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Should I push my child into attending a Scout Camp?

NAS78389

Hi, I’m looking for advice on how to deal within my recently diagnosed ASD and ADHD son who is 10, when it comes to getting him to try new activities. He has been on Scout camps before and we think he enjoys it once he’s there but we have another camp coming up and he’s adamant that he doesn’t want to go. No discussion. And he gets upset when we try to talk about it - he can’t explain why, he just insists he doesn’t want to go. His older brother wants to go and he has school friends who are going, who want him to go. But he’s just refusing. He has a habit of saying no to almost every new activity and most weeks complains about going to Scout meetings even though he comes out smiling each time. He just hates the idea of any extra-curricula activity. So, do we make him go as we think he will enjoy it once he’s there, or do we let him miss it while his brother goes? We don’t want him to miss out on fun things, but is forcing him doing more harm than good? Any thoughts much appreciated. Thanks! 

Parents

  • I can tell you what it may be like from your son's perspective, because I was an autistic boy myself. I spent so much of my energy at school trying to fit in and act like everyone else, it is called 'autistic masking', that I needed all my evenings and all the weekends free to recover. Though I did play with other children when at home, I also required a substantial amount of time on my own. Having my free time swallowed up by more 'organised socialising' would have resulted in many more shutdowns and meltdowns. I had very few of these, precisely because I was allowed as much alone time as I needed.

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  • I can tell you what it may be like from your son's perspective, because I was an autistic boy myself. I spent so much of my energy at school trying to fit in and act like everyone else, it is called 'autistic masking', that I needed all my evenings and all the weekends free to recover. Though I did play with other children when at home, I also required a substantial amount of time on my own. Having my free time swallowed up by more 'organised socialising' would have resulted in many more shutdowns and meltdowns. I had very few of these, precisely because I was allowed as much alone time as I needed.

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