Tightening the reins without making it appear so

[elSicomoro]

KS does not allow charter schools yet...the one in metro KC on the MO side are hit and miss.

My in-laws do not believe he has Asperger's...they think he's just a bit hyperactive. My FIL in particular means well but does things on occasion without telling us. Of course, they give into his every whim as many grandparents do, and after two days with him, they are worn out. We asked him to give it a day to see if he liked it, and if he didn't, he didn't have to go anymore. He didn't like the first day, so we didn't push the issue.

We try to encourage him to do things at school or in the community that he is really good at...like singing or performing. But he'd rather just play video games or ride his bike in the neighborhood. Then when he DOES want to get involved in, say, school choir, the sign-up has long passed.

We rarely use "Because I say so." We don't mind explaining things out to him (he is VERY literal), but when we do try to get more complex with him, off he goes into his own world. Sometimes he will hear it out all the way, then come up with a bunch more questions, which we try to be patient with and answer. Or he tries to negotiate with us, which we are willing to do sometimes. Or he tries to find a loophole that we later catch him in.