Raising Special Kids Picnic

Back in March, we were invited to an outstanding event.  I say it was outstanding for several reasons, but the top among which was because the hosts somehow managed to make us (along with hundreds of other families) feel special.  I don’t mean “special” in the PC way that it’s used today, but really good and welcome and valuable.  I rarely blog anymore about what it’s like to be a parent of a child with special needs.  Maybe I should, because I know that I constantly think about this issue – just about every waking moment of my day.  But the fact of the matter is, it’s an entirely different game than being a parent of typically developing children.  I know, because I have a couple of those too.  And at the risk of sounding a bit snarky, it isn’t all that difficult to imagine what a play date at the park might be like if all of my kids could run off and climb the playground and chatter with their friends… how different that would feel for me (not to mention, her) mentally, emotionally, and physically.  But this supersized play date at the park was different from all the others.  This one was full of other children like Ari (and I’m told, like Bella too – but we didn’t get to meet them).  It was full of other families just like ours, with parents just like us.  In other words, we felt like we were in a different society, in which our family was regular, we didn’t need to have any special accommodations, or to have to try to keep up or fit in with the others.

Now, I consider my family to be pretty adventurous and spontaneous and generally fun-loving, especially considering our circumstances. We don’t like to let physical limitations or anything else get in the way of us having a good time. In fact, I can’t remember a time when we declined an invitation, limited our social interactions, or restricted ourselves from doing something fun and exciting because of the things we have going on. That said, it was still a breath of fresh air to be around people who “got it” and to see just about everyone else moving at the same pace we were.  It was nice even just to know that I wasn’t the only one who felt this way – I heard this very same sentiment echoed all day as we passed the other families.

The next biggest reason the event was such a hit was because we felt celebrated!  Raising Special Kids and the other sponsors and volunteers were so amazingly generous that we could hardly believe it.  There were bounce houses and bouncy slides, carnival games and prizes, pony rides, carousel rides, and train rides.  Everyone got lunch and drinks and ice cream, and all my kids had the faces painted and were inked with temporary tattoos.  Everything was free and basically unlimited.  Every one of the volunteers were so wonderful and friendly and seemed so happy to be there – we just felt at home.

   

Ari loved this little pup, although she was very timid about petting him.

Both of my girls wanted butterflies painted on them.  Ari only goes for hand painting, but of course, Bella had to have her entire face done.

I swear, I don’t know where she learns to pose like she does… or dance or sing like she does either.  But she sure is fun to watch.

 

Gabe took this photo.  Budding photographer, perhaps?

It’s like a dream come true for my kids every time they get to ride a pony.  This time was especially gratifying since they’ve been watching Ari go riding every week at Hoofbeats with Heart for therapy. 

   

Such Daddy’s girls that I have.

     

Thank you, Raising Special Kids!