School starts soon! In about three and a half weeks, to be exact.
Posts in various forums I am on have started giving me a bit of a panic attack about, of all things, lunch. Frank does not eat bread, or cheese, or cold cuts. He does not even eat peanut butter or jelly. He doesn't eat wraps, or veggies, or cheese and crackers. He doesn't eat string cheese.
Keeping all this in mind...what, exactly, do I pack this kid for lunch???
In daycare/kindergaten, I packed him lunch for most of his time there. When he was four, in pre-K, he wanted to start ordering the same lunches the other kids ate, so we did. I started out cautiously, only ordering him chicken nuggets, which has always been the fallback food for him. I eventually got more daring, so, by the time he was finishing up there, his last month, he ate the school lunch every day. It was great, because first and foremost, he was eating the same things as his peers! Number two, I didn't have to groggily remember on a weekday morning to pack his fish sticks or chicken nuggets. (The teachers would warm them up in the microwave for him. I sent them in an insulated bag, with an ice pack.)
In first grade, in the local elementary school this fall, though, the cafeteria staff won't be warming up his food in a microwave for him. Which brings me back to my question...what in the same of all that is good and holy do I pack this kid for lunch??
If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Sussex County Fair
When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle would take us to the Sussex County Fair every summer. (http://www.newjerseystatefair.org/html/list_events.cfm) I then didn't go for years, but, for the last couple of years, I've taken Frank, and he loves it. He looks forward to it all summer and asks me about once a week if it's time for the fair yet.
The SCF is what most of the country, I think, would call a state fair- there are a lot of livestock on display and horse shows, 4H kids show off the rabbits and chickens they've raised, and people compete for prizes in their crafts, like the quilts we saw. There is, of course, food, most of it horrifically unhealthy- I bought myself a funnel cake covered with cinnamon sugar and enjoyed it thoroughly. But I was only able to finish about half of it- it was simply too big for one person. Typically, I share funnel cake with my husband. I offered a piece that had no sugar on it to Frank. He looked at it like it was a poisonous snake and said in a strained voice, "No, thank you." Oh, well. if nothing else, I've taught the boy manners.
There are also a ton of rides and boardwalk style games. Unlike me, Frank is just not into looking at the cute widdle bunnies or watching someone shear a sheep. He's very quickly bored by such things, and the smell in the livestock area is utterly repulsive to him. (Yes, he is that kids who walks around the livestock sheds with his t-shirt pulled up over his mouth and nose. Oh well.)
No, Frank loves the rides, and the bigger and scarier the better. This is actually new- last year, he was still reasonably content with little kid rides, and I was safe buying him the unlimited ride bracelet and sending him by himself on stuff while I kept my feet planted firmly on terra firma. However, late last summer, you may recall, my little family went to Disney World for the first time. My husband, a complete Crazy Rides Fanatic, took Frank on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and ruined him for all those little kid rides forever. "Oh, Mommy, no. That ride is for little kids. I want to do that!" That inevitably meant something spinning, or a freefall, or something really fast. To give you an idea, the Ferris Wheel, which I love because I don't have a problem with heights, is "boring".
Great. Where is my husband when I need him? Oh, yeah, at work, starting a new job this week. Terrific.
This year, I bought myself an unlimited bracelet, too. The vast majority of the rides, there was no way they were letting a five-year-old go on alone, so, yeah, me and my vertigo had to take one for the team and go on them with him. It was definitely one of those "shut your eyes and think of England" moments.
It is a testament to how much I love my son, and how much I wanted him to have a good time. I get vertigo very easily. I can do a merry-go-round and a Ferris Wheel and some slides, but that is pretty much it. I'm still not sure I have forgiven the people I went to Great Adventure with as a senior in high school who talked me into riding the Runaway Train, my vertigo is that bad.
It's funny, up until fairly recently, I never thought about this as anything but a character flaw. Now that I know a lot more about sensory issues, though, I would definitely categorize me as an avoider when it comes to crazy rides. It is helping me to get a glimpse into the world of the child with SPD. I do not have SPD, by any stretch- my inability to enjoy a good carnival ride is not a disorder in that it doesn't really interfer with my life any, usually, because my husband is usually there to do all this stuff, and I sit and wait and hold everyone's stuff while they ride. But at the fair yesterday, it was definitely a problem, one I had to take a deep breath, think of England, and just soldier forward to overcome. I did it, and my seeker son had a marvelous time, even though I have a sneaking suspiscion he felt a bit sorry for me as I squeezed my eyes shut.
