The Trip that Launched Tears

It started out okay.  Not great, but okay.

We had the typical, Are we there yet? and How much longer? but the boys were watching movies, so it wasn't too bad.

I'm not going to tell you it was the best trip ever.  Because, although what we did was fun and the family we stayed with was fantastic, the behavior was less than enjoyable.  We drove from Buffalo to Maryland.  Maryland to Philadelphia.  Philadelphia to New Jersey.  New Jersey to NYC.  NYC to New Jersey.  New Jersey to Buffalo.  I should have expected it was too much.

I knew we would have bouts of anger and frustration. 

I just didn't think they would be as common place as a tourist in DC.

I made changes in diet and timing and 'free play' each day after the day before didn't work in attempt to make those bouts of anger diminish.

 Sometimes the anger was short, single phrases.  The type of talk that my mom would say, "Don't smart mouth me" - which is something I can't say to my Asperger Boy because literally he will comment about how a mouth can be smart.

Sometimes the anger lasted a long time.  I struggled with what to do.  I couldn't send him to his room.  I couldn't deny him the opportunity because it would take that same opportunity away from his brother, our family and me.  It was a challenge.

I learned a lot last week.





On day four, I broke down.  My patience was depleted.  My drive was halted.

I cried.

Big Boy noticed.

He cried and said, "All I wanted was a hug."

We hugged.

And we cried.

And we were okay.

Until the next day when it began again.