I just want my autistic son to be able to live a normal adult life

My son is 15. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 2. He's on the low-functioning end of the spectrum.It's been a long journey. He was nonverbal until age 3, and not toilet trained until age 6. Ever since the early ages, I watched as he struggled with basic skills his peers had mastered, some of which we are struggling with even today.He struggles with social skills and does not understand basic social cues. He also has absolutely no regard for danger. We must hold his hand when he's crossing the street because he doesn't understand road safety, and we can't even run a fan because he will try to stick his fingers in between the blades while it's running.School is another struggle. His lack of focus and thinking ability force him to work three years behind his grade level. We've been moving along glacially to teach him all these things.Right now he is 15, three years away from becoming an adult. He will be graduating with an adapted diploma. He will not learn how to drive, nor will he attend post-secondary education.His job prospects are bleak. He would not be able to work in an office, since he would not be able to manage the workload. He would not be able to work in a trade, since his lack of danger regard would be dangerous to himself and others on the job. He wouldn't even be able to work as a cashier, because he does not have the necessary social skills. All roads are leading to menial work.His adult living arrangements are also bleak. He can't even stay home alone, since his behaviors make him a danger to himself. He wouldn't be able to do basic skills like balancing a checkbook, saving money, or paying rent. He will have to live in a group home. We are, in fact, starting to think about group homes for him right now.My heart breaks for him. As parents, we all want our kids to live happy and successful lives. We want to eventually become obsolete for our kids.We hope that someday, he will be able to live at least semi-independently. We hope that he will be able to get something better than menial work. But in the meantime, all we have is hope, and even that is slowly fading as he approaches adulthood. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/37AM7Qc