The rebellious period

I am still waiting for the rebellious period.

You know, the one that all teen boys are supposed to go through. When they are all broody and secretive and just grunt at you. When they stay in their caves and only emerge for food.
I'm waiting for it because that rebellious period.. I'm told.. is what I as a parent need to experience to be ready for him to leave my safe little nest.
The stretching of the independent wings, and with it my patience, should be what readies me to gently nudge my offspring out of the cradle so to speak. 

Gorgeous image from http://hdwallpaper.ws/14956/

                                               
Except that in our case, there is no stretching...yet.

For the most part, my 18yrs 9 months old aspie boy is a kind, helpful person who is respectful to me, tells me where he is going.. In fact, if he got really silly this evening I could actually send him to bed at 6.30pm and HE WOULD GO! 

All around us, his peers are packing and preparing to leave home, whether they are heading for University or jobs far afield. I am reminded that by his age, I was living in a flat 500km away from my parents, working 5 days a week and caring for myself.
The Man I Married left home at 16 and by 18 he was a seasoned professional! He was street wise and savvy. I am not seeing much "street-wiseness" in J-man. He is delightful, but still very young in his choices and decisions.
So this week I am unsure of the path this will follow. By now he should be champing at the bit to get away from parental control, but he isn't.
He should be eager to be away from our prying all-seeing eyes, but he isn't.
He should be grunting and obnoxious, but he isn't.

I am grateful for the reprieve.
I am fearful it will never come.