#AutismLife: Dinner Conversation

Yesterday night was a bit stressful for Emma and the husband. Scott had school after work so he didn’t come home until about 8pm. I got his dinner ready, warmed it up in the microwave and all that jazz. But things got stressful when Emma started screaming about the iPad charger. I swear to God we’ve probably spent $100+ this year replacing chargers because no matter how many times you tell her to let the iPad charge before playing so that flimsy thing doesn’t break too fast it just doesn’t work. Well it does for maybe a week after buying a new one but after a while she’s so over it. I know a lot of Autism household that deals with this problem so somehow I don’t feel bad anymore. We’ve become immune to it.

Anyhooo, so last night was stressful. I think Scott nuked his dinner in the microwave 3 times, LOL. I had to find something funny out of the whole stressful situation. At one point he took his work-shirt off and buttons went flying off like he was Hulk, or something. Today after work he said he doesn’t know what’s worse, an autistic child having a meltdown or a grown man having a meltdown. I told him I’m glad he realized that coz the whole thing just escalated because they’re both stressed out. Trust me I have had my moments too. Throughout this journey we’ve each learned to calm down when the other parent is stressed out. At least bed time was a smooth process last night even after that happened. Her postponed field trip to the Marbles Museum must have given her a a bad day to begin with. She’s been looking forward to it so she was probably thinking about it the whole day. One snappy tone broke all her control by the time she started freaking out about the charger.

Tonight’s dinner was different and more pleasant though. The best we’ve had if I say so myself. It started with a plastic carrot which I told Emma looks like the one from Farm Heroes Saga. She informed us that there is actually sugar in it. Then Daddy asked where she got it from and she said it was from her EC teacher. Then the conversation went to the fresh strawberries she was eating which she picked from her Field Trip on Monday. Daddy asked what else she did at the Camp and she told us they went fishing.

Did you use worm for bait? “No we used corn”

What color is the fish? “Grey”

All the while she ate her grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of strawberries. Then afterwards they hugged and gave each other a high five. This is our Autism Life. We have setbacks but then we have progressive days. The latter is more and more now these days. Hey, we’ll take it.