Being independent

Thank you! 

also computers. Computers are dirt cheep these days. You can buy a raspberry pi kit for under 100£ with more power than a computer that cost over 1000£ in the 90s and do computer science work with it thats at a university level. Plus there is the internet, wikipedia, and a ton of free learning resources online. Free software, again some of the same software used in university research, is available in the areas of science, maths and engineering. (its not very user friendly) Computers can be a window into the exciting parts of S.T.E.M. subjects schools don't teach.

Thanks Peter, he is very curious about how things work, he has always been since he was very young, and I can see how little engaged he is with his learning because he says it is hard(cannot memorise as you say) and boring. My husband is a lot better than me at showing him practical things but that is something we will definitely try more. Thank you for sharing. It means a lot because that gives us a chance to better understand. 

One thing I will say is the nature of academic work often changes when it becomes more advanced. So for example I have never learned my times tables. Just won't lodge in my memory. And before I met algebra I thought I used to hate maths. But when I realised mental arithmetic and long winded by hand calculation is not really what maths is about it suddenly became interesting to me. ... You might try giving your son a taste of more advanced material. Science may seem more exciting when you see beyond potato batteries and yogurt pots there are lasers, particle accelerators and spaceships. Maths is a lot more interesting when you start using it to pin down the laws of the universe or make seemingly imposable deductions. History is more interesting when you study ancient wars and the sneaky plots of evil kings instead of demographic changes in the 20s century and lists of dates. The things that will make his homework interesting to him aren't being taught to 7 year olds, so maybe show him the stuff they don't teach him, to try and get him interested.

Thank you for your reply, Peter. I know you are absolutely right. Things become a bit complicated though when he is expected to do things like in school or homework and, as you say, he can't be bother. I guess we just have to keep on being supportive. 

This is a common trait of most autistic people. They're obsessed with what they find interested in and can't be bothered with anything else, sometimes even to the point of neglecting life practicalities. No one knows for sure if the great mathematician archimedes was autistic but apparently he needed to be persuaded to take baths and would spend his time in the bath drawing mathematics in the fire ash. He organised the defence of his city when the romans attacked and nearly beat them with his creative war machines. The roman general gave orders to have the enemy commander captured alive but when the soldiers found him they didn't find a imposing looking general but a scruffy old man who told them to step out of the geometry problem he'd been working on in the sand while the city fell. So the romans killed him thinking he was just some dude rather than one of the greatest minds of his generation. My point being autistic minds can excel if allowed to do what they are interested in and if those around them are willing to look past their oddities to see their talents.

If you want your son to excel let him concentrate his efforts on his strengths. Everything else is fine with just the bare minimum.