Hope, for these things misunderstood.

Confusion about things that should be clear is frustrating. This confusion can be anything from helping your kid with their homework, to trying to learn a spreadsheet program without help. This can also be seen in the more obscure facets of everyday life. For example, a "problem child" is having trouble in school. Subjects like Math and Social Studies are a lost cause, but the Arts (i.e. Band, Ensemble, Art, Computer) is a breeze. The student's problems don't confine themselves to the school though. Home life is strained as sibling rivalries spiral out of control and impact the lives of the overworked and impatient parents. Tempers flare and family members lash out verbally and psychologically. The problem child does not understand why everyone is mad, let alone realize that they are the root cause. This child also has no idea that they even did anything wrong. So who is really to blame here, if blame should even be applied? In point of fact, the issue lies (in this case) to a known and only slightly understood disease called Asperger's Syndrome. It is a version of Autism that effects more people than you might believe. So the "blame" can only be applied to the uninformed and those unwilling to teach themselves, and the subject, how to deal with it.

Most individuals that live with the title of Asperger's, are characterized as diligent, hard working, structured, focused and perfectionists. Now that doesn't sound too bad does it? I mean, most companies search high and low and will pay any salary for management with those kinds of characteristics, right? The major "flaw" in the equation is that individuals with Asperger's also lack apparent coping skills and have trouble understanding appropriate social behavior.

That is a big one. Change even the smallest portion of only one of the structures in that tidy lifestyle and look out for the explosion. Hold on tight when reality sets in and the adolescent becomes an adult. Life is far from perfect or structured. Almost nothing goes as planned. Dealing with the complex miscues and misreadings of body language become eternally frustrating. Unaware of rude communication skills (i.e. interruptions and improper topics), the struggling Asperger's sufferer will face unending work to learn how to cope, "fit in" and conform to what is morally acceptable

What exactly is morality? I recall psychology class in college and I disagreed with about 85% of everything the instructor tried to teach me. Morality is described as the distinction of right and wrong. Many things in this day and age, the media for one big thing, try to tell us there is no right and wrong. There are no absolutes and you can do whatever makes you feel good, as long as you do not break any laws. I love that statement, because what are laws anyway? Directions to follow so you obey what someone has determined as right or wrong! Cheese and Crackers

But let us consider for a moment, even the simplest of truths. It is bad to kill someone, or do not take something that does not belong to you. Hmmmm. Historically, or what some are recently calling mythological-ly, is that the Bible's 10 Commandments do not apply to how we should live our lives. Yet, most of the judicial system is based on these ancient laws of morality. So possibly, the misunderstanding begins with a man named Cain. He committed the first murder out of rage. He broke a law that was supposedly understood; cherish life. Historians today argue specific points in time as moments that define humans for what we have become. Did Cain understand what was told to him so long ago, or was he possibly a sufferer of Autism and did not understand the repercussions of his actions? It is very possible at the time, that Cain was only doing what felt good. I wonder if he even knew what had happened until after the blind rage passed and he saw the lifeless form of his younger brother Abel.

I hope you learn from this little article that there is a distinct difference between attitude and behavior. There is however a strong link between the two and influence on one will most definitely effect the other. The interesting thing in the two previous examples, the troubled student and murderous brother, is to understand the driving force behind not only what happened (or happens) but to consider the possibility that both cases are related. Perhaps the student is confused by peer pressure and takes a sarcastic comment as direction and then runs headlong to ruin with it? Perhaps Cain felt threatened by the acceptance and favor his brother was shown, compared to the reaction his own hard work did not receive? Neither scenario has an individual that knows how to cope. Hopefully you will learn to notice the warning signs of erratic behavior, before irreparable damages occur for yourself or a loved one.

Asperger's Syndrome manifests itself differently, based on the individual. The thing to remember in all of it though, is Love erases a multitude of wrongs and there is hope of a promising future for the Asperger's sufferer. Love has to be the driving force behind whoever takes on the mantle of teacher. The real trick is to take the focus and diligence that is inherent and have the individual realize and be educated on their condition. They can use their own strengths to better themselves. When this is done, which takes constant work, the "problem child" becomes a productive and prominent member of society that has a self-perpetuating persona of excellence and success!