Get Your Game on This Holiday Season

    To me the best part of the holidays is spending time with friends and family. Let's step it up a notch and make it more fun! It's time to get your game on this holiday season.

Get Your Game on This Holiday Season

    When we lived back in Pennsylvania, we always hosted Christmas Eve. The night was full of savory and sweet treats, laughs, and love. Liam and I always had games at the ready to make the evening more memorable, and let me tell you, it did! Some of our best family memories were made right there, in that tiny living room.

    We won't be going home this holiday, so we're creating new memories and fun to go with our new home. We just got two board games from Rooster Fin Games. However, we couldn't wait until Christmas Eve to try them out. And when you see them, you're going to want to get in on these too!

Ninja Squirrels

    There's a good reason this fast paced family board game has won so many awards. That's because it's so much fun to play! Ninja Squirrels are fighters. Fast food fighters that is! In this game, players battle over being the first to collect their color of acorns and fill their dens for winter. 

    The game says for seven and up, but if younger kids know their colors (and won't put the acorns in their mouth,) then they could certainly join in! As a mom, I love how this game isn't just a blast to play, but it's a great way for players to work on their fine motor skills. Even better, kids think they're just playing, and don't realize that they're working on those skills. 

Rooster Race

    Rooster Race is another engaging and enjoyable game from Rooster Fin. In this game, players race to be the winner with the most corn, by guessing if they card they draw will be higher or lower than the face up card. If the player guesses correctly, they get an ear of corn. Guess wrong, and lose an ear. (If kids can count to fifteen, then they too can play!) When all cards are played, the person with the most ears of corn is the winner!

    Again, this game isn't just a blast to play, but it helps kids to work on fine motor skills, as well as number recognition. In my opinion, this makes these titles from Rooster Fin not just a perfect gift for families, but for classrooms too! I can see them being utilized in libraries, child care centers, therapy clinics, and so much more. So gather your family and friends, and make some memories! 

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Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to our Holiday Gift Guide!

Here you will find gift ideas we love the most. Whether you're shopping for family or friends, we have something for everyone. 

Check it out!

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He Thinks He's Ready, But He's Not

    As Liam gets older, I hold more about our personal lives back. We want to continue to educate people and raise awareness, but if he doesn't want to share certain aspects, I don't. Purely out of respect for the young man he's becoming.

    However today, I felt that searing pain, that we as Autism Parents, (or just special needs parents in general,) often feel. You know that ache that comes along when your child's peers are ready for "bigger" things, while your son or daughter isn't?

He Thinks He's Ready, But He's Not

    I learned early on not to compare my son's milestones to other kids his age. It wasn't worth the heart ache. We know our kids will get there when they get there, and we'll be right there waiting to cheer. So that part doesn't bother me. 

    Today however did. Because suddenly, my son became fully aware that while his peers are ready for some things, he isn't. And it ripped through his heart like a dull knife. Watching him process it washed over me like a tidal wave, leaving me wracked with pain. I'd be lying if I didn't admit I went into the bathroom to cry.

Let Me Set the Scene

    Our area schools give off Friday and Monday for President's Day, so I too give Liam the day off. This morning he had a play date here with two of his autistic friends. It went great. Afterwards, when we were heading out to my sister's, an old friend of Liam's stopped by.

    He moved away with his mom, but is here for the weekend with his gram. This boy came over to invite Liam to the skating rink with him!! Sounds amazing right?

It Wasn't....

    Like most tween kids in our area, their parents drive them to the roller rink, drop them off, and come back at 10 pm to pick them up. (Hey my parents did the same with us when we were that age. However, I also had an older sister there to watch over me.)

   So while this boy had the most wonderful intentions, and because he doesn't see Liam as "different," he invited him to go. But he can't....

For Many Reasons

    Liam isn't emotionally mature enough to be away from adult supervision for a period of time. While there are adults there, they aren't always watching, because lets face it, that rink is packed. I've seen older kids there picking on younger ones, and while I stepped in, what if there isn't anyone there when it happens to Liam?

    My son also notices that he doesn't fit in. It's because of this, that he will go out of his way to do so. Liam will do anything to get the approval of his peers. He doesn't think, he just acts. Which often has some pretty crappy repercussions.

