A peek into Asperger's

It's hard for me to explain what life is like with two children with Asperger's Syndrome. Most of the time, it's just part of our normal life and I don't notice that it's anything different from what any other parent experiences.
But some days....I can't pretend it's normal.
Sometimes I experience something that is just a "classic AS moment" that might help someone else understand.

(BTW: I don't do these sort of things as a PVM. I'm hoping that some parent who is wondering or struggling may find some help.)

On Thursday, I called to schedule a carpet cleaning for this coming Tuesday.

I informed the boys that they could play downstairs while the upstairs carpets were cleaned but would have to play outside while the downstairs was cleaned. Then we would all go to my Mom's house while the carpet dried.

No big deal, right? Just a carpet cleaning.
All of you reading can infer why I told them this. It's not a huge event other than getting ready for the carpet cleaners.

Not for Matthew.

He went into instant anxiety mode.

Why was I getting the carpet cleaned?

Who was coming to clean it?

Then came the "wonderings." Oh, how I hate the "wonderings." It's the time where he comes up with reasons why things are happening. Most of the time his reasons are so far off the mark that I don't even know where to begin to correct him.

"I know why we can't be upstairs while he cleans the carpet...."

"I know why we have to go to Nanny's house...."


Unfortunately, none of these "reasons" are correct so I have to tell him the real reasons.
But these reasons I give, don't make sense to him and he comes up with new explanations.

Which are different, but still wrong nonetheless. So we go around and around until I have to put my foot down. I feel cruel just cutting him off but I can't spend hours discussing the logistics of carpet cleaning.

The carpets are being cleaned. It's OK. I will handle everything and you get to spend the day at Nanny's house. OK? That's it. It's a really easy thing. Let's not talk about it anymore, OK?

He nods to let me know that he accepts this explanation but his eyes give away the truth. He's still fretting about it and I have no idea why. I can't even understand why he even cares in the first place, much less how to ease his worry.

And he can't tell me.