Articles

Messages to Boys about Girls' Fashions

by Dan CoulterMay 23rd, 2013
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     I recently wrote an article about the challenges parents face helping their young daughters make appropriate clothing choices in the face of increasing fashion industry pressure to look and dress “sexy.”

     Another side to this issue is the effect this pressure has on young boys.

Dads and Dressing Daughters

by Dan CoulterMay 12th, 2013
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     I read a New York Times column this morning by Bruce Feiler about the the way the fashion industry is marketing sexually oriented clothes to his 8 year old daughters. The column was called “This Life” and the subhead was “A Line Between Sweet and Skimpy.”

     It struck me that the challenges he described are even greater for dads of daughters who have social challenges related to Asperger Syndrome. Girls with Asperger Syndrome can be at risk of trying too hard to fit in and can have a harder time accepting explanations about what's appropriate to wear.

The Zero Based Approach

by Dan CoulterMay 9th, 2013
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     Ever talked to someone who complains about a problem, and then shoots down every idea you have to solve it? Of course you have.

     Ever done this yourself? Of course not...er...well, maybe.

Dealing with the Disappearing Asperger Diagnosis

by Dan CoulterApril 23rd, 2013
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Those of us diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, or who support people diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, may have a fight on our hands. Or, maybe not. It depends on the impact of the upcoming edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). The APA plans to release edition 5 of the manual (DSM-5) in May of 2013.

Rescuing Your Child's Self-Esteem

by Dan CoulterMarch 22nd, 2013
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     It's hard to overstate the value of self-esteem. It supercharges our brains to give us ideas and energy. It makes us feel and look better. But the dark side to this equation is that a lack of self-esteem has the opposite effect. 

Asperger Syndrome and "The Talk"

by Dan CoulterMarch 5th, 2013
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     If talking to children about sex is hard for most parents, it can be a real nail-biter for parents of kids who have Asperger Syndrome.  But if you've been dreading having "The Talk," some of the reasons going through your head may not be based in fact.

Girls, Puberty, and Asperger Syndrome

by Dan CoulterFebruary 27th, 2013
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I spent the last year in Girlworld.  And I learned a lot.

In the course of making a DVD to help girls deal with the physical, emotional and social changes brought on by puberty, my wife and I found out a lot about girls who have Asperger Syndrome.

Who Do You Believe?

by Dan CoulterJanuary 29th, 2013
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     Who do you believe? It’s an important question for you and your children on the autism spectrum. It’s hard enough to counsel kids about who to trust on a personal level. But how about all the information they have access to through the media and the Internet?

Family Holidays - Asking the Right Questions

by Dan CoulterOctober 23rd, 2012
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     What’s their secret?  How do some parents of special needs children seem to sail through family holiday gatherings without feeling like they’re going to lose their hair or their minds? 

The Other Victims of Bullying: Enlisting the Parents of Bullies

by Dan CoulterSeptember 19th, 2012
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Parents respond in all sorts of ways when a school reports their children are bullying others. But if schools really want to get these parents’ attention, they might want to share information about how much damage bullying does…to bullies.

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