Party

[jenk1]

Took DS and DD to a party organised by the lady who runs the disability register of children in our area.

It was great
There was an entertainer who did magic,balloon modelling,dancing etc.
It was full of kids with different SN.
DS and DD loved it, DS even volunteered to be a helper for the magician at the front

Last time there was one,last october we couldnt get DS to go, he was very depressed and not going out much and last night brought home to us how much he is recovering from his depression.
DD spent most of the time going round the room pulling her dress up and exposing her nappy!!!!!.

What struck me was that most of the kids were SN and some were not, but that they all accepted each other, no one was smirking/pointing at DD, (it was sooo obvious last night that she has ASD) and they were all kind to one another and even the boys were letting DD sit next to them and were not getting miffed cos she was staring them in the fact or touching them.
It was just really nice.
I spent most of the evening tearfully (but happily) watching my two have a really good time.

that should say she was staring them in the face!!! not fact!!!

So pleased that your DC had a nice time, you always feel it is a step in the right direction.

Hi jenk1

Its great to hear you and your children had a great party experience. Parties so far (probably more for me than my ds1) have been a bit of a nightmare. Its the whole social thing. Ds1 has been to three parties since he started a split placement (2 days at ms and 3 at sn). The parties have all been with his 'ms' friends. You know the remit, bouncy castle, magician, etc... My ds1 sort of enjoys them but is more than happy to go, and for me it just highlights how different our worlds are. The whole time is spent trying to encourage ds1 to join in with me having to do all the activities just to get him to (good fun yes, but a bit embarrasing after a while, expecially when you have to waddle round the room like a penguine and limbo under a stick!). And you can't help feeling like you are stood there and all the other parents are sitting nicely round the room sipping their tea staring at you feeling sorry for you 'having to do all this extra work with your child' when they are just leaving their kids to it. Probably all in my head I know, but can't help feeling like a gold fish in amongst a load of sharks when we go to a 'ms' party. However, we have been to one 'sn' party and it was great. DS1 could really relax and have fun (me aswell!!!). A friend said that at least he gets invited to parties in the first place, which is very true, I would only feel worse if he wasn't. Anyway, its great you could see your kids having a good time. Its what its all about isnt it?

i know exactly where you are coming from magsi, the amount of times that DS has been to a party and stood out from the rest is unreal.
I dont really take them to parties anymore because they both get stressed out, but the one last night was great.

Ours is run by the disability awareness register in conjunction with our council, do you know if your council does anything like this, might be worth asking.

Cant wait for the next one, DS has been on a high all day and he,s particularly chuffed because last week he started making balloon animals himself and the entertainer gave him some tips last night and thats boosted his self confidence no end.

Ahhhhh thats great . Something to remember to make you smile when times are hard I think?. The next party invite ds1 gets, I am definitely getting dh to come along aswell. I tryed dragging him along last time, but I think I had more chance of winning the lottery!! I think he just thinks its a load of women sipping tea (mind you, he's not far off). There were a few dads there though. What is it about group gatherings that involve mothers and children that repel men!! especially something quite hard to manage on your own like a party when you have a sn kid. Don't get me wrong, he is great normally, but when it comes to parties its like they have some god given right to refuse just because they are male!!! (sorry, hormones I think).

That's so lovely Jenk