ASD - Being Literal

Living in an apartment has its ups and downs - especially when M is having a rough day and decides to have a meltdown that last hours at a time. But its those other moments that make you smile and forget about those meltdowns. Having Asperger's makes it hard for one to understand literal statements. Simple everyday statements like: Get up on the table to color so no one runs into you - so the child literally gets up on the table to color instead of sitting in a chair. You have something that needs to go in the trash so you ask the Asperger's child to throw it in the trash - they literally THROW it in the trash - doesn't matter if the trashcan is in the next room or not -- he/she throws from where they are. Oh I could probably write a book on things you should not say around a asperger's child. But sometimes you just can't stop what other people say. Imagine:

Bringing groceries in from the car and a new tenant is moving in carrying his boxes to the door. M being the caring person runs ahead and holds open the door for all of us. We all meet up at the door. I say hi and introduce myself. He replies: Hi, I'm Rich. My lil' polite boy returns saying: Oh My mom likes rich men.

Just imagine my embarrassment.