“She had one job. Just one job!”

“Well Dad, technically she did what you told her to do.”

“Are you kidding me? Did you see the state of that playroom?”

Mike chuckled, “Yeah, it is probably the biggest disaster I have ever seen, but you didn’t ask her to clean the playroom. You told her she had to get her bedroom spotless, or you would take away all her toys.”

Dad rolled his eyes, “I wanted her to actually put away her toys, not just move them from her bedroom to the playroom. She didn’t even make her bed. Her bedspread and pillow are now on the pile of toys in the middle of the playroom.”

“Well, you really should praise her for getting her room spotless,” Mike looked in his little sister’s room. “It has never looked this good.”

“Mike!”

“Dad, think about it. Has she ever managed to clean her room before without getting distracted and just playing with her toys? Today she finished the task. It may not have been how you wanted her to do it, but she did exactly what you asked her to do.”

“Fine, fine. She did get her room spotless, but . . .”

“I’ll help her put her bedroom back together after her cartoon is over,” Mike patted his dad on his back. “Next time though, remember she is autistic and takes everything literal.”

Mike went into the playroom and looked around. Toys, clothes, bedding, and even Stacey’s nighttime pull-ups were scattered everywhere. She had grabbed everything that wasn’t furniture and just threw it into the playroom. Mike thought about how he could get Stacey to clean both rooms. It would have to be something personal to her. Spotting Stacey’s favorite doll, Mike picked it up and brought it over to Stacey’s room.

Sitting the doll down in the middle of Stacey’s bed, Mike smiled, “This might actually work.”

Mike headed out of the room and went to sit on the living room couch with his sister. She cuddled up next to him without looking or saying a word.

When the show was over, Mike turned the TV off and squeezed Stacey in a big bear hug, “Well kiddo, I noticed your doll was in your room all sad.”

“Why is Melanie sad,” Stacey asked?

“She wanted to take a nap, but there is no bedspread or pillow in your room.”

“I fix,” Stacey said, bouncing up and running off to the playroom.

Mike went to Stacey’s room and waited. Shortly Stacey showed up with her bedspread and pillow. Together, they got them on the bed and tucked Melanie in for a nap.

“Do you think she might want your unicorn light on the nightstand if she wakes up and it is dark outside?”

“I get,” Stacey smiled and charged out of the room.

When the light, clock, and beanbag chair were all back in their proper spots, it was time to change tactics, “Is Melanie going to be sad that you have to get ready for bed and get dressed in the morning way off in your playroom?”

“I get dressed in here,” Stacey looked at Mike in confusion.

“Well, how are you going to get ready for bed in here if your Pull-ups and unicorn footed PJs are in the playroom?”

Stacey thought about that for a minute and then went off to remedy the problem. The same approach was used with the clothes. Each time Mike would help Stacey put everything back in their proper places. It took over an hour, but almost everything was back in the bedroom. All put away into their proper places.

“I think Melanie will be happy with this bedroom now,” Mike said heading towards Stacey with wiggly fingers.

“No tickle monster,” Stacey screeched, as she ran out of the room in a fit of giggles.