Family Life

Posted by Rebecca Shayler-Adams on 11th May 2018 Additional Needs, Advice & Support, Disabilities

That we would go on spontaneous adventures all the time.

That we would be that social media family that is perfect. The reality is completely different!

I now have 4 children who I wouldn’t change for the world but our spontaneous trips and the ease of family life is slightly different.

My son has autism and my daughter has an undiagnosed neurological problem. This causes quite a few issues when it comes trips out.

We generally go to the same places we always go to as we know our son can cope with it.

If we go away we will generally head for animal related places as animals calm him down.

He can not stand being sticky or wet so going out in the rain is a no go unless you want him hitting you the whole time as he can feel every rain drop touching his skin. Going to places with big crowds can overwhelm him but with his ear defenders and his belt that attaches to an adult makes him feel a little more comfortable.

Soft play is a no go unless it is during the quiet period, so when the sun is out and everyone goes outside we head to the soft play as it is empty!

That’s before we get onto my daughter. She is nearly 2 and yet is delayed around a year. A lot of places are going to start charging for her and yet she doesn’t understand anything.

She doesn’t talk and her attention span is non existent.

She also can’t be around people who are ill as the slightest cold makes her extremely ill. When she is having a bad day we generally do not go out, she is too ill and this breaks my heart.

All of this just means we have to be slightly more prepared when going out.

My other 2 children seem to have gotten used to the fact we can’t just go out when they want to.

They have gotten used to the fact that we will get to the zoo before it opens so that we can be the first ones in and be out before the crowds really start. They have gotten used to the fact we always go away to the same places that we know are suitable.

They understand that unlike their friends our day trips are strictly planned and a lot of research is put into them.

Family life is a lot different to how I thought it would be however would I change it? No. I love my children, I love their uniqueness and if this means I can’t have spontaneous trips out that is fine as my family is perfect to me.