I am always amazed having conversations with parents about their children and sports. Typical conversations include what team their child plays on (a club team, Nordic, Far Post, Mini-metro, AAU, etc.), how many hours they practice a week, how many games they won, and even whether or not their child can play in Vermont because the teams are not good enough. Don’t get me wrong, I love sports! I played them growing up, love to watch them, and enjoy talking about them. But my perspective on sports has changes as a result of my two daughters. My oldest daughter, Kelcie, was exposed to team sports from a young age, but as she matured it became clear that she generally does not like team sports. She has no interest in participating in or even watching team sports. I’ll admit I was a little distraught about this at first, but over the last 4 years I have her watched her blossom into an incredible athlete competing in taekwondo. She … [Read more...]
The joys of growing up in Vermont
One of Kayla’s favorite things about the weekend is that she gets homemade breakfast, which usually consists of pancakes, eggs, french toast, or crepes. In Kayla’s ideal world she would get bacon and sausage every Saturday and Sunday, but that is never on our menu. When Kayla’s grandfather invited her to “Vermont’s Breakfast on the Farm” this past weekend, she eagerly accepted the offer, saying “I am sure they will have pancakes and bacon!” My father presented this event as just having breakfast at the Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport. Now I was aware of Blue Spruce Farm because growing up, my father always spoke highly of the Audette family and their farm. In Kayla’s mind we are headed to a farm, having breakfast, and then hanging with the calves. That’s what I am thinking too! On the way down to Bridport, I ask my father why Blue Spruce Farm is having breakfast. He informs me ambiguously that it is for the community. When I … [Read more...]
Flyease to independence!
Video of independence We all want our children to grow up and be independent. As our children go from newborns through early development, we cherish the milestones they achieve. Whether it is learning to feed themselves, starting to talk, walk, mastering toileting, or dressing themselves, parents are excited when their children gain a new skill. Fast forward almost 9 years, and we are still waiting for some of those skills to be mastered. Although it is exciting when your child learns to ride their bike, masters crossing the monkey bars independently, and picks up skating or skiing quickly, it is also important to learn the basic skills of being independent: taking a bath, brushing teeth, toileting, and getting dressed. This week I am proud to say we have mastered getting completely dressed independently. Kayla has been able to get her clothes on independently for the last two years. Granted her clothes do not entail buttons, … [Read more...]
Another vacation in the books
Okay, so we were gone 13 days and had only 2-3 meltdowns and only 2 falls! That is a major accomplishment. The first six days included travel and the lovely theme park adventure! We spent two days at Universal Studio. The only bump was the first day when we had to upgrade Kayla’s ticket for the meal plan and get her a disability pass. The meal plan is well worth the money! She was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people and the overall transitions, but once we got in the park...we had a great two days. Kayla went on lots of rides and met a lot of characters, which was fun. My strategy about any theme park or museum we visit is that Kayla leads the way. If she wants to go on the same ride over and over...so be it. If she wants to play in the waterpark at Universal for most of the day, that is what we do. And if she would rather just go back to the hotel and swim, we go. After going to Universal for two consecutive … [Read more...]
Donkey Days
Summer time usually means swimming, camping, biking, and summer camps. With so many summer camp options to choose from, where would one begin? Activities, age range, and cost are just some of the factors, but the biggest challenge: will they take a child with special needs? I will be honest, there are not many camps in our area that are specifically targeted for children with special needs. In fact, you can probably count on one hand the number of camps in Chittenden County that give children with special needs an opportunity to participate in a summer camp. I went outside the box and started looking at summer camps that every other child her age could attend. Through the years, I have been fortunate to find MANY camps and programs that are very accommodating to not only Kayla, but many children with various challenges. This year we hit the jackpot and found a camp that was like no other; Donkey Days at One Mitten Farm in … [Read more...]