I am so proud of my children's school. It is exemplary in every way, as far as I am concerned. The teaching team is enthusiastic and open to new ideas. They set the standard for thinking outside the box.

Yesterday several members of the Special Ed team received a grant from the school district to start "The Dinner Club". The plan is to take a few autistic students out to dinner to practice their social skills. Some of the kids are more advanced in this area than others, and they will serve as mentors for their peers who are having more difficulty.

They will practice ordering from the menu, using good manners, and carrying on appropriate conversation for the situation. Being able to pull together all of those skills and demonstrate them in one activity is an enormous challenge for many Aspie children.

Sometimes my kids can do it; but the aftermath of excellent behavior is its antithesis - a major meltdown that we hope does not occur until we arrive home. This is why our family seldom eats in restaurants.

I am delighted that these very skilled and compassionate teachers are going to help my son and his peers in this way. There are many challenges to overcome; but the incredible boost to the kids' self-esteem when they are successful is going to carry over into other areas of their lives. I would love to hide behind a plant in the restaurant to observe how the evening goes.

This seems like an odd area for teachers to concern themselves with, especially if you've never been around a kid with autism. So much of their success depends on their ability to communicate effectively with peers. As parents, we do what we can to help our children build friendships, but that isn't always possible in our busy society. In the educational setting, the teachers can bring together children with similar challenges and foster their ability to help each other. What a wonderful opportunity!

I wish every child with Asperger's - or any special need - could experience this kind of loving support at school.