So what do you do besides parent your SN child?

[hereidrawtheline]

I just thought of starting this thread to tell you a little about me besides my ranting & stress on here, and learn a little about you too.

Thought it would be nice to say stuff about my life besides the saga of getting DS help.

So... I have 10 animals. I have 4 degus, 4 rabbits, 2 cats. They are all stupidly well looked after and any info you need about degus or rabbits come my way! I am an avid reader, I read shitloads of history books. Really I read aristocratic women's history books, fiction & non fiction. I have a very strong obsession with many of these women. DH tells me I should replace the word "very" with "fucking" but I think that is a bit too crass in this instance.

I love Star Trek. I have seen every single ST episode except the shitty one with Scott Backula. And I just recently decided that I am going to become an amateur specialist orchid grower. I only have one very interesting orchid right now but I plan on adding to it soon. I do loads of art & crafts with DS and on my own, I even had a series of paintings for sale in an art gallery before xmas but none sold. (poo)

It is a proven fact that on my Dad's side of the family Alexander Selkirk who Robinson Crusoe was based on is my ancestor. I also have ancestors I think I know of but wont mention as I will look like a loon! LOL I love Vienna. And on that note I shall fuck right off as they say here on MN as you are all probably bored to tears.

But please do tell me about yourselves! I really want to know!

Can we make it a rule that no one feels bad about how 'little' they do?

Life is really quite easy with a ds with mild cp and an ace child minder .

My dh is definitely harder to look after

me: what's this in your diary for Saturday. It says Chr. party

Dh: Party?? oh yeah belated Christmas party for those who worked over Christmas

Me: A Party. This Saturday. babysitter? You should have told me

Dh: Emmm, not sure it is happening. Haven't heard anything about it for ages

Me: grrrrr

I am the most disorganised person I know, so never seem to get anything much done. I have two asd kids and I never seem to have any spare time, I have a two year old who has 'issues' and is so clingy that I can not even read a book, without him having a tantrum, it is really wearing. Then 3.30ish the other two are home and that is it, I have an evening of chaos and then I am exhausted for the evening. None of my brood sleeps through the night, so I can't get a head start on the next day either. I used to love reading historic books, the nearest I get to reading now is surfing the net. Dh just bought me a new laptop, because he know I would prefer it to a handbag , but really it is so sleek, it is an absolutely gorgeous macbook.
I am also learnig to drive, which is tricky because my driving instructor keeps trying to have conversations with me, which puts me on edge. I have a thing about phone numbers, and dates, I try not to get distracted by number plates when on driving lessons!. I scored 46 on the autism test, so I guess that is just who I am.
Wow, you lot are busy though!
Oh, I have a cat too, and she is pregnant. As am I!

As for accents, I just automatically take on the accent of the person I am talking to, people think I am making fun of them, but I just can't help it!

Deeeja congrats!!! That goes for you and your cat! When are you (both) due?

madmouse - I agree with that rule!!

Your example of your convo with your DH made me laugh. Mine was up last night writing my schedule of meds on the calendar and while he was doing it he was falling asleep and ended up writing nonsense... I looked this morning and on the 23rd he has written "crowded police" and has no memory of it, nor does he know what it means!

Tclanger your blog is fantastic, I have bookmarked it to keep up on it. I can see why you dont get a lot of other stuff done though it is really great! The teletubbies thing made me so sad for him. But he sounds like such a great child. You are rightly very proud.

You all sound lovely. It is difficult to find time for actual hobbies when you have dc's, I'd love to do some creative courses and learn new skills but it will just have to wait a few years.

deeja I do the accent thing too. It's infectious! I have some friends who live in Birmingham and I'm terrible when I come back from a visit, it always takes a few days to wear off.

And I'm vegetarian as well, have been since I was 7. Never lapsed, eating meat just isn't for me, I think I'm a bit squeamish about it tbh.

kettle I am not a preachy veggie at all but I have actually had nightmares where I ate meat & felt so sick the next day! I just really cant enjoy it at all. DH & DS are veggie too. Do you enjoy gardening? I just ask because I was thinking of stuff you could teach yourself without needing to do courses. Gosh I sound so domesticated!

I'm loling at some of you posting that you don't have any hobbies. Mine was reading number plates and giving my guinea pig a new hairdo

I have been a SAHM since moving to the UK from South Africa in 2000. My DH works in the oil industry in Aberdeen and occasionally goes offshore, but from the end of the month will be doing it on a regular basis. My life will then be very busy.

