Autistic Kids & Making Friends
My son had to be taught friendship skills explicitly, and now he has a few true friends.
If your neurodivergent kid is struggling with making friends, read Chin Up, Little Man, a poem by Adrienne Parkhurst. I was in tears. It brought back a flood of memories — my own, and from my son’s early years. Watching my preschooler at the playground was stressful. It was one of the first clues that he had developmental delays beyond the physical. He didn’t know what to do with other kids or what to say. He didn’t understand their way of playing. I wanted to fix it for him and I couldn’t.
Now I see him thriving with his friends.
“I remember the sting of rejection, the longing to belong. Yet, I made it out. To the other side. I found my people.”
-Adrienne Parkhurst
I’m Kate Lynch (she/her): Parent of an amazing atypical kid, inclusive yoga teacher, mindful parent mentor, and author. I wrote a longer piece about how my son learned to navigate friendships, and what we both still struggle with. Please take a look, and comment with your questions or requests. Thanks for the inspiration Adrienne. Your son will find his people, and they’ll understand him to the core. Oxoxo!
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