At 22, after a lifetime of really not getting the whole concept of misleading statements, for the sake of teasing, humour or April Fools gags, a breakthrough happened today! Tommy was suddenly on board with April Fool’s Day!
He spent much of the day making false, misleading statements of a harmless, trivial nature, and, once we reacted, then saying “April Fool’s!” And, when we teased with false statements, he got it, and replied with “April Fool’s” too!
Just to give you an idea of some of Tommy’s jokes, here you go:
Example #1:
Tommy: Look! (opening cupboard) Apple cookies!
Us: Where?
Tommy: April Fool’s!!!
Example #2:
Tommy: I cooked up some steaks for lunch today!
Us: Really?
Tommy: April Fools!
Example #3:
I slept in too late today!
Us: Really?
Tommy: April Fool’s!
Example #4:
Tommy: I just want my old classmate Neil Atkins from Ottawa Technical Secondary School to start running and running and running and running and running and running and running and running today!
Us: You do?
Tommy: Yes.
Us: OK
Tommy: He eats so many pieces of pumpkin pie after running today!
Us: He does?
Tommy: Yes. I just want Neil Atkins to get his cake, pie, and dill pickles and ice cream made from wheat, barley and rye flour called gluten, and cow’s milk, after running and so many pieces of pumpkin pie at midnight.
Us: Really?
Tommy: April Fools!!!!
Ok, just to be clear, Tommy came along while I typed this, read what I had so far, and dictated that last one to me
Short on April Fool’s ideas? It doesn’t have to be elaborate! Any old false statement will pretty much do
PS This reminded me of a time, a few years ago, when Tommy was accusing others of lying at times when they were being sarcastic (sarcasm involves basically saying the opposite of the truth, for humour’s sake. Hard to grasp for someone with Autism.) When I wrote him a definition of sarcasm, he was intrigued, but still couldn’t really “get it”. But he did suggest that perhaps the Autism Unit, where he went to school, could be turned into a “Sarcasm Unit”. I wondered- would that mean that everyone there would always speak only in sarcasm at all times? (sign me up.) or that it would be a place where people were taught how to be sarcastic? Questions left unanswered, to this day.
Hello TaylorWhat advice would you give to a prnaet who has to tell their son that he has Aspergers. The prnaet is worried about the sons reaction to this news. Thank youKind regardsYvonne
Hello, We think there are many online resources about this topic. Tommy has had a diagnosis of Autism since age 2, so we have not had this issue. Good luck, and remember that Autism is always a very individual journey, but each person with autism, like all people, is perfect in their own way. Hugs