mum of AS boy

I've heard about a board game called 'Socially Speaking' which I was thinking of getting for my 8 year old Aspie son. Does anyone have any experience of this? Would you recommend it? (It's kinda pricey so I'd love to know some views before buying it...) Thanks!

I am considering telling my 8 year old son about his diagnosis. When he was diagnosed a year ago, my husband and I decided that it would not help to tell him, and the diagnosing doctor agreed. However, now we are thinking it may stop him coming up with other self-hating explanations for his differences. I am thinking of giving him an adventure story (he loves to read) about a boy being diagnosed with Aspergers. I previewed an exerpt on Amazon, and it opens with a boy being told off by his teacher for rocking on his chair (just like my boy!). Maybe he will recognise that he is different, a bit like that storybook character, and we'll see how we go from there... If we do go ahead with this, I'll post again to say how it goes... Nerve-racking!

Thank you for the reply. I really appreciate your advice. The school knows the diagnosis, but no one else. My husband and I are beginning to think it's time to share the diagnosis with our son. Funnily enough, our son has said to us "my brain is different to other people's" so it may be helpful for him. I just don't want the diagnosis to get round the playground at this stage, as it may make it even harder to get kids to play with him, and I don't want the sympathy vote! I have ordered a kids adventure book featuring a boy being diagnosed with Aspergers, and I will preview it. If suitable, I may give this to him and see if he recognises himself as being similar, and it may open up the discussion. I am not at all ashamed of the condition, I love the way my son is, but I want to smooth his way in life. If he had extreme behaviour, then I would be shouting about it, as a useful explanation! But as people may not notice, I'd rather give him the option to stay undercover for now. As he is rarely chats to other kids, it's unlikely that he will spread the word around himself!

Hi, my 8 year old son has mild Aspergers. He is "in the closet" as he seems to get away with it most of the time, and so we think the label would do more harm than good. He plays happily by himself in the playground but then feels lonely and isolated as a result. He feels that he is different to everyone else, and not good enough, and it affects his self esteem. He says that his classmates are kind but don't really like him. His school help him with friendship groups and roping him into playground games, but I'd love to help him find his niche, so he feels less of an outsider. Advice welcome!