During our recent week away, I had one focus: unplugging and recharging.
Special needs parenting often leaves caregivers feeling perpetually foggy headed.
Thanks to amazing colleagues, I checked out of work. I told family to e-mail me about urgent issues, but I tuned out everything else.
I slept very well – passed out before 11 and woke up at 9. The 10-hour sleeps, fun at the pool and beach, and plates of fresh tropical fruit helped clear the persistent fog in my head.
Spring Break was an important reminder about self care and refilling my cup to help others.
I returned home with renewed energy for T.
I spent last weekend organizing and filing away documents related to T’s school and community services that have piled up over the past year.
It helped the hubby and I prepare to regroup with T’s FASD service coordinator on Monday.
It had been several weeks since they provided T’s FASD diagnosis and the hubby and I had a chance to digest the report and recommendations.
We had a great discussion focusing on what we feel are the priorities for T’s immediate future:
- Behaviour Support – Now that T’s aged out of behaviour therapy services with Surrey Place, they recommended another organization’s 12-week parent-child program that may be a fit. There is a waitlist and we asked if the coordinator could help us with the intake process. T has made great gains and we want to help him build on his success.
- Physical Recreation Activity – We’re gonna register T for swimming lessons this summer and are looking at basketball team activities to build on his teachers’ observations of how much he loves it at school and to give him opportunities to build teamwork skills. The coordinator let us know about potential supports that may be available for these activities.
- Respite Support – One recommendation in the diagnosis report is the importance of self care for the hubby and I. The coordinator is helping us look into potential respite services.
- Social Connection Opportunities – We also told the coordinator it was important for us to build a community of similar aged peers for T who are on a similar journey as him.
It was very helpful to start to collaborate with the service coordinator to identify a plan for T and we are reconnecting again in a few weeks.
Meeting with the coordinator reminded me about who we work hard for every day: our amazing T.
It was one of those clear-headed moments of gratitude and optimism – and I savoured it, because dark clouds and fog are always on the horizon.
During recent moments of stress, I am thankful to be able to mentally escape to recent memories on a calming beach unplugged from reality.
A very deserving break for all of you. What is it about a boy and the beach, so much fun!!!
Thanks Diane. He’s already asking how many more days till the next one. We told him he’s gonna have to wait a long while!
Omg I am still navigating using blog sites and commenting. I love your blog!!!!! Thank you for posting about your and your partners journey with T. You are helping so many people!
Thank you for visiting. And likewise, I am glad that I found your blog too. As a parent, it is helpful to hear about the FASD journey through someone with lived experience. So thank you for sharing yours!
Wonderful, positively motivating. I love this, “During recent moments of stress, I am thankful to be able to mentally escape to recent memories on a calming beach unplugged from reality.” Stress-Escape and Remembering-Gratitude-Back to Reality more inspired, these are my daily cycles and makes me appreciate more peaceful and happy moments no matter short and fleeting. Happy Weekend.
These daily practices really do help keep us grounded in gratitude indeed. 😊 Happy weekend to you and your family as well!
Taking a break seemed like what you really needed to clear your mind after all the stress. The ‘action plan’ regarding what’s next for T and both you and your husband looks solid. I hope your journey ahead, however tough it may feel at times, will be a rewarding one — one that when you look back at it you will tell yourself “I’m glad I went through this.” And when things do get rough, take a brief pause and have some tropical fruits. It helps. 🙂
Thank you, Bama! It was a really nice break and it helped me as you noted come back with a clearer head to move forward with a plan.
I do miss the tropical fruit! One of things we don’t enjoy as much in Canada, so it’s always a treat!
I think it’s so important for our well-being to be able to take a break from work (and life) and just unplug from the world around us. It sounds like your week off was exactly what you needed. Best of luck on planning the next steps for T. I like the idea of incorporating activities he’s already passionate about and leveraging that to hone in on other important life skills, like confidence, communication and teamwork. P.S. That beach looks amazing!!! I can’t wait to go swimming again.
Thanks Linda. I wish I had more time to plan but thankful for the clear-headed spaces I do get.
And yes, I can’t wait for summer swimming season again. I miss those Ontario lakes. The Punta Cana beach wasn’t too shabby either. 😆
I am so impressed of how focussed you are on what’s important! Glad you had this r&r time so that you can all get back recharged with great memories. I hope you get to do this again soon.
Thank you. 😊 Time is so precious and limited so we try to focus on the essentials! And yes, I hope we get another family vacation soon. 🙏
I love that ocean video. So beautiful!
I’m so glad you all got a week away and were able to disconnect. And those plans sound awesome both for T and you and Hubby. What a great way to come back from a recharge!
Thanks Wynne. I miss the ocean terribly. It’s Spring here but you wouldn’t know it with the cold days we have!
So glad you were able to recharge…that is so important <3
Thank you Grace!