a week of more than 7 hours each day. My wife and I attempted to get him to self-advocate and state that he needed to have 2 days off for mental wellness. Fortunately, he is now at a different store and this is not the case. But 2 days ago, he called in sick, and the assistant director suggested that he take some medicine and come in because they were short. He reluctantly went in even though he wasn’t feeling well. He has also gone in on his scheduled days off. We try to help him with scripting to simply say, “I’m off today and I can’t come in because I have plans” for example. But instead, he goes in and is bitter that he has to go in on his off day, even though we tell him that he has a right to say no. I know these examples may sound trivial to some, but I worry that when my wife and I are no longer in the picture, he will be railroaded into scenarios that will compromise him greatly. I attribute some of this to the self-esteem issues that stem from being bullied in school. I am trying to work with him to unlearn all the messages that bullies subjected him to. I’m wondering what strategies others have in addressing vulnerability and troubles with self-advocating

Posted by JohnnyG at 2023-11-17 13:55:18 UTC