I have always said that community is key to helping families who have a child with special needs. When families feel supported by their community, whether that is accessibility in a grocery store, accessible programs or activities, or being part of team through a school, a sense of community helps the family feel like they belong. But as Kayla gets older I am realizing that she wants to feel a different kind of connection: a connection with peers.
Many special needs parents talk about their child not having many friends in school. Many special needs children have impaired social skills that can make friendships challenging. Their ability to connect with peers could be impeded by their inability to communicate, their physical limitations, or in some cases their plain “quirkiness”. Whatever the reason, many of them don’t develop that special bond with another peer.
I throw Kayla in as many adaptive programs as possible. Whether she attends Special Olympics, STAR basketball, TopSoccer, EDD, or the “adaptive” mini-milers program she is beginning to make connections with other peers and she feels like she belongs. Granted, there are some programs Kayla can attend that are mainstreamed, but she now asks “will there be any other special needs kids there”. And I honestly think she asks that because she feels a connection with kids that are different like her. This was especially apparent after she attended a camp this past week.
Kayla attended Partners In Adventure. PIA is a program for special needs children and adults. They offer year round program and an incredible summer camp opportunity for people with various disabilities. The campers are exposed to various community activities including horseback riding, sailing, biking, hip hop dance, cooking, a ropes course etc. Whether they have mobility issues, difficulty communicating, or other difficulties they all participate in the activities being offered.
Kayla loves most of the camps she attends but I have never seen her so excited to go to a camp as she was for PIA. She developed an amazing relationship with the counselors and a strong connection with some of the other campers. It was the first time she would come home and talk about her friends and what they did during the day. It was as if she felt so comfortable in her surroundings that she was able to make these amazing connections with her peers. For me, it was pure magic to see her smile every morning, excited to go to camp and to see the bigger smile when she went into the camp and greeted her friends. She is already talking about the winter program and re-connecting with her friends.
Thank you Partners in Adventure for an amazing program!