Well, for us, it was nearly impossible last year.
This year, I’m already dreading it.
We invited 10 kids to my daughter’s 7th birthday party last year, all school friends, who all play together all the time.
Only one came, and she was late turning up.
I was so stressed for my daughter, I was panicking no one was coming.
At least 5 had said they were coming, but the “sorry we can’t make it” messages came for a couple on the morning of the party, and the rest just didn’t come.
We don’t harbour bad feelings, but the reality is I really did feel like slapping those mums.
I had to take it with a grain of salt, maybe there was a good reason.
On that note, this year is her 8th birthday party, and I’m petrified we will have the same issue.
So I think this year I will build in some safety barriers.
I’m going to invite the neighbour’s kids (they are around her age) and make sure I speak with mums direct from school:
- Can your daughter come?
- This is our address, do you have it?
- What is your phone number so I can text you the day before to remind you?
AND I’ll text them more than once I can assure you!
ARTICLE
So I read in THIS ARTICLE how Raquel Noriega couldn’t find a place for her autism (high needs) girl to have a party, so she created her own venue called “Pixies Dust” (Facebook Page link) for her daughter AVA, and other special needs kids.
Nice idea, I don’t think my daughter was even diagnosed at 2yo, but, her problems with parties don’t stem from geography, my daughter’s issues are people attending.
I mean I’m all for happy stories about autism, and how our community show lights of hope with loving ideas, but in reality, kids can be cruel, they don’t mean to be (or should I say they don’t realise why it is so bad when they are) but it just is what it is.
At the end of the day, awareness for autism is crazy low. I only truly knew about it after my daughter was diagnosed with it, prior to that even my husband, diagnosed as Aspergers, didn’t come onto my radar as to what autism was.
I can’t change the world, I’m not going to try. But it does beg the question how can we do more, what is the answer.
I guess there is no “one” answer.
At the very least, I’d like to see people in authoritative positions (police, guards & teachers) understand it better. Because they can have a big effect on special needs kids, without even trying.
I guess that is my goal, long term, educate the educators, and the authorities.
Nice to have a goal isn’t it!
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