Our Aspergers Teenage Boy

Dad reports:
Exhausting evening with Tommy. I finally said “you have a choice. 1) do these 5 problems now, go to bed and do the rest of the homework after school tomorrow or 2) go to bed now and give up ALL playtime and ALL reading time and still do all the homework after school tomorrow.” Tommy quieted down and in minutes completed the 5 math problems with ease.

And while he was having his tantrum, he got so caught up in the show that he forgot to do his coughing. I still personally believe he is fighting a cold or something but the coughing is greatly exaggerated.

Tommy now in bed.

“I want to talk to anyone that will take pity on me” “I want to talk to anyone that will listen”

“Be nice to me Daddy. Just once, be nice to me.”

Tommy turned into a monster as soon as we asked him to do his math homework. I know it’s hard for him and that is why he fights it so hard. We have been screamed at, spit at and witnessed him deliberately turning manic (laughter, flailing, etc.). He makes me very unhappy when he is this upset. I would rather the math assignment be broken into a million tiny assignments than have him get this upset. Doug is determined that we can’t give in and must make Tommy understand that no amount of tantrum will keep him from his obligations. In all fairness to Doug, Doug is putting up with a LOT of screaming while I just cry and whine that we should give in and maybe I am the problem in this instance. I wish Tommy knew that we both love him and are just trying our best to do what he needs.

Dad reports:
Tommy continues to fail to upset me. I am remaining calm with one necessary exception prompted by his lack of responsiveness to his mother’s discipline. My stoicness obviously was getting to him so he kept pulling out stop after stop. He finally decided to masterbate in front of me (clothing on) and when spoken to broke in huge grins and laughter.

Tommy came home from school stinky! He wandered around looking for trouble for a while and after much pleading I got him to take a bath. He got out as soon as he heard “The Simpsons” theme song.

Tommy’s bus picked him up at 7:24. The window was open and Tommy was holding the handle on the door when the driver honked the horn. What is with these bus drivers and their horns?! We have a neighbor that gets in regularly at 2am and then there are the small sleeping people that don’t need to be disturbed.

Tommy was still getting himself ready as I left for carpool so today he went to school with a head of hair that was unkempt and very wild. He seemed still half asleep.

We had one rough spot this morning when I was desperately trying to get the other kids out the door and Tommy became argumentative when I asked him to come over to me. I wanted to show him the buttons on his shirt to give him a visual aid so that he could know when his shirt is on backwards (which it was). I didn’t have time for an agrument with his so I just said “ok, go to school looking like a dork” and he gruffly said “noO!” and I said “ok. I was just trying to help you. You’re shirt is on backwards” and I left.

A New Day!

Dad reports This Morning:
Tommy had his medicine at 6:25. Was roused at 6:45. And now at 6:56 sits at the table moaning “Oh my head” a mantra he has done for a week intermingled with “Oh my back.” The only thing that might be causing him pain would be from the exercise he is beginning to get by going to gym class and maybe a headcold.

Dad reports Last Night:
The screaming Mom refers to started the instant that his sister said “Mom’s home.” Prior to that we had had no screaming and a very pleasant evening. I feel the screaming was a put on. As for the coughing, he does have a running nose but the coughing seems controlled enough that I am certain the doctor would say “he’s forcing himself to cough again.” It’s effective for Tommy because it gets a rise out of Mom.