Lately Appa and I have been participating more and more in our local special needs community. Specifically, there is a special collaboration recreation district and education district that Little Bug qualifies for. He'll be attending a special full day Kindergarten class this fall run through that district but housed in one our our local elementary schools. And their rec district offers free companions to attend any regular park district activity or class. This allowed Little Bug to have a really positive and age appropriate swim season last Spring and will allow him to continue to enjoy swimming and TKD this fall with his peers. This summer, after summer school ended, he started attending a full day summer camp through their rec district. It's a one-on-one camp that he has LOVED. It has been the perfect segway into a camp experience for him. I'm so grateful for these programs as they open up so many opportunities for my little boy to be included in.
We've also started attending family functions. Last weekend we were invited to attend a fairly large carnival/community event in the morning hours before it was opened to the general public. The sign, as we entered, wished families with special needs a great morning. Appa and I were not sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't a fully running carnival with every ride empty and waiting for us to hop onto, every game complimentary and every participant a stuffed animal prize...or two, or three, or as many as they could "win." Events like this are usually something that end in overstimulated meltdowns for our Little Bug, so to be able to enjoy every part of the experience without the large crowds or waiting in line was priceless. Seriously, a charmed, unbelievable couple of hours.
When asked, Little Bug likes to say that his favorite part was riding the Dumbo ride..."a lot of times." That's an understatement. We rode ride after ride after ride and played games and won prizes. There was a carousel and roller coaster and boat and car and motorcycle and dump truck rides that we didn't have to get off if we didn't want to. We bumped our way through a glass and mirror house without worrying about people trying to push past us. We were surrounded by families who all have lives very different from ours, but who all get us on a level many others can't. Special needs cannot define our family, but it is a big part of who we are, together as a family and how we frame our lives. Little Bug's needs directly impact his little brother, and I was happy that he could also have a little special treatment to make up for all the things we don't do fully. Perks shouldn't just be for the one with special needs.
Appa and I were so overwhelmed by the generosity and perfectly thought out details of the morning. It put into sharp focus how lucky we are to live in an area with the means and commitment to serve families and people of all ages with all sorts of needs. Even before Little Bug joined our family, I feel like we were directed to care about these sorts of possible services. Having them to bless our family now feels like we've made the right choices all along to position our family in the perfect spot.
If only they could do something about those summer storms, life might be even a bit more perfect.
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