I’m not worried about taking Casey and Rob many places anymore. I’ve gotten that tough skin and can usually ignore anyone I need to. (Yes – I have days that the comments bother me, but not as often as they used to.) But – it’s still so much fun to have an outing with a group of people who completely “get it.” They know autism like I do and nothing any one in our families does bothers anyone else.
It’s an amazing feeling.
Yesterday, we went bowling with our autism support group families. There were about 30 of us and it was so much fun. The bowling alley was so accommodating for our needs and gave us extra space so no one would have to wait long for their turn and even asked if they needed to do anything about the lighting.
But the best part was watching Casey and Rob and everyone else have fun. When a child laid on the floor, no one cared. When Rob yelled to hear the funny echo, no one cared. When one wanted to tell everyone else how to bowl, no one cared. And they all cheered for each other. I’m sure the whole place could hear us cheering for each bowler.
I did have to remind Casey and Rob when it was their turn, but really, I could just stand and visit with the other families or take pictures. Or just soak in the fact that I didn’t have to care if anyone made loud noises or was humming or rocking. I could just relax and laugh the time away.
I have shared many times that I think you should take your child wherever you want to and learn to ignore the comments of people around you. Your child has the same right to be anywhere that everyone else does. But – it’s also so important for you to have a group of friends who completely understand (Well, as much as anyone can, since everyone with autism is so different!) what your life is like.
It’s important for you and your family to have those times when you can just be a family and not the “special” family. It might be hard to find other families like yours, but it’s so worth it. We are extremely lucky that our small town embraces our families for the most part and places are willing to host events for us, like our sensory friendly movies and pool parties.
Try to connect with other families in your child’s class. Join a support group (Or start one if you can’t find one). Talk to movie theaters and see if they would be willing to do a special movie and let people know it’s happening. It’s easy to do – especially with social media.
I know it’s hard to join a group, but I also know that no matter how many close friends you have, friends with special needs children are important and will completely enrich your life. They will have ideas and advice for you that no one else can give and are perfect to bounce ideas off of.
Yesterday was so much fun. I hope everyone that was there knows how special they are to me and how thankful I am that they came and had fun with us. I can’t wait for the next event!