Strict Dress Code

      So, it has reached 90 degrees here on several days already this spring, here in Florida. I have encouraged Rachel to wear shorts to school, so she wouldn't get so HOT! but she had not responded by wearing them.
      Finally, Friday, she had on long black knit pants with her school shirt. (Keep in mind, she is growing crazy fast and all of her "pants" are now "capris".)
      She finally told me: "I don't have any shorts that fit the dress code at school." Me: "Huh, what about the 3 new pairs of Bermuda shorts?" Rachel: "No, I tried them on and they are too long." Me....??? I was then informed by Rachel, that the students were told by their school "Your shorts must be fingertip long!". Apparently forgetting to add that it is fine to be longer.
      Could the rest of the world get a little more literal before I lose my mind? You, Aspies, keep us in line!

Food Fight?

    Rachel came home from school the other day, with a story about a fight in her school cafeteria. As much as you hate to hear of school violence, you do look forward to hearing an Aspie summary version of what happened...
    The first thought that came to my naive mind, was maybe a food fight.? Right? Nope! She told me about 2 boys in her class, who shall remain nameless, here. "*** hit **** right in his eye. He punched him for no reason."  I asked if she saw it and she told me she did. I then asked if *** got a black eye? To which Rachel informed me: "NO. But his eye did turn purple!"
   When will I learn to be literal?

Zooming, Now!

   So, yesterday, Rachel got in the car after school and told me she had a note.... Hmmm... Then, she reassured me, it was for a field trip.... Hmmm.... Got home, and was handed the yellow sheet of paper.
   Sure enough, it was a permission slip note. She is supposed to go to Hinson Middle School next year. YIKES! We had discussed that's where we are "ZONED" to go. As she handed me the paper, she informed me that the 5th graders were going to visit the middle school that they are "ZOOMED IN" for! Close enough. Starts with a Z!
   Made me smile... and wonder... how will we ever survive middle-school??? FYI: She is certain that it IS zoomed in for, NOT zoned for. Some things are not worth a battle!   ;0)

Aspergirls

Wanted to share with you a favorite quote from the book Aspergirls, by Rudy Simone.

(I enjoyed this book & was given some insights on "Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome". This book was recommended by Rachel's intervention teacher. Thank you, Jenn!):

"But telling a person with Asperger's to just 'get on with it' is like telling a person in a wheelchair to take the stairs if they want to get to the second floor." (page 57)

Some of the most well-meaning individuals, have guilted me for not "just make her do it; it's not a choice" kind of attitude. Many of these well-meaning people have used these words & let me know how disappointed they are in my parenting skills. It has done nothing positive! Please, if you don't understand and have not walked in these difficult shoes, don't judge and correct! You certainly wouldn't tell someone in a wheelchair to take the stairs, so please don't expect and advise someone with Asperger's to simply change, or speed up, or try harder, or... While they do need encouragement, they (& we parents) don't need your condemnation.

Thanks for letting me release a little frustration. For all you friends that are simply encouraging & helpful on this journey, THANK YOU! You help ease more pain than you know.

I do recommend this book. Especially to learn more about girls (the minority) with Asperger's Syndrome!

Accomplishment... or a Circus????

           So, it's been a while since I've posted anything... not for lack of Rachelisms, experiences, tests, trials, joys, accomplishments... Life happens! Much to get caught up on...
           I recently had surgery, and my wonderful mother came down to Florid,a to tend to Rachel, Rosebug, me & everything else. There were the Aspie-normal challenges, when faced with change. When I was able to come home, apparently I was still under the "influence" of anesthesia and NOT thinking Aspie. This became very obvious one day, while we were gathered together and talking.
          I was sharing some great news about my precious grandson being such a big boy... all potty trained. He got to go to ChuckECheese to celebrate. I was relaying this information to Mom & Rachel, explaining to Rachel why they were celebrating Jakson's "big feat".
          After a small amount of time passed, Rachel said "Mom, it's too bad you don't have any clown feet." WHAT??? It took my Mom to explain the Aspie, clearly obvious, thought. I said, "What are you talking about Clown feet?". Rachel, "You know, Jakson has Big FEET!"  I was happy my mom was here to get me through that "Feet"!
          

Feline Wear Confusion....

OUCH!
    This morning, I was awakened from my sleep by a confused Aspie. She said "I'm mixed-up and need to know something, right NOW!" (3:27 a.m.) I'm usually the one that is baffled, so I figure this must be important.  ;0)
    "WHY, does the Cat in the Hat wear gloves?"
     If she had been any other child, I would have thought it was a riddle... BUT, she's not! And why on earth did that question require me to be rushed to consciousness? Just one of the normal exceptions to "the rules", by a uniquely wired Aspie.
    Once I am alert enough to know, that this is not going to go away shortly, I begin trying to ask the obvious...to me.
    I say "I don't know; why does the Cat in the Hat wear a hat?"  Well, that was really dumb of me not to know!... "He is the Cat in the HAT...he has to wear it. He's NOT the Cat in the Gloves!"....o.k.
    "Well, why does he always wear a red bow tie?"
    Eye roll... "It's just a fancy collar!"...oh... (I was too sleepy to think to ask why/how the Cat speaks, AND speaks in "human English"? instead of Rachel's preferred "catlish") Now...my migraine is making itself known! Ouch... an unwelcomed distraction from the question regarding a cat wearing gloves.
    Do you remember the newspaper column "Dear Abby"?  Oh, how I wish there was a source to turn to, to answer these "earthshaking" questions... Maybe we need a "Dear Aspie" column, during these modern times & challenges...
    Here are some of my guesses and suggestions regarding the Cat in the Hat wearing gloves...
1) He is being considerate and doesn't want to scratch anyone.
2) He just got a manicure.
3) His nails are embarrassingly short.
4) His nails are embarrassingly long.
5) He is allergic to something.
6) He doesn't want to scare anyone.
7) He likes to play dress-up.
8) He is hiding something in his gloves.
9) He has sensory issues.. (something she can understand, but not a good reason for a cat)
10)He is a cartoon.. and cartoons are not nature & never make sense!
...
(At the time, I didn't think to ask her why he only wears them on his front paws?)

   All of which were disregarded as a big "NO"! So, the question is still unanswered to Aspie satisfaction... WHY does the Cat in the Hat wear gloves? Feel free to offer any guesses... PLEASE!

Wanted/Needed Aspie Interpreter

      This morning began as most mornings do around here. Medicine time, first. Rachel did a great job taking hers,this morning. No complaints, no dragging it out, stalling... Smooth starts always make my day better!
      She even promptly began washing the syringes... from her meds. She then said "Can you tell, I'm taking a role call?"   Huh? I didn't know what she was talking about, (per norm), so I just smiled. She then asked again. I guessed maybe "A role call of your meds?". "NO!" Frustration sets in on both sides!
    She finished cleaning up...only to proclaim again: "I did the role call fast." ....Silence...I chose to ignore what I couldn't decipher.
    As I'm cleaning up the rest of the kitchen, she is getting more and more frustrated. When she finally says "I'm roll on."  Hmmm.... Huh? I ask where are you rolling? She says "No, no, no. Can't you see, how fast I took my medicine and cleaned up? I'm roll on!"
    Alas, another Rachelism. I then ask, (after the light bulb flashed above my head), "Oh, so you are on a roll?"...." NO! "I'm roll on, you know, getting things done faster than usual!"
    Ah... Asperger's and the nuances of the English language. Does anyone know of an Aspie Interpreter? I need one!