When I started this blog I thought I'd post something at least every couple of days. It has not turned out that way! I'm also hoping to find the time next week or in August to learn how to post images. There just never seem to be enough hours in the day and I only have 2 kids! I can't imagine how Moms out there handle summer when they have more kids than hands.
The good news is that July has been full of terrific experiences for Miss Marisa. First it was the wonderful yoga class, then an intensive OT workshop that she thoroughly enjoyed, and this week is a nature day camp. This week's camp didn't get off to a great start. The location for the camp is a local park that Marisa and I have been to many times. I knew there was the potential for her to embark on some solo hiking as she has a tendency to try to stray from the group. I discussed this with the person in charge of the camp back in February when I registered Marisa for this week. She told me they had plenty of staff and it wouldn't be a problem. When I got there to pick her up on Monday, her group's counselor told me that she had run away at least 10 times. She also told me that Marisa is so fast that one of the other staff members had to sprint to catch her. I wasn't surprised that had happened but was hoping it wouldn't. On the other hand, it is nice to hear that your child with multiple delays is a fast sprinter!
The rest of the day, before bedtime, and the next morning, I drilled into her head the "rules" of camp : NO RUNNING AWAY! STAY WITH YOUR GROUP!, and she dutifully repeated those words after me each time. On Tuesday when I picked her up the counselor told me she did in fact stay with the group, but that she spent quite a bit of time pushing the other kids. I can't say I'd call that progress. So, my list of "rules" grew bigger on Tuesday. Today seemed to go well unless the counselor just decided not to burden me with more bad news. Two more days to go. At least Marisa is happy to go there in the morning and seems to have had a good time overall when I pick her up. I also love that they spend lots of times outdoors because that is something I've always enjoyed and it is so hard to get her big Sis to do the same.
This brings me to the other question I have been asking myself lately. Marisa is fully included with her "typical" peers in the nature day camp. There are also several options locally for camps and activities catering to kids with disabilities. I've asked myself if I should sign her up for the specialized camps/activities, where she would be with kids more like her, or push her to include herself with the "typical" kids. I've decided whenever possible, to push her, or at the very least try to find opportunities where there are both "typical" kids and kids with disabilities in each group. I know this is hard for her at times but I still believe it is the best for her to prepare her for life when she reaches adulthood.
Thankfully, after this week we have many weeks with not much scheduled. Maybe I can finally get some photos up....
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