Fathers

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.

Compromise Yourself

by Dan CoulterMay 30th, 2012
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     You’re right.  You know you’re right.  You know what’s best for your child.  You also know he’s not buying it.  She’s got her own ideas and your logic won’t penetrate her shields.

Practical Praise, Motivation, and Self-Control

by Dan CoulterFebruary 22nd, 2012
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     Many of us would shout “Eureka!” if we found a magic key that would unlock ways to motivate our children with Asperger Syndrome or similar autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

The Asperger Syndrome Dad Test

by Dan CoulterJanuary 11th, 2012
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     Your son or daughter has Asperger Syndrome.  How are you, as a dad, dealing with it?

     Here’s a test to help you analyze how your approach is working.

Love and Criticism

by Dan CoulterDecember 14th, 2011
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     Does your child know you believe in him, even when you’re correcting him?  Without meaning to, many of us give our children with Asperger Syndrome reason to question their worth in our eyes. 

Asperger Syndrome: Alone By Choice?

by Dan CoulterDecember 2nd, 2011
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     Does your child with Asperger Syndrome really want to be alone?

     I have Asperger Syndrome, and I enjoyed being alone when I was little, mostly when I was in my own world reading.  But I also craved company and wanted to be with people. 

Your Child's Safety Line

by Dan CoulterOctober 10th, 2011
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     There’s a great Gary Larson Far Side cartoon about optimists and pessimists that shows four people, each separately looking at a glass with some water in it.

Favorite Things

by Dan CoulterSeptember 13th, 2011
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What’s your favorite thing?  The thing you look forward to.  The thing that gives you a rush just to think about it. 

Interesting discovery: It can be just as big a rush to help your child find and do his favorite thing. 

Fathers of Girls

by Dan CoulterJune 15th, 2011
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   Warning: Fathers of girls trying to understand current girl culture are likely to experience disorientation, consternation, and incredulity.  Girl culture has traditionally been a mystery to many dads.  However, accelerating social pressure for girls to see and present themselves as “sexy” at younger ages is adding layers of complication.  

Teaching Boys with Asperger Syndrome to Man Up

by Dan CoulterMay 31st, 2011
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     We have an opportunity here.

     An opportunity to help boys with Asperger Syndrome and similar forms of autism to "man up."  I’m not talking about being macho. I’m talking about learning about things such as sexuality, protecting oneself from sexual predators, and using a public men's room.