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SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Original poster

DS2 and camping

13 replies

sphil · 04/05/2009 22:54

Good news: DS2 was really trying so hard to play with the other children on the camp site this weekend. He kept running up to them and standing there laughing and smiling. He even gave a ball back to a boy who asked for it. I probably should have intervened a bit to help him join in more effectively - the other kids were obviously a bit nonplussed because he wouldn't reply to them - but I just thought I'd abandon the helicopter parent bit for once and watch from the sidelines. And there was a Dad playing who (I think) sussed out that DS2 had SN and was giving him the ball and encouraging him to kick it, and holding off the other kids to give DS time - so thank you, Dad, whoever you were!

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 22:58

aww, wow sphil that sounds amazing

Original poster

sphil · 04/05/2009 23:18

It was lovely - not so great when he lobbed a poo out of his pants onto the grass though. You've never seen me move so fast - and by some amazing sleight of hand I don't THINK anyone noticed

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 23:24

ha ha ha, thank you, I am laughing at that as I go to bed. What on earth did you do with it once you'd captured it???

I turned round at a friend's house yesterday wondering why ds1 was saying biscuit ('ee ee') and found he was actually saying 'wee wee', trousers round ankles and was starting to wee in the middle of the garden. He really is getting too old for that (10 next week!)

Original poster

sphil · 04/05/2009 23:28

I put it our Porta Potti of course! I am a bone fide camper now you know .

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 23:30

Well sometime in the summer we will have to meet up somewhere between us, you in your campervan, us in our bell tent. DS1 will be in the van with you though

saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 23:31

Do you think we'll clear the campsite?

Original poster

sphil · 04/05/2009 23:33

Well there were three of us crammed in the bed last night - princess and the peaDS1 threw a wobbly about being in the roof bed (" My bones go through to the wooo-oood!"). So one more won't make much difference!

Do you know any good camp sites around Bigbury?

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 23:34

I can't even think of any campsites round Bigbury, but will have a think.....

Original poster

sphil · 04/05/2009 23:35

Oh why can't I do that crossing out thing?

princess and the pea DS1

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Original poster

sphil · 04/05/2009 23:35

Aha!

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saintlydamemrsturnip · 04/05/2009 23:36

[applauds]

TinySocks · 05/05/2009 06:22

awww, that sounds like great fun sphil. And what a nice dad.
DS1 is desperate to join in with other children but just doesn't know how, it breaks my heart. The other day I went to pick him up from nursery, another little boy started telling us about his visit to the hair dressers, and then out of the blue this little boy asks me "why doesn't DS1 answer?" I didn't know what to say.

We are going camping for the first time this year and I must admit I am a little wobbly. DS1 is very high maintenance.

Original poster

sphil · 05/05/2009 10:38

What sort of site are you going to? We've done two so far this year - the first was very basic, just us and three other campers. It was completely safe for DS2 because there were no cars and the road was a long way away. The disadvantage was that there were no other children to play with. The one we've just been to was a site with all facilities and was packed - so we had to watch DS2 all the time, because of cars and his tendency to visit other people's tents! As I've said, it had the huge benefit of other children. But it was far less relaxing for Dh and I - I don't think we sat down together once all weekend (well we did for about two minutes and then the poo incident happened .)

If children ask why DS2 doesn't talk to them now I say 'He finds it hard to talk, but he understands you if you talk slowly'. As I've said before, I've stoppd saying he's autistic unless I really have to - it makes people back off from him (not in a horrible way, but because they think autistic people want to be left alone - I think!) Some kids seem to understand 'special needs' too - I once had a whole family of children questioning me about DS2 and when I said this they all chorused 'Oh, special needs - yeah, we've all got them. We have to go to a special room for reading'

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