Michelle, a local RDI mom, wrote about her summer goal of putting a "bubble" around her family time so nothing could replace it. She shared her experience with us and how it helped allow for more time for RDI and also just having fun as a family.
Summer Bubbles
by: Michelle
I
like bubbles. We have several battery-operated contraptions that fill the air
with big bubbles, tiny bubbles, and every size of bubble in between. I love it
when the wind catches those playful, iridescent spheres and sends them, and the
kids, chasing over fences and rooftops. When our consultant asked us to make an
effort to wrap bubbles around our summer plans, whether large or small, and
decide ahead of time what we wanted to ultimately get out of those experiences,
we had no idea the world that would open up to us.
We
thought about what those bubbles would look like and applied the things we knew
about the real thing; they move freely with their environment, while their
protective skin is enough to keep what is on the inside from being upset by
what is on the outside, it is susceptible to subtle change. We also knew that
though we may have an idea of where a bubble might be going, there is always
room to be surprised by where it may take you. The wonderful thing about these
bubbles is they are not rigid forms with limited possibilities. Like the
bubbles the kids chase, they shift, move, and even connect together. Now we
needed to apply this to our summer activities.
Stress.
That is what most summer activities were like for us, no matter how simple or complex.
Whether it was a couple hours of swimming or a week of camping, the planning,
organizing, preparing, packing, driving, feeding, and cleaning always
overwhelmed what was supposed to be fun. We needed a new perspective as we
tried to balance the special needs of two of our children and still meet the
needs of the rest of them, and still have a fun summer.
Once
we decided what we actually wanted to get out of an experience, it was easier
to recognize distractions and give adequate time to accomplish what we wanted
to accomplish. We also needed to involve the children in the planning so we
would have opportunities to expand, change, and see our world from many
viewpoints. We took the time to help them realize that they got to make some of
the decisions. And their list was long. But it wasn’t about making a list; it
was about the excitement of seeing them become part of something. And now we
had a calendar full of bubbles of all sizes anticipating launch hanging on our
kitchen wall.
The
first big test was a hike to a waterfall. We gave this one the whole day and
packed a lunch, plenty of water, and their favorite snacks. We let the kids
float along. The older boys ventured ahead. The rest were looking at rocks and
trying to find the bugs making the funny noises. The three that stayed with us
were tentative at first. Didn’t mom and dad want us to move along and get to
the waterfall? When it became apparent that they had choices along the way,
they happily took them. They climbed big rocks, looked for cactus flowers, and
asked us to take a picture of everything they found. The waterfall was just a
bonus. And then the magic happened. These five bubbly kids began lifting this
way and that and took us on a journey climbing higher up the canyon, finding a
big scary rattlesnake, and making it to the top of the waterfall, something we
never intended and didn’t think our nine-year-old autistic son could or would
ever do. The bubble shifted, sparkled, and gave us new experiences all along
the way.
Summer
is over, but the bubbles aren’t. We just made a fall calendar that is now
hanging anxiously on the kitchen wall. We don’t need a vacation from our
vacation. We had an awesome summer together. Wrapping moments large and small
with a focus on what we really wanted to get out of them has given us a new way
of looking at life with our family.
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