THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER GOES A LITTLE LIKE THIS FOR ME; I'M SITTING AT MY DESK IN MY CLASSROOM JUST WRAPPING UP MY LAST IEP, EARLIER I HAD FRANTICALLY RACED TO GET EVERYONE ON MY CASELOADS PROGRESS REPORTS DONE AND TUCKED NEATLY INTO THEIR BACKPACKS, SWOOP IN TO A 1ST GRADE CLASS LOOKING ALL ZEN TO CALM A LITTLE GUY DOWN WHO IS CLIMBING THE WALLS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE UNSTRUCTURED TIME AT THIS POINT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, RUNNING INTO THE GYM WITH MY ARGUING 7TH GRADE STUDENTS TO WATCH MY 8TH GRADE STUDENT AT GRADUATION REHEARSAL, THEN BACK THROUGH THE SCHOOL TO MAKE SURE ONE OF MY 5TH GRADERS WHO IS AT HIS GRADUATION REHEARSAL ISN'T SCREAMING INTO THE MICROPHONE. THERE WERE A MILLION LITTLE FIRES TO BE PUT OUT AND I PAT MYSELF ON THE BACK AS I REST MY HEAD ON MY DESK AND CONGRATULATE MYSELF ON DOING IT IN RECORD TIME. I DID IT! ONE MORE YEAR DOWN AND I CHECKED OFF ALL THE BOXES ON MY TO DO LIST! I'M AMAZING! I'M A ROCKSTAR! I'M EXHAUSTED! AT THIS POINT I LOOK UP (TO SCAVENGE FOR SOME CHOCOLATE NO DOUBT) AND I SEE A FACE STARING AT ME. ONE FACE. ONE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FRECKLED FACE WITH BIG BLUE EYES STARING AT ME. "MOMMA, CAN WE DO SOMETHING FUN?" IN ALL MY SELF PROCLAIMED GLORY I FORGOT ONE THING, I'M STILL A MOM AND THE LITTLE BIT OF REST I WAS COVETING FOR MYSELF WILL HAVE TO WAIT. PROBABLY UNTIL FALL. WOW, THAT'S A LONG WAYS AWAY! BECAUSE FROM HERE UNTIL THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WE ARE IN SUMMER MODE AND THAT MEANS THERE IS NO REST FOR THE WICKED (OR EXTREMELY EXHAUSTED TEACHER AND MOM!) AND I AM IN A MAD DASH TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PACK INTO OUR DAYS. AND SINCE OUR "VACATION" IS MORE OF A "STAY-CATION" I WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT SOME FUN STUFF TO DO AT HOME OR AROUND TOWN THAT WON'T REQUIRE ME SPENDING $500 ON A DAY CAMP OR DRIVING ALL OVER TOWN TO KEEP MY DAUGHTER ENTERTAINED.
THIS IS A TRAP MANY OF MY PARENT FRIENDS HAVE BEEN IN AND I WANT TO PULL SOME RESOURCES TOGETHER FOR ALL OF US TO HELP US GET THROUGH WHAT WILL BE WITHOUT A DOUBT A NON-BUMMER SUMMER!
NATURAL BRIDGES STATE BEACH; IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN THERE FOR THE BEAUTIFUL MONARCHS YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY GO THERE FOR THEIR TIDE POOLS! ANY LOCATION THAT HAS SAND AND WATER IS A MUST FOR MANY OF OUR FRIENDS WITH AUTISM. THE SENSORY INPUT IS AMAZING; BETWEEN THE GRITTY, WET SAND BETWEEN YOUR TOES AND THE COOL SPLASH OF THE WATER AGAINST YOUR BODY IT IS ALL VERY CENTERING. BRING A PICNIC AND A FEW KITES AND YOU'VE GOT SOME HAPPY CAMPERS. AS WITH ANY BODY OF WATER, ALWAYS EXERCISE CAUTION AND SAFETY WHILE HAVING FUN. I LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY WHEN A STUDENT DECIDED SHE WANTED TO PLAY, "SAVE THE MERMAID". GOOD NEWS IS MY SWIMMING SKILLS WERE WAY BETTER THAN I THOUGHT THEY WERE AS I CRAWLING BACK TO THE SAND, FULLY CLOTHED AND SOAKING WET, HOLDING THE HAND OF A VERY WET, VERY GIGGLY STUDENT YELLING, "YOU DID IT MS.PARKER! YOU SAVED THE MERMAID!"
