February 2021
It is hard enough in a neurotypical world to reset after a hard week, it is near impossible when living in an autistic world. Our autistic children hold on to everything. Samantha still talks about a child who ‘wronged’ her in nursery eight years ago, so trying to get over a week that made our lives implode was never going to be easy. We have had an increase in meltdowns, the adults have a huge amount of bruises, bitemarks and emotional battle scars we may never get over, We have had talk of suicide and self harm again. Toys have been broken, tears have been shed and we really didn’t know how to turn it all around when so much of our lives are still in limbo as we await the next round of tests for both Fidget and myself. There really was only one way to reset this, you know since a Disney holiday is not an option,
A full on sensory day.
I raided my stash, Lela calls this ‘shopping your stash’, I pulled out all the things that gross me out that I know the kids will love. So we have slime, gelli, a couple of paddling pools that I got in the sale at The Works (you know the ones that are so small not even a newborn will fit in), some dig out a gem thingies, Lela’s pompom makers (as mine are scattered across the house) and then I let the kids raid my coveted yarn cupboard and some random horrendously flavoured mix for drinks that claims to be bubblegum (I know I’m sure it is a really, really bad idea).
We had tried to calm their mental state with puzzles and activities, we had tried to calm their physical needs with outside activities, we tried to relax them with reading, tv and gaming none of this worked, so now in the words of our wise and fearless Rafiki “It is time”. It is time to tap into that primeval sensory side and let our sensory little seeking monsters play with gloop to their little hearts content and just worry about the mess later or never. Never seems like a good option now too.
