Putting the Fun in Dysfunctional by Patty Porch

Last month, on the way home from my nephew’s baptism party, my husband said, in a shocked tone, “That was the best family party we have ever been to. The kids were amazing and had so much fun! I wasn’t even stressed out or worried about the kids getting over stimulated. What just happened?”

Throughout the rest of our 3-hour car drive home, we discussed what had made this particular party so much fun. We also compared it to other parties that were not nearly so pleasant. Parties that ended in tears and meltdowns, parties that we had to leave because one of our kids was just too over stimulated to handle. Parties that I swore would be the last I attended because things had gone so poorly for Danny and/or Charlotte.

We realized this particular party in September had been so successful because we have some family members who are 100% committed to making family gatherings pleasant for my two SPD kids.

Though my family has always been supportive, they haven’t always known how to help. So what changed? As I think back over the last few years, I can come up with a lot of little things that helped open up the communication lines between my family members and me which helped my family—who love my kids unconditionally—gain a better understanding of our sensory issues.

So, I have a few pieces of advice, things I have learned the hard way, things you may find helpful during these challenging holiday times.
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