Don’t you just LOVE it when your child begins to view life and the future more realistically? For many years, Daniel, my sixteen-year-old son with Asperger’s, ADHD, and learning challenges, has wanted to be a video game tester for a career. This weekend, we were talking about some things that I’d like to do “when I grow up”, some future dreams of mine like owning a quilt shop or teaching others to quilt. Daniel came out with the most amazing quote:
“Find what you love and do more and more of it…unless it is video games.
Then you have to find something else, like a desk job.”

I laughed for several full minutes enjoying the humor of his quote but at the same time, I was thankful for the wisdom of his words. He has begun to realize that you may not be able to do everything you want to do all the time but that you can make a living at things that you love. The future reality of work may not be your favorite thing to do (like video game playing) but you can enjoy work and do something you love (or at least like). He knows that you have to make a living at something that is valued by others. I’m glad he is realizing that!

On the other hand, I was talking with Daniel about some things that our family would like to do that are expensive. Daniel wisely reminded me that God can do anything and we just need to pray about it. He continued saying that, if God wants it to happen, it will happen and if not, it won’t. Wow.

It somehow amazes me to see Daniel, in particular, growing up and getting a grasp on God and life and careers. He will technically be an adult in two years but, due to his Aspergers, his maturity has generally been behind the norm.

I am not in a rush for him to grow up and move out on his own. He can move at his own pace, without the pressure from parents, as far as we are concerned. But it is good to see him moving toward adulthood and maturity in many different ways. He is thinking about careers, about adulthood, about money (thanks to the Dave Ramsey for Teens homeschool finance class), about dating and marriage, and many other issues that he will have to face in life. I am SO proud and thankful to see him developing into a man of God and to see him developing wisdom and a grasp on the future and the reality of life.

~ Brooke