Splash!! Zoombezibay Autism Style

10 things about our Zoombezibay (water park attached to our local zoo) trip that were notable today!!

1. Sahara can wait in line without prompting or support !! When did this self control and awareness happen?

2. Self advocacy Rocks.. she verbally asked the life guards the rules and corresponded with many of the lifeguards about how she was feeling and what she was doing.

3. Sahara' gross motor skills improved... as demonstrated by her deliberate moves on the rope course.

4. Okay.... Nuerotypcial kids sometimes push my buttons... where are the manners of children today!?! Cutting lines. Staring. Pushing. Yes, My Mama Bear flared a bit.

5. Can a water park be too wet? Holy splashing and spraying and squirting in the new kids area... which tells us that sensory issues are resolved. TY Young Living!!

6. EPIC -- Sahara went down the big water slides in the double raft with me.... HOLY COW!! I have put this off for 3 years bc of communication barriers and core strength issues. She screamed, "We are going to dieeeee!!" The whole way!! When we got to the end she said, "Emily, that was so cool!!" 

7. When you see a child have a meltdown, staring does not help. Nor does reporting the parent to security.... apparently we need more awareness in our community. Bc someone apparently thinks me standing near my child, talking softly, making sure there is no self injurious behavior or danger near by... is questionable behavior. After I explained to the security gal that she was having an autistic meltdown, she smiled and walked away... but the woman who reported me stood there glaring at me.. really!?!?! Because a screaming and crying child is so novel?

8. Said meltdown was precipitated by a mock drowning in the wave pool.... training lifeguards, which freaked her out... writing them a letter to better make the public with impressionable children and concrete thinking children can be removed from that scene!!

9. Thank God for YL Lavender Essential Oil.... used on Emily's bruises she acquired while chasing Sahara during the meltdown. And again used in the car... to which she stopped screaming within 2 minutes of Emily wafting it to the back seat.

10. Finally, I have the patience of a saint.... taking an autie and an aspie who are over tired to the water park.

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Dear Autistic Friends... My Gratitude, Frustrations and Empowerment

Dear Adult Autistic Friends,

Thank you for debunking myths about being an autistic adult for me. Sahara (my 7 year old daughter) has gone from catatonic to achieving daily milestones... and I feel hearing your stories and befriending you has helped me set the bar high for this amazing child (when professionals said to institutionalize her).

Traditional therapy and educators didn't instill compassion and empathy in her. Nor did it teach her to strive for self actualization... which she WILL achieve some day. I have done that (along with father and sister.) Together we have worked day and night to see that she have the highest quality of life. Daily we meditate and focus on what our goals are... not the fears and struggles. If we got caught up in all of the woes than we would have little progress.

I have found gifts wrapped around this journey... and each of you have helped me achieve this. Yes, I know there are struggles... anyone who has read this blog knows I understand the raw side of autism. But, what I don't understand is how you set limits on what your autistic child will do 20 years from now. How do I know she won't get married? Or have a fulfilling career? Or travel on speaking engagements about her autism journey?

I don't... like I told the psych, "We don't have a crystal ball".

But, ironically... the extreme opposite is that I also get frustrated when outsiders talk about the gifts of autism... cause they do not know that raw emotional pain we go through and how much harder our kids have to work at seemingly simple things. I get offended by their assumption that they know more about this journey than us.

They do not see how hard I have worked to pull this child out of catatonia... when told we couldn't. How my persistence and attachment parenting taught her compassion, emotion and empathy... when told she couldn't. How we had to scrape pennies to get natural remedies... when they told us they wouldn't work.

I have worked hard at giving her the best chance at a life she so chooses... because she deserves that and so much more. And she has worked even harder to meet all of our demands on her young being.

Yes, like I always say, we have come a long way... but we have even longer way to go. But today I am optimistic that she will be a productive citizen and have all the opportunities her NT sister has. I know she will always see life through different colored glasses, but she is exceptional beyond the label and limitations of autism... as are all of you.

Thank You for your compassion, understanding, encouragement and friendship... it has helped empower me as a mother of a young girl on the spectrum.

~ Alterna-Mom

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