LAND OF THE MEDICINE BUDDHA; THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO PRACTICE MINDFULNESS AND SOME QUIET WALKING THROUGH THE VARIOUS TRAILS. THE PEACEFULNESS REALLY RESONATES WITH MANY PEOPLE AND IT SUPPORTS A CALMING EFFECT ON YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM. WHO DOESN'T LIKE THAT?
LIBRARIES; ONE OF MY FAVORITES. I LOVE PICKING OUT BOOKS FOR US TO READ TOGETHER AS A FAMILY, BUT I ALSO LOVE THAT WE CAN EXPLORE DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND PUSH OUR COMFORT ZONE. GREAT FOR MAINTAINING READING SKILLS OR GOING TO THE NEXT READING LEVEL.
MEET UP GROUPS; THIS IS NOT ONLY A GREAT WAY TO MEET NEW FRIENDS AND BUILD YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK, BUT A WONDERFUL WAY TO BE ABLE TO RELAX AND ENJOY MOVIES, ETC THAT HAVE BEEN PRE-APPROVED FOR OUR FRIENDS WITH AUTISM. FROM MOVIES WITH LOWER SENSORY INPUT TO A PARENTS NIGHT OUT IT'S ALL CENTERED AROUND FAMILIES. AND THE BEAUTY OF MEET UP IS THAT IF YOU DON'T SEE A GROUP THAT INTERESTS YOU, START YOUR OWN!
PUBLIC PARKS; OH THE BEAUTY OF ROLLING GREEN LAWN AND A CHILD SCREAMING WITH GLEE (OR PARENT, BUT THAT'S JUST ME) AS THEY LET THEIR BODIES ROLL DOWN HILLS TO SEE WHO WILL MAKE IT TO THE BOTTOM FIRST. OR RACING YOUR LITTLE ONE WHILE FLYING A KITE, OR BRINGING A BIG BATCH OF BUBBLE MIXTURE AND MAKING BIG HUGE BUBBLE WANDS OUT OF PIPE CLEANERS. AND DON'T FORGET TO PLAY LAVA MONSTER ON THE PLAY STRUCTURE OR SEE WHO CAN FLY THE HIGHEST ON THE SWINGS. PLACES LIKE PARKS GIVES YOUR LITTLE ONE THE FREEDOM TO NOT ONLY USE THEIR IMAGINATION BUT FOR YOU TWO TO WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE NEW AND SILLY GAMES BASED ON YOUR OWN RULES AND STRUCTURE IT AROUND YOUR INTERESTS.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER I WILL BE ADDING TO IT. I WOULD ALSO LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT PLACES YOUR FAMILY LIKES TO FREQUENT THAT WOULD ROCK ANOTHER PARENTS SOCKS OFF. THE POINT IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAVE ALL YEAR TO KEEP YOUR CHILD ENTERTAINED THIS SUMMER. AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU ARE SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR CHILD AND IN THE BIG SCHEME OF THINGS YOUR TIME IS WHAT THEY WANT. FOR MORE IDEAS AND RESOURCES HEAD OVER TO HTTP://WWW.SPINSC.ORG (SPECIAL PARENTS INFORMATION NETWORK) FOR MORE TO DO IN SANTA CRUZ AND SAN BENITO COUNTIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY BLOG AND I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!
SHINE ON!
RONETTE PARKER ABA
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