Autism (Interlude)

[Intro: Sponge Bob]
Hey everybody, this is Sponge Bob
And I have high-functioning autism, which is also called Asperger syndrome
And I want to talk to all you kids out there who are high-functioning
I got a couple pointers for you, and I think it's going to help you out

[Verse 1: Sponge Bob]
So what I want to talk to you today is about how you can build a self-esteem
Have you ever heard about having a self-esteem?
Well, a lot of kids with high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome have low self-esteem
We want to talk about how to make it high

[Verse 2: Sponge Bob]
Do you ever say things to yourself like "I'm dumb", "nobody likes me", "I can't find any friends", "I can't talk to girls", "I'm such a nerd"?
If you say all this stuff all the time, well, you're putting yourself down too much
Also, if you do that, you're not alone
As a kid with high-functioning autism, you're going through a lot of changes
And as you change, so does your image of yourself
Lots of kids have trouble adjusting, and this can affect their self-esteem
A positive optimistic attitude can help you develop a strong self-esteem
For example, you could say, "Hey, I'm human" instead of, "Wow, I'm such a loser" when you've made a mistake
And also, you can avoid blaming others when things don't go right

[Verse 3: Sponge Bob]
As one kid with high-functioning autism said, "Parents just don't understand"
Well, that's the understatement of the year, right?
It may seem like there's no way your mother or father will be able to help
Especially if they're always nagging you or getting angry about your behavior
The truth is that parents hate to see their children suffer
Parents may feel frustrated because they don't understand what's going on with you or know how to help
Many moms and dads don't know enough about high-functioning autism to know how to deal with it
So it may be up to you to educate them

[Verse 4: Sponge Bob]
For many kids with Asperger's and high-functioning autism
Common strengths include high intelligence and a strong interest in at least one area of narrow focus
While this narrow focus can have its drawbacks, it can also be harnessed as an asset in many ways
For example, if you like to play video games, you may be able to become a computer programmer someday

[Verse 5: Sponge Bob]
If there are things about yourself that you want to change
You can do this by making goals for yourself
For example, if you want to build some muscle
Make a plan to exercise every day and eat nutritious foods
Then keep track of your progress until you reach your goal
Meeting the challenge you set for yourself is a great way to boost self-esteem

[Bridge: Sponge Bob]
If you learn to be kind to yourself and avoid judging yourself
You will find that what you practice and what you apply from self-help techniques can and will be helpful

[Outro: Sponge Bob]
If you're depressed, you may not feel like seeing anybody or doing anything with anybody
Just getting out of bed in the morning can be difficult, but isolating yourself only makes depression worse
So make it a point to stay social, even if that's the last thing you want to do
As you get out into the world, you may find yourself feeling better