But next year, the kid is either bringing a friend or my husband is coming with us.
The SCF is what most of the country, I think, would call a state fair- there are a lot of livestock on display and horse shows, 4H kids show off the rabbits and chickens they've raised, and people compete for prizes in their crafts, like the quilts we saw. There is, of course, food, most of it horrifically unhealthy- I bought myself a funnel cake covered with cinnamon sugar and enjoyed it thoroughly. But I was only able to finish about half of it- it was simply too big for one person. Typically, I share funnel cake with my husband. I offered a piece that had no sugar on it to Frank. He looked at it like it was a poisonous snake and said in a strained voice, "No, thank you." Oh, well. if nothing else, I've taught the boy manners.
There are also a ton of rides and boardwalk style games. Unlike me, Frank is just not into looking at the cute widdle bunnies or watching someone shear a sheep. He's very quickly bored by such things, and the smell in the livestock area is utterly repulsive to him. (Yes, he is that kids who walks around the livestock sheds with his t-shirt pulled up over his mouth and nose. Oh well.)
No, Frank loves the rides, and the bigger and scarier the better. This is actually new- last year, he was still reasonably content with little kid rides, and I was safe buying him the unlimited ride bracelet and sending him by himself on stuff while I kept my feet planted firmly on terra firma. However, late last summer, you may recall, my little family went to Disney World for the first time. My husband, a complete Crazy Rides Fanatic, took Frank on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and ruined him for all those little kid rides forever. "Oh, Mommy, no. That ride is for little kids. I want to do that!" That inevitably meant something spinning, or a freefall, or something really fast. To give you an idea, the Ferris Wheel, which I love because I don't have a problem with heights, is "boring".
Great. Where is my husband when I need him? Oh, yeah, at work, starting a new job this week. Terrific.
This year, I bought myself an unlimited bracelet, too. The vast majority of the rides, there was no way they were letting a five-year-old go on alone, so, yeah, me and my vertigo had to take one for the team and go on them with him. It was definitely one of those "shut your eyes and think of England" moments.
It is a testament to how much I love my son, and how much I wanted him to have a good time. I get vertigo very easily. I can do a merry-go-round and a Ferris Wheel and some slides, but that is pretty much it. I'm still not sure I have forgiven the people I went to Great Adventure with as a senior in high school who talked me into riding the Runaway Train, my vertigo is that bad.
It's funny, up until fairly recently, I never thought about this as anything but a character flaw. Now that I know a lot more about sensory issues, though, I would definitely categorize me as an avoider when it comes to crazy rides. It is helping me to get a glimpse into the world of the child with SPD. I do not have SPD, by any stretch- my inability to enjoy a good carnival ride is not a disorder in that it doesn't really interfer with my life any, usually, because my husband is usually there to do all this stuff, and I sit and wait and hold everyone's stuff while they ride. But at the fair yesterday, it was definitely a problem, one I had to take a deep breath, think of England, and just soldier forward to overcome. I did it, and my seeker son had a marvelous time, even though I have a sneaking suspiscion he felt a bit sorry for me as I squeezed my eyes shut.
But next year, the kid is either bringing a friend or my husband is coming with us.
Adventure Aquarium
Tuesday, Frank and I drove over two hours south of our house to lovely Camden, NJ (Yes, that was in fact sarcasm.). We went to Adventure Aquarium (http://www.adventureaquarium.com/). The aquarium has been there for years, but, like a lot of good things in this state, I simply just hadn't gotten around to going; the long drive and the fact that it is in Camden, which, I'm sure many are aware, has been voted worst city in America or something like that, both kind of intimidated me.
Well, the fact that I am here blogging about it tells you that we survived the trip. The powers that be, when they re-did the entire Camden waterfront (there is also a battleship there and a minor league ballpark), decided to essentially make a flyover ramp from the neaest highway to the waterfront, so you don't really get into the worst parts of Camden.
