How're we doing tonight?

[LollipopViolet]

Fireworks have started round my way - currently got my earphones in, plugged into my computer with music going as the stupid things scare me :(

Know a lot of you have DC with ASD who struggle with this time of year, so thought we could have a thread to help support each other.

I'm going to an ice hockey match tomorrow, dreading the walk down my drive at about half 9 when I get in - but don't want to not go iyswim? Might plug myself into my ipod for the short journey

Girls are asleep (I hope)! I'm sitting watching naff tv and planning tomorrow in my head. Dd1 new school has a private firework and bonfire. I'm helping set up but the girls will come with dh later. Have ear defenders ready.
Back to school Monday and feels like this half term has gone too quick

Going to try to go to a fireworks display tomorrow with DD (ASD) and DS (NT) DD likes the colours, but can't cope with the noise of the bangs; we are going to try industrial strength ear defenders for her. Taking two cars, so if she can't cope, I will take her home and leave DH with DS.
Our dog is currently hiding behind the sofa - she doesn't like fireworks either!

In Canada, we are done with Fireworks until Victoria Day next year. Good thing, too, since Bee is not fond of them at all.

DS likes them, I would like to watch them if I could avoid the booming, so usually DH and DS go to the festival at the end of June and get their fix. Bee goes to bed at 7, so as long as she is not woken by them, she is OK. I make a point of having the fan and some music going in her room as white noise to try and overpower the sound of them outside.

As for how I am doing - can't complain... I have found it doesn't get me too far. Instead, I have decided to fix a nice curry for supper and just try to decompress enough tonight to greet tomorrow not feeling like I have been unable to put today to bed yet.

Well I am counting my blessings really. Our move to 'the country' hasn't been an unqualified success (I'm looking at you, idyllic village primary) but we had 15 mins of firework noise tonight and thats been it, full stop. In the city it would have started a fortnight ago and would still be happening now. Hope everyone else is getting some peace and quiet now.

A fortnight ago? Good grief!!

We have neighbours who will set them off randomly between Mid-May and the end of the summer - but only briefly. They seem to have figured out that if anyone complains, they will be long since packed up and put away before any enforcement shows up. Not sure what happened to self restraint in the world

Ds1 is fine with fireworks. He used to hate them, as did ds2, which meant we got away with watching the school display from their bedroom window complete with matching ear defenders and our own music for a couple of years. Unfortunately they both managed to overcome their fears and now like to drag us over there.

Personally I hate fireworks with a vengeance. In fact I used to faint as soon as they let the first one off, every year - without fail.

I've learned to manage my fear over the years and now it's the dog that really can't cope in this house. She's never liked them, but has hearing problems now that mean loud noises are physically painful for her.

We are semi-rural, but had two major displays on Saturday and have the local school ones to contend with this Friday. That's three primary school displays, all on one night within a three mile radius, of which we are at the centre.

Our neighbours have some in their garden every year, despite being in their sixties with no children or grandchildren. They know how much it upsets our dogs, but still set them off ridiculously close to the houses.

We get them regularly on Saturday nights throughout the year though, thanks to a local wedding venue that is across the fields from our house.

Have just got home from the fireworks at the end of our street, dd1 and ds had to leave because the bangs were upsetting ds (and dd1 wanted to make sure he was ok - sweetie pie) so I stayed with dd2, who had suddenly looked up at me with streaming red eyes - the smoke etc had triggered something and the eczema around her eyes has flared up, poor girl.

I also have just had a mind numbing conversation with someone about the dangers of labelling your child as 'special needs', apparently ds would do so much better for not seeing SALT, physio, ot etc - if only I'd known!

Oh, hazeyjane we are all SO misguided... all we need to do is treat them like normal kids and they will be fine.

Pardon me while I go vomit

The DDs love them. DD2 has been hanging out the back window to watch.
I hate them so am firmly in front of the TV.
Actually the DDs are being delightful. Its unnerving.

And i have lots of