Embracing the odd week 2

This week’s odd moment most any parent can relate to. For parents of kids with Asperger’s Syndrome this scene might really hit home and hopefully make you laugh far too much.

Let me preface this by first off saying Alvin has an obsession with toy cars. He loves to line them up by number. This can be ascending or descending order. The numbers can be arranged by even or odd as well. It can be by make or model, color, you name it. They can be racing or head to head crashing all in a line. He’s been doing this since he was about 2.5 and to this day cars with numbers on them are a big thing.

On Wednesday nights before gymnastics I generally take Alvin out to walk around stores, get dinner and otherwise spend one on one time with him. This week because I have rocks for brains I took him to Toys R Us looking for a specific Melissa and Doug toy band set. Well the general rule in a place that carries Hot Wheels cars is if he behaves himself he can get one. Well he had been pretty good. No major melt downs and didn’t run off so we went over to the large Hot Wheels cars display and he was allowed to pick one out. He grabs this one and I just cringe!

The next thing he does it say loudly “69!” I try and give him another number car but it doesn’t work. His mind is made up on that car. All I can do is shake my head and continue on. We pay for the car with no major incident and once back in my car he is very happy to have the number 69. We head over to Jack in the Box for dinner since he loves their rice bowls and so do I. Once entering he starts yelling 69 over and over. He doesn’t want to be in there so all he can do is yell a number. I get our food we sit down and all I can do is laugh. Then I text my husband and some friends and the laughter continues.

Now granted I know that what happened here is common. A kid has a very strong interest in something and doesn’t want to let it go. The main difference is most 4 year olds have better verbal skills that Alvin.

On the plus side though for once I was able to laugh at the situation instead of being embarrassed and think only Alvin would be proclaiming his love for the number 69 in the middle of a store!!