My daughter's 17 and a very bright, talented, and extremely hard-working young lady. She's near the top of her class academically. Teachers and counselors love her to death, and are encouraging her to look at several top-tier colleges, but they don't see all I see at home as a parent. I don't think she's anywhere near college ready, especially since she's just learning to manage her ADD and mild dyslexia. She puts in far more study hours than most for those As, and maybe that's why she's lagging on other areas(?) I've looked for signs of normal development for girls her age, and most of them just aren't there. She's very close to us, and hasn't reached that stage where she prefers being with friends or going to parties. No rebellion whatsoever, not even eye rolling or grunts of disgust. She's shown no interest in dating, and doesn't even like to talk on the phone to her friends. No interest in driving, thankfully, because her sense of direction is nil. She's fairly naive and not able to quickly assess situations or make good, clear decisions. Her messiness, disregard for time, and lack of organization are things I have to work with her on constantly. She still needs step-by-step instructions in writing or with someone close by for most tasks. Right now, shes' excited about being recruited by top colleges, but I think college would eat her alive, unless she grows by leaps and bounds in a year. I sometimes wonder if she's got very high-functioning Asperger's.
