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!

I nearly said something awful to lower the tone just then in relation to pleasantly plucking pheasants but I drew the line

mmm cake!

oohh!!! DS makes his own cake!!!!! Its a brilliant recipe, so simple, he takes such pride in it and seriously it takes divine!!!! Tell me if you want it for your kids!! It is such a good party trick because everyone loves it and you can boast your children did it!

everytime I see this thread title, I try to think of something interesting to put.....
no still can't

OK....so drumroll for the special cake recipe...... [bated breath emoticon!]

2Shoes that made me laugh!

Actually, something else I am supposed to do is cook for 2 friends coming over tonight, so I had better go...... Back later.

2shoes come on!!! I dont believe a witty intelligent person hasnt got loads going on! Sometimes all I have going on is 10 mins reading before I pass out or 10 mins daydreaming before I pass out (!) but its still me!!!

ok so really this is the best recipe for children to do!! Its called a dump cake in America but not sure if its the same here.

Get a pan you can bake in, we use a pyrex dish. It needs to be roughly 9"x13" but really just thereabouts and several inches deep. Get a 20 ounce can of pineapple, open it for your DC, they dump it straight in the pan & spread around with their fingers or spoon depending on the neurosis of the day! Then you add a 16 oz can of cherry pie filling, just mix it straight in with the pineapple. Then you get DC to empty 2 of the bog standard sponge cake mix bags on top, spread around but not mix in. We just get the bags from tesco for 30p or something. Anyway spread the sponge mixture around on top of the fruit but dont stir it in. Then on top of that you put 150 grams sliced butter. I just slice the butter up before hand and put it on a plate for DS and he picks it up and chucks it on top of the cake mixture. When DC isnt looking make sure butter is relatively evenly spread. Then put in oven, um... trying to remember temp... it must be about 200C - I seem to remember its 350F. Check on it after 30 mins but it could cook up to 45. You want it nice golden brown & it looks like a crumble.

It is YUMMY!!

Well, I just make a career out of being a busybody really.
I walk the effing great huge dog that ds insisted we have.
I am a school governor.
I help at a pensioners lunch club when the organiser can catch up with me.
I run our SN school parents support group average attendance 3!).
I organise all extended family (with their permission) and arrange all family social events.
I have taught myself SAGE Line 50 book-keeping and do all the paperwork/VAT/payroll for DH's business.
I help out at the business when necessary (fitted windows into a van earlier today).
I read, read, read.
I try to write, write, write.
I fall asleep in front of the telly at 10.17pm every night, wake at 1.00am and go to bed.

And I am not going to bake that dump cake. I don't like the name. (Sorry)

its your loss springlamb, truly a scrummy cake!

Have you got any alternatives with almonds in? Got a thing about them at the moment. And a nicer name 'Truly Scrumptious Not Moist but Not Dry Almond Surprise Cake'.

I'm a legal advisor on intellectual property working between 10 and 30 hours a week.

SC13, you ask a very important question. I think the answer depends on the quality of the nursery education you can secure and whether you can get 1-to-1 support. I appreciate this is a difficult issue and hasten to add that I returned to work full time after having DS1. I know that moondog, one of our resident salts, works full time and still does an hour's work a day with her language-impaired child, so that may be the model you're looking at.

I also struggled for hobbies until recently -you end up reciting things that were hobbies ten years ago or things that are completely unrealistic, like skiing. But have rediscovered classical music and am off to rehearse Brahms piano quintet (nasty key signatures) any moment now.... getting a real interest of my own back has been terrific, even though I'm not that good at the violin.

reflexology massage from your local carers association can be relaxing and economical i go th an autism mums group that makes me feel less isolated and to contact a family outings and parties with my special needs child!!!
the gym!!!!!!!!!!!

hmm no nothing with almonds. I do love battenburg cake!

lingle I am so impressed you can play violin!! That is amazing!!

I have to say, all of you seem much more worthy than me!

I am a hedonist (at least in my 'spare' time!!!). So,

S, S, S, S, S
sauna, steam, swim, shower, sauna

Retail therapy

Catching up with friends

Reading

Relaxing

Eating out

Retail therapy (even more)

See, retail therapy has always passed me by. I WANT to do it.
Did you take a course in it? I'd like to enrol.
As it is, I just think 'knickers got holes, need new knickers, look there's the white ones, buy them'.
I do need to be more daring. Both in my cake choices and my retail.
I forgot to say I am also working my way through the BBC's Skillswise worksheets in maths because I'm so useless I can't help the dc with their homework. I'm up to learning to add by this 'splitting' method. It's weird.

sc - I see the main issue to working in your situation as being arranging appropriate out of school/holiday care suitable for a child with SN (e.g. finding a childminder sympathetic to receptive language problems). I say "in your situation" as a child with language problems is unlikely to have lots of hospital trips etc.