We were at the aquarium for over four hours. It's a nice place, with plenty to do, especially for kids. I did not, of course, have time to leisurely read through much that was posted next to various tanks, but we did manage to see everything, including their Shark Tunnel two or three times. The Shark Tunnel is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: It is a tunnel built going through a tank full of sharks, so you have sharks to your right, left, and swimming directly over your head. It was very cool; both Frank and I agreed that was the best thing there. (There were several exhibits where you could touch various sea creatures, too, and I asked Frank, "Really? The Shark Tunnel was better than touching a sting ray?" "Oh, yes, Mommy," he assured me. "Those were great white sharks in there!")
We ate lunch there, too. The cafe had a wide variety of options, health and unhealthy; all, however, were way overpriced. The pizza was rather good, though.
I would recommend this trip, except parents of SPD-ers who get overwhelmed in a lot of noise, stimulation, and crowds should consult the website and plan their trip carefully. The website lists "high volume days", when they have a lot of field trips scheduled. Tuesday was not listed as a high volume day, and it was stll pretty crowded; I think I would even be overhwelmed on a high volume day!!
Well, the fact that I am here blogging about it tells you that we survived the trip. The powers that be, when they re-did the entire Camden waterfront (there is also a battleship there and a minor league ballpark), decided to essentially make a flyover ramp from the neaest highway to the waterfront, so you don't really get into the worst parts of Camden.
We were at the aquarium for over four hours. It's a nice place, with plenty to do, especially for kids. I did not, of course, have time to leisurely read through much that was posted next to various tanks, but we did manage to see everything, including their Shark Tunnel two or three times. The Shark Tunnel is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: It is a tunnel built going through a tank full of sharks, so you have sharks to your right, left, and swimming directly over your head. It was very cool; both Frank and I agreed that was the best thing there. (There were several exhibits where you could touch various sea creatures, too, and I asked Frank, "Really? The Shark Tunnel was better than touching a sting ray?" "Oh, yes, Mommy," he assured me. "Those were great white sharks in there!")
We ate lunch there, too. The cafe had a wide variety of options, health and unhealthy; all, however, were way overpriced. The pizza was rather good, though.
I would recommend this trip, except parents of SPD-ers who get overwhelmed in a lot of noise, stimulation, and crowds should consult the website and plan their trip carefully. The website lists "high volume days", when they have a lot of field trips scheduled. Tuesday was not listed as a high volume day, and it was stll pretty crowded; I think I would even be overhwelmed on a high volume day!!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Land of Make Believe
We live in northern New Jersey, and, despite the fact that I also grew up in northern NJ, I don't think I ever went to the Land of Make Believe (http://lomb.com) as a child. And, despite the fact that it's less than a forty-five minute drive from our current home, where we've lived for four years, we had never taken Frank there before, either. I decided to remedy that today.
I had always assumed that it was a place full of little kid rides and not very big. Well, it is a bit compact, but there's plenty to do, for little and big kids. The fact that it's so compact actually works in the favor of the short legged little ones who walk with their parents! There's also a decent-sized water park with slides and a wading pool, as well as different water-based activities.
Frank LOVED it. We were there for about four hours, and he didn't want to leave! We spent about an hour and forty-five minutes in the water area, which I was very happy about. You see, while at camp, after he had gotten a good start with swimming, he fell into the pool at one point, and had to be fished out by a lifeguard, which scared him, and he had developed a serious fear of the water. His counselors, once I alerted them that was what was bothering him, helped him to become more relaxed in the water.
Today, in the 18-inch-deep wading pool, he and I practiced his kicks- I held him while he lay prone in the water, kicking like crazy. He also had no problem frolicking around in all of the water areas, and even dragged me onto a terrifying-looking water slide! Thank God. I'm not a strong swimmer myself; it took me years to get over fear of even putting my face in the water. Now, though, I am an awesome dog-paddler, but that's pretty much it. I do not want him to grow up with the same fears and inability to swim that I have. He doesn't have to become a competitive swimmer, but I want him to be a better swimmer than I am.
All in all, it was a really nice day. The weather even cooperated, giving us relatively low humidity for a change. He wants to go back, soon. I think I do, too. The rides were just scary enough for him, but not too much so even my wimpy system could handle them. And the water park was actually pretty great.
If you live in the area, and decide to go, I recommend first thing. (They open at 10am.) It really wasn't crowded at all when we first arrived, but by the time we left, the place was PACKED!
