Autism

Summertime

by Kristina Chew

categories: community inclusion, Recreation

Published June 19, 2009 @ 12:33AM PT

This is Charlie's last week of school before summer starts (he has one more day, Monday). His Extended School Year Program has been trimmed down to four days a week, for four weeks. (And I know not everyone has even that....)

My friend Shannon has a totally on-target post about when summer is extra-special over at BlogHer. As much as I read about summer camps for kids with disabilities (like this one in Canada), we've found options to be far and few between for Charlie. Many programs are geared for children younger than Charlie and the programs that Charlie could go too (like one that could be paid for via New Jersey's Department of Developmental Disabilities) just doesn't sound like the right thing for him (based on speaking to other parents and learning more about the camp).

So this may be more of a dad-mom-'n'-Charlie summer (and kidsitters) than previously.

Sign of a good start: The week started off with Jim and Charlie on a Sunday morning bike ride (under gray skies and a bit of a drizzle; we haven't had the sun here for 2+ weeks it seems, and one must bike). They stopped at our favorite bagel place (Jim has decided it must be one of the two best restaurants in New Jersey......there's a lot more than cream cheese and lox you can get). It being Sunday morning, and this place being so good, it was completely mobbed. Charlie sat down at a little table outside (bikes parked nearby) and Jim forged into the crowd, constantly turning to see Charlie's head. Foodstuffs were procured (including one for me, stowed in Jim's pocket) and Jim and Charlie had their brunch (yes, gluten-y) en plein air, with a fine view of a plaza (not a mall!) parking lot. Afterwards we went swimming at the YMCA and then into lower Manhattan, where I met some fellow Change.org folks (shout out to Danny, Matt, and Mike!). After dining on burgers and shrimps, Jim and Charlie roamed.

Monday was Charlie's last full day of school (until September....); he started half-days on Tuesday and this disrupted his internal sense of The Order of Things. We'd been swimming at 4pm for a couple of weeks and that time worked out perfectly with Charlie coming home at 2.30pm, snacking, and getting ready for the pool. Now he's been coming home at 12.30pm and the still wanted to swim, and frowned when I told him we had to wait.......a few more hours.

Jim came home early two days and some midweek bike-riding ensued; the new kidsitter also came and accompanied Charlie and me on a walk to the supermarket for paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils for his class's end-of-year party. Last night Jim and Charlie dropped me off at the train station to travel down to Washington, D.C.. They did the diner thing (comfort food, comforting environs) and then to the basketball court: All good dad-n-son time. (My trip is regarding autism research; a "pleasure" trip would not, of course, be a solo.)

I think this summer could well be ok. (It would help some, too, if the sun would chase away the rain and gray. Some time, maybe soon.)