'Did you take a course in it?'

No! It's an innate talent!

I should clarify that by retail therapy, I mean clothes/fashion!

Blimey!! You are all so clever, you lkl read loads.... anyway me..

I work part time in criminal history looking at the risk of re offending.
I only ever read newspapers & mags, unless someone gives me something really funny to read. Occaisonaly the odd SN book.

I love eating, & wine & G&T with friends & family.
I also love the sauna & pampering although don't get the chance as much as I would like.
Live ina lovely part of the country so do like to get on teh beach or into the woods with the kids. Although a walk always seems to end up with a stop at the pub.

I have a dh & 2 ds's age 6(sn) & 9(nt).
No pets.. don't so animals.. but love people.. love talking & laughing.

sorry about all the typo's!!

i am a new parent support person for our Down syndrome association

I am on the parent committee at school

I am research my family and dh's family history

I cross stitch

I garden

I diy

i sleep used to be excellent at it now not so good, cant seem to do it in the early hours I then become very good at worrying, Must keep on practising - sleep that is not worrying. Staying awake now so ds1's bread can cool down and be put away (forgot to bake it earlier)

Oh dear! I have only lots of used to do,s! I could tell you what I did 'BC' but that is probably cheating!! Now all i do is run - and I don't mean as a hobby - I run for the train, (or I would be late for work/collecting ds) and I run from train to car and after ds once I collect him! I read books on behaviour/asd/adhd and very occasionally a novel. I would love to join a choir or orchestra ( I have a very neglected violin high on a shelf out of harms way and a broken mandolin ds got to) but as dh is away alot am primary baby sitter each night. I only work part time - in a hospital.
As for the used to dos - well I have lived overseas (including Brisy - is that where you are going M22bs?), sing, play, rockclimb, walk, travel, read, research ... hmm now I am a scatterbrained mum, ever behind with the chores!

Well im jenny and i only have one son but he is super demanding on time and energy so i sadly dont do a great deal! I love my exotic pets (snakes, tarantulas, lizards, turtles), i love writing letters and have a few penpals, i would love to study more and do something to compliment what i did at uni but as my fiance works i would have to pay all the fees and we cant afford it at the moment as were saving to get married august 2010.

I knit. Obsessively!

Hi
My name is Arabica and I really, really love coffee. Especially coffee in cafes with friends whilst our DCs are being lovingly cared for elsewhere...
I am sometimes a health journalist (women's mags)but am very out of the loop and don't earn enough, because I don't suggest enough ideas, because I hate women's magazines! I also write for a journal for health professionals who work in a joined-up way. And am a parent consultant at the child development centre.
I'm training to run 5km at the Race for Life in Regent's Park but I secretly want to run the London Marathon!
I used to do law for a living, but that was in another life. I also used to be in a cabaret act with 2 gay guys, but that was when I was in another size (part of the marathon dream involves fitting into a 10 again...)
I also love crime fiction but for me it's gotta be contemporary and have a female kick-ass detective, eg Sara Paretsky.

I'm a teacher and also do some work representing parents of SN kids on various local committees etc. I sometimes write articles for teaching publications and used to be a GCSE examiner before I lost the energy!

I read LOADS - lots of crime stuff and then things like Emily Barr, Dennis Lehane, Jodi Picoult, Richard North Patterson. The only place I read without guilt that I'm not doing something else is in the bath though!

I like some TV programmes - Lost, Eastenders, 24 and Waterloo Road.

I've been a SAHM since having DS1 in 2005, we also have DS2 who is 20 months old. DS2 is a complete whirlwind on legs and sets me treasure hunts through the course of the day (hiding my keys, my purse, my bank cards etc). I do work very part-time for DP and his dad's company but its only very basic admin. My long-term plan is to train in nursing but can't see that happening for a fair few years yet.

I drink too much coffee, eat too much chocolate and stay up too late! I really like CSI/Law & Order/Criminal Intent type programmes and think I will go and watch a dvd of one now!