I had always assumed that it was a place full of little kid rides and not very big. Well, it is a bit compact, but there's plenty to do, for little and big kids. The fact that it's so compact actually works in the favor of the short legged little ones who walk with their parents! There's also a decent-sized water park with slides and a wading pool, as well as different water-based activities.
Frank LOVED it. We were there for about four hours, and he didn't want to leave! We spent about an hour and forty-five minutes in the water area, which I was very happy about. You see, while at camp, after he had gotten a good start with swimming, he fell into the pool at one point, and had to be fished out by a lifeguard, which scared him, and he had developed a serious fear of the water. His counselors, once I alerted them that was what was bothering him, helped him to become more relaxed in the water.
Today, in the 18-inch-deep wading pool, he and I practiced his kicks- I held him while he lay prone in the water, kicking like crazy. He also had no problem frolicking around in all of the water areas, and even dragged me onto a terrifying-looking water slide! Thank God. I'm not a strong swimmer myself; it took me years to get over fear of even putting my face in the water. Now, though, I am an awesome dog-paddler, but that's pretty much it. I do not want him to grow up with the same fears and inability to swim that I have. He doesn't have to become a competitive swimmer, but I want him to be a better swimmer than I am.
All in all, it was a really nice day. The weather even cooperated, giving us relatively low humidity for a change. He wants to go back, soon. I think I do, too. The rides were just scary enough for him, but not too much so even my wimpy system could handle them. And the water park was actually pretty great.
If you live in the area, and decide to go, I recommend first thing. (They open at 10am.) It really wasn't crowded at all when we first arrived, but by the time we left, the place was PACKED!
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Update
So, rugby ended last week. Overall, Frank liked it, and says he wants to play again next year, but, "I don't like having my flag pulled, Mommy. I want to do TACKLE rugby!" Um, okay, but you have to wait a good six years or so before you can do that, kid.
The situation with the other boy got marginally better. Frank made more of an effort to stay away from him at practice and during matches. However, this kid simply could NOT take a hint! He kept following Frank around. "Frank, look at this...Frank, wanna play? Frank, watch me!" Ugh. He apparently behaved pretty similarly at day camp, too.
Frank is in a different grouping at daycamp for this week and next week, because it's a different session, and this other kid is not in this group.
I'm just relieved we do not live in the same town as this family, so the boys won't see each other in school. They will go to the same regional high school, though. I guess I'll worry about that in nine years...
The situation with the other boy got marginally better. Frank made more of an effort to stay away from him at practice and during matches. However, this kid simply could NOT take a hint! He kept following Frank around. "Frank, look at this...Frank, wanna play? Frank, watch me!" Ugh. He apparently behaved pretty similarly at day camp, too.
Frank is in a different grouping at daycamp for this week and next week, because it's a different session, and this other kid is not in this group.
I'm just relieved we do not live in the same town as this family, so the boys won't see each other in school. They will go to the same regional high school, though. I guess I'll worry about that in nine years...
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Day Camp
Frank started day camp at our local YMCA today. So, if he was the one starting something completely new, why was I the one who slept so poorly last night?
Turns out, I didn't need to worry. There are at least three kids in his group whom he knew from school or rugby. As for the other kids? "I don't remember their names. We just played."
I should have known he'd be fine this morning when I dropped him off. He leaped out of the car and barely waved at me as he ran towards his group.
Of course, swimming starts tomorrow. He's never swam before. Sure, he's frolicked around at the edge of the water at the beach and stuff, and he does love his bath, but he's never been in water more than a foot deep. As I said to his counselor this morning, "He will either turn into a fish and you won't be able to yank him out of there, or he will completely freak out as soon as he touches the water. I honestly have no idea which it will be."
Turns out, I didn't need to worry. There are at least three kids in his group whom he knew from school or rugby. As for the other kids? "I don't remember their names. We just played."
I should have known he'd be fine this morning when I dropped him off. He leaped out of the car and barely waved at me as he ran towards his group.
Of course, swimming starts tomorrow. He's never swam before. Sure, he's frolicked around at the edge of the water at the beach and stuff, and he does love his bath, but he's never been in water more than a foot deep. As I said to his counselor this morning, "He will either turn into a fish and you won't be able to yank him out of there, or he will completely freak out as soon as he touches the water. I honestly have no idea which it will be."
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