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What should I do about my lazy down syndrome adult son?

He took tap lessons til he was twelve he was good at it but quit to take up drawing and he was good at that but quit when he was about 18 a couple years after his older brother committed suicide.  Now he's 30 and the only thing he does is play video games, shop, and smoke weed.  He gets money from disability and doesn't seem to intend to get a job.  I talked him into taking a cake decorating course and we took courses one and three together when he was 19.  He's 30 now shouldn't he do something with his life even though he has down syndrome and is intellectually disabled.  I think he's good at art stuff but when I try to get him into it all he says is no that's old and he says he doesn't want to be famous.  He doesn't have to be famous but he should do something with his life.  I have ideas of how to get through to him but it doesn't turn out the way I expected.  Smoking weed kills brain cells and he has it bad enough already.  He takes therapy but says he will never tell he smokes should I get involved with the therapy.  I think therapy can help if they know the truth.

Update:

He walks around the neighborhood and meets people all the time.  I have discouraged him from talking to others but he argues about it.  I have tried involving him in a program but he says being around them makes him sad.  He doesn't like to be around people like himself.  He got picked on by teachers and students growing up and never really talked about resolving it.

1 Answer

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  • Anonymous
    3 weeks ago
    Favourite answer

    Not sure where you live, but my friend’s down system brother worked until he was about 49 and had health issues.   There are a few places around us that have Down syndrome adults in day care.  They have a job, they have lunch together and and have outside activities.  Companies hire out tasks that they can do and get paid for.

    Have you never had him group activities with other Down syndrome people? How does get the weed? Is he buying legal weed? If he doesn’t drive how does he get it? You could put a stop to that. 

    Weed does not kill brain cells!  But allowing him to be high every day all day long is not good.

    Reach out to his doctor’s office for resources for him. Go to your public library, they can help you find what is available in your area for him. 

    https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/about-down-synd...

    Use therapy with a specialize therapist for your son is a great idea. Don’t worry or push him to talk about his marijuana use. It will come up eventually. And if the scent is on him the therapist will catch that.

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