Trying My Patience

Since I am temporarily doing this "single parent" thing, while my husband is away for training via the Army...I am discovering new levels of patience, or trying to at least. Sometimes its over something as little as a request to do something - its easy to take for granted, the ability to perform a series of sequential steps...something we may do everyday without thinking. However, for my son, this can cause him to pause in confusion, or even stop midway through the task...wandering away, the request forgotten, the task incomplete. Patiently, I repeat my request or the instructions...but sometimes, after a number of repetitions...I find my patience dwindling and my stress levels rising. Not all children with Aspergers are unable to read body language or decipher complex emotional states. My son is quickly able to pick up on my frustration and in turn, becomes anxious...trying even harder to master the request. It is then, that I stop...take that deep breath, get a drink of water or simply stop and gather him up in a hug. We wait until we are both relaxed and together finish what we began.