I am 27, DD whos 8 and 1/2 has SN and have two boys both NT, 2 and 1/2 and 9 months.

I used to work in a restaurant, but then fell pregnant at 18 and got married. I have done afew courses but would like to work to towards getting a degree.

I enjoy the gym, shopping, internet, FB, lunch with friends and looking after our kids.

You all do so much (groan). I can't think of ANYTHING I do except cater endlessly, tidy endlessly, and try and round up stray children for school run etc. Sigh.
Oh - and spend too much time on the computer.
In my ideal life, I'd get back to reading, learn more about politics, live a proper ethical life, cook more interesting food and maybe drink a little less wine...

mm22bys - good luck for your move. I saw the thread and decided not to get involved. I am in NZ and its almost impossible to be critical about being here (or in Oz) I think as everyone terribly defensive. Let me know if you need to offload!

OOh - nice thread. I love cooking, gardening, researching family history, looking after our 7 guinea pigs, reading modern fiction, trying to find a camper van we can afford... I am really trying to exercise more - walking and Pilates. It's a bit easier now that DS2 is doing 3 days full time school but I'm still running his home programme (and teaching it now too) so time gets eaten up by that.

well we have a lot of animal lovers here! and sphil I am happy to see you have 7 guineas I feel less freakish for having 10 animals!!

5inthebed I love thinking of you being a guinea beautician, really, dont underrate it! It gets a lot of cool points!! Though as I said I dont get the number plate thing but god knows I have hobbies of my own which I am sure bore other people to tears!!

Me, DH, DS and DS's honourary Grandad went to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea in our local(ish) theatre today! It was FAB!!! So much fun, dancing and singing, and very very very noisy child friendly. DS was in rapture. I was worried he would be overwhelmed or scared but he wasnt. He was fine and cheering and clapping!!! And when the tiger said goodbye and left the stage DS was shouting (loud enough to be heard over everyone else) "thank you!!! thank you!!!" it was sooooooo sweet and I was sooooo proud!! The tiger even stopped and I fancy looked for the little one shouting thank you and waved again!

Well, in between trying to handle my own disabilities, and those of dh, and those of son, and son's schoolwork help and sporting endeavours, and running the business with all that entails, and being a school Governor, and being a particular variety of adviser on autism, and being part of the international faith and autism group, I do a bit of art, some piano, some gardening, and more statistics and computer work than is truly good for me. And walk the dogs, help with the horse as much as the arthritis lets me, walk as much as the arthritis lets me, see friends and spend a fair number of teabreaks on mumsnet

All of you SAHMs, I have been feeling very bad about working full-time. My excuse so far is that 1) the money will be useful if he needs a special school; 2) I love my job, so as a consequence I'm happier and more relaxed when I'm with him.
Do you think it's possible to work full-time, in a job that requires you to do some evenings and some travel, and still be a good mother to a SN child?

LOL amber so I see your leisure time is about as scarce as the rest of us! Although you are certainly involved in more organizations than I am, now that DS is getting into school I can see that increasing!

sc13 sorry I really couldnt answer that question for you. I know that is probably frustrating to hear but at the end of the day my opinions are just that, mine, and just opinions. How do you feel about it?

Hereidrawtheline: sure, that is the spirit of the thing, isn't it. I feel very relaxed about listening to other people's opinions on MN; I'd probably be more argumentative and more frustrated in RL

sc13, I think the answer is a definite YES!

See what I mean

sometimes I pop into work I do 16 hrs but haven't managed that for weeks due to various illnesses (mostly dd) I do web stuff

I love music. I used to dj and promote alternative-y club nights- not proper mixing like, more one song jarring with another. Now I make superdoopa playlists in the hope that one day they might be played out

I love arthouse cinema

I'm a member of a gym. Barely go tho

Last week I went on 3 nights out on the trot. Dancing in the wee hours. Woohoo! Twas like havinga year in one weekend

I answered as I did because you said you felt very bad about it. You know your family & limits better than I do so I bow to your expertise! But surely if you feel you are happier working than you would be otherwise that can only be a good thing! How old is your DC and what are his SN?

SC13 I did work until I was made redundant last August.As I was pregnant at the time with ds3, me and dh made the unanimous decision of me staying at home and looking after the kids.
I enjoyed working, and would probably have looked for a job had I not been pregnant.
I think working or not working, you are doing the best for your SN child, and don't let anybody else tell you different.

Ah, this is the thread! HIDTL, I confirm here that I do not pluck pheasants!

I do like cake though, and have discovered my 'hidden inner domestic goddess' recently on the muffins front! Joy!