I can’t believe that it’s fair time here already and that tomorrow, “September will be all done!” as Casey says. I’ll admit it – I am usually excited about taking them to the fair, but this morning, I just wasn’t into it. They were excited – I was dragging and grumpy.
It’s a beautiful day here. Amazing blue sky and perfect temperature to wander around the fairgrounds. When we left home, they were both wearing jackets, but I told Rob he better not wear one (I didn’t want to carry it all day!). As soon as he saw Casey had hers, he had to have his, too. When we parked, I tried to convince him to leave it in the car, but nope – Casey still had hers on, so he had to be like big sis. We walked across the parking lot and I told him to take it off if he got too hot. And he did. So back to the car we went to drop it off. And I got grumpier.
I also knew that the two rides that Rob loves more than anything weren’t at the fair this year and I had been worried all night how he would react when the big boat and the other platform swing wasn’t there. Those rides calm him down so much – I just knew he would be anxious when he didn’t see them.
And, of course, he proved me wrong again. He never even asked for them. They both carefully looked at their choices of rides (these are big decisions, you know!) and started taking turns choosing what to ride next. When Casey chose the Super Loop, i knew he wouldn’t ride it – he absolutely hates any ride that goes upside down. She got in line – and he followed. I pointed at the ride and asked if he wanted to ride. “Yes, pease.” So… I backed away, knowing this was a bad idea.
They were the only two on it. I couldn’t watch as it began it’s slow circle up and back – until they were upside down and it continually went in the circle. Ugh! I snapped a picture, then couldn’t watch anymore. I wasn’t sure if Rob would gt sick on the ride or after. Or if he would be too scared to climb off of it.
You guessed it. He loved the darn thing – couldn’t wait to get back on it again. I’m not sure how many times they rode it. I thought maybe he would follow Casey onto every ride, but nope – the Drop Zone was a definite NO. (It pulls riders up about 20 feet and drops them) He didn’t even say his usual “yes, pease, no fanks.” It was just NO. So she rode it a few times on her own and they went on having fun together.
We did have one rough time. They needed to go to the bathroom and instead of going to the one where the entrances of the men’s and women’s are together (and it’s small – I would know if anyone was in there with him), they ran the other way and he darted into the huge men’s bathroom before I could stop him – and she started going to the women’s entrance – at the other side of this 30′ building. I panicked – how was I going to be in two places at once? So I as I was running back to the men’s entrance, I was pulling out my phone to call Mandy (she was working in a close building) so she could come and wait for Casey while I got Rob.
Somehow, he managed to get in and out in of the bathroom in the few seconds it took me to get Casey to the other bathroom. He was standing on the sidewalk, looking more than a little lost. I’m always where he can easily see me when they come out of the bathroom or off the rides. It must have scared him a little because as soon as he saw me, he leaned his forehead to mine. I felt so bad! More rides cheered him up, though.
The more the ride spun, the happier they were. Big circles, little circles, up and down circles, bouncy circles. They loved it all. I had a hard time even watching some of the spinning they were doing! I’m so glad they love it as much as they do – and that the spinning helps their sensory issues. Some kids get more wired after spinning, but both of them calm down.
If you have a child who loves to spin, try putting them in a swing and twisting it around and around and letting go. Or you can buy a scooter board (basically a piece of plywood with casters on each corner) and have them sit as you spin them around. Or a Sit and Spin toy works wonders, too. The whole point is to find something safe and appropriate for them to use to get what their body needs, or they will go looking for it – and you may not like what they do!
When they were smaller, going to the fair was hard. Rob and Casey both had a tendency to run off and in crowds, it’s terrifying to me. I kept a tight grip on them. Today, when we first got to the fair, they were both walking beside me and looking around. By the end of the day, they were holding onto me in their typical ways – Rob holding my right hand and Casey holding my left elbow.
That’s how I knew it was time to go. When the anxiety and stress of the crowds start getting to them, they seek comfort and security. So we did our usual – one more ride, a stop at our favorite French fry stand and headed home. As much as they both love being there, when it gets too crowded, they are done.
I hope that each of you gets to experience amazing, fun family days like we did today. It didn’t take long watching them have fun for my grumpiness to go away. It’s just awesome to me that they are both able to enjoy an activity like this together. As they got on and off rides, they watched out for each other and waited, so they were always together – just like close-knit siblings. I had tears in my eyes once or twice watching one help the other with buckles or belts as they settled in for a ride.
It’s days like today that remind me autism isn’t always so bad. Yeah, we have rough days and nights at times, but – I have also have three kids (and Cory!) who are very close and love each other more than anything. Isn’t that really what every parents wants?