    There will be girls. The other boys his age are into girls. Liam isn't there yet emotionally. So if his friends skate off with a girl, and leave him alone, he won't know what to do. His anxiety will set in, and he will panic. 

Saying it isn't easy....hearing it is harder.... 

    Paddy and I sat him down and spoke with him about it. Liam put his head down, and admitted that it probably wasn't a good idea. But like most kids his age, he still wanted to go.

So we gave suggestions....

"We could go with you, and hang out in the game room!"

"NO!"

"We could go, but wait outside in the car!"

"NO!" 

My hubby even spoke with our eldest Bran. (He's twenty one.) He offered to go.

"Bubby said he'll go with you!"

"NO! No one else will have an adult with them!"

    He was adamant that he didn't want his parents there, "like a baby." So we told him he could try it. We would give him my cell and he could try.... (and I was panicking inside as saw two more worry lines appear on his father's face....)

He broke down sobbing....because it donned on him, that he isn't in fact, ready....

    After about half an hour of rocking and sobbing, he told me he wasn't ready. My boy went on to say that even though he "wants to go so bad, other kids can be mean there." And so he "couldn't go." 

   As adults, it's hard for us to admit when our children can't do something. Imagine being a child and having to process that truth? It hurts. While I know that "A" had only the best intentions, and while I am super thankful that he not only THOUGHT of my son, but wanted to include him as well, I almost wish he hadn't....

I wish that for at least one more day, my son didn't have to feel that pain. The pain of watching your friends grow up, and knowing you're just not ready.....

    

A Lesson in Karma

kar·ma

noun

noun: karma

1. (in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

   • informal

     destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.

   
   
2. Yesterday Liam got to see how Karma works. 

He and his dad were going to the tractor pulls down the road yesterday morning. He decided he wanted to take one of his friends, (A) whom sadly lost his dad a few years ago. So the three men went, and had a great time. Liam even spent $3 of his OWN money on me!!!! He bought me a home made candle.

Anyway, when they got back he asked friend if he wanted to stay and play. He said no. Liam was heartbroken. We distracted him with playing Magic the Gathering, and all seemed well.

Later in the afternoon, another kid came over. We will call him J. Liam played with him for about 30 minutes, and then became ornery.(since his last regression, attitude and aggression has been an issue.) So that boy went home. (can't blame him, and I told Liam that was because he was being rude.)

Liam then went over to A's house, and asked if he was ready to play with him yet. He told Liam, "no, I don't feel like playing with you, so go home." (seems Liam wasn't the only ornery kiddo yesterday!)

Liam came back over, head down, and upset. I told him that was karma. When J was over to play with him, he was being rude, so J went home. Karma bit his butt when he asked A to play and he didn't want too. Liam didn't quite grasp what I was saying. So I let it go, because I didn't want to bombard him anything negative. We have had enough of that lately....

Fast forward about an hour. We were eating dinner outside. A and J and other neighborhood kids were riding bikes. They didn't want Liam to join. (Like I said, he was being rude to J so I get it, but it still stings.) Next thing we know, one of the kids is screaming at A. Telling him to stop following them, they didn't want him to play. He continued to annoy them, and the one girl flung him down. Not cool, but kids are kids. A refrained from hitting her, but went inside crying. Liam started to laugh uncontrollably~ NOT COOL!!!!

Here was my chance to explain karma a bit better. I told Liam that was karma striking again. He didn't get it. I then went into more depth. I said, "here are two examples. First one: J came to play, you were rude. He got mad and went home and played with other kids.  Then the other kids didn't want to play with you. Karma kicked you in the rear because you were being rude. Secondly: This morning, you and daddy took A to the tractor pulls. Came home and he didn't want to play with you. Then he turned you down again. Next thing you see, the other kids are being mean to him, and don't want to play with him.  That is a prime example of karma. It means, you get what you give. So you better quit laughing or karma will bite you back!"

He looked at me, and said, "So if you are nice, you get nice? If you are mean, you get mean?" I wanted to tell him it's not like that ALL the time, but he has plenty of time to learn how cruel the world can be, and to let it jade him like the rest of us. He got the gist of it, stopped laughing, and I was happy. 

I am happy to report that today J forgave him, and now the two of them are happily playing together.