Lost in Translation

If you are familiar with Asperger's, you know that those with it take things quite literal. Until you have a child with Asperger's you really never give the English language much thought. All the sarcasms, ironies, metaphors,figures of speech, jokes, etc are lost to Aspies. No wonder our language can be confusing for people from other countries.

Take Friday. Jacob had the day off from school, and I had to work at my very part time job at our church nursery. Jacob loves going so he was thrilled, but it is usually a challenge for both him and me because there are just too many little kids in there and he is always wanting my attention. So on this day I let him bring his Nintendo DS in to keep him occupied. It did keep him busy, and he had a captive audience most of the morning. Jacob becomes a little obsessed when playing video games, so it is a catch 22. Sure it keeps him busy, but he doesn't want to stop. Well, snack time came and all the kids are sitting at the table including Jacob still with his DS. One of the other nursery teachers said to Jacob, "Would you like to put your DS in a cubbie so it doesn't get messy from snack?" To which Jacob politely replied, "No, thanks. I'll just keep playing it." Hearing this I say, "Jacob, she wasn't asking you if you wanted to. She was telling you to put it up." To which he says, "But Mom, she did ask me!"

Yes, he was right. She had indeed asked him. I knew what she meant, she knew, and I'm sure most of the kids in the room knew. But Jacob took it for what it was. How hard and confusing it must be for my son, not understanding what people mean. I can't imagine being so smart and getting lost in conversations. No wonder simple conversations turn into frustrated arguments and meltdowns. How many times do I do this to my son unknowingly? Maybe all those times I think I am TELLING him to do something, I am instead ASKING him and it is getting lost somewhere in between.

This morning Jacob woke my husband and I up with a knock knock joke. It was one he created on his own. It went like this.

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Buzz Ball
Buzz Ball who?
Buzz Ball. I didn't know you were Buzz Ball.

It makes no sense. But the look on Jacob's face and the way he said it was enough to make us both roll with laughter. Jacob looked so happy to be telling a joke. He was laughing, we were laughing, and life was good. It didn't matter that we didn't get the joke. He got the joke. It made complete sense to him. It wasn't lost to him.

Buzz Ball.