Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Trade-Off

Rose and I went to a neat event at her elementary school last night, a Fun Walk/Run for the kids that was also a PTA fundraiser. There were T-shirts, and race numbers, and goofy warm-ups with one of the first-grade teachers, and picnicking on the lawn, and desserts to share, and the district superintendant & others were handing out little stretchy-bracelets to the kids for every lap completed. The weather was perfect, the turnout was huge.

And, I got to spend time talking with other parents I hadn't seen in a while! Two families in particular were once part of our regular routine but not so much lately -- one family for regular playdates, another we used to encounter last summer at Joy's swimming class. Both those evening time-slots have now been filled with intensive autism therapy for Joy. In fact, Joy was therapy-ing at home instead of Fun-Running and picnicking with me & Rose.

It's a trade-off. Intensive therapy fills a lot of time that we used to have available for other things.

On the other hand, if I'd had Joy at the Fun Run, I wouldn't have been available to catch up with the other parents, because I'd have been Joy-minding...

I also put together in my mind something that I'd not been tracking with, for both these families. They both have older kids in Rose's grade, and both also have younger daughters a little younger than Joy.

Both those younger daughters will be starting kindergarten at the same time as Joy, since we're holding off on kindergarten for another year!

I think I need to make better efforts to keep Joy well-acquainted with these two classmates-to-be. And also to make sure we bring Joy to next year's Fun Run. Wonder how many laps she'll be willing to do, if I go with her?

7 comments:

mama edge said...

I don't know how you do it. You always look so NOT insane when I visit. It is a big trade-off you have to make, and I think you are amazing for doing it without losing your mind.

I agree that it's worthwhile to find ways to keep Joy connected with her peers. Do you think your in-home folks would allow you to invite kids over as peer models who could join in the therapy?
Two birds with one stone?

pixiemama said...

It was probably nice for Rose to have some mama time... I know I have to chose often. One of the upsides of the economic downturn in our household is having a lot of quality times with my little ones.

security word: pared. cool!

love.

JoyMama said...

Pixie - it's true, having Mama-time with Rose was a good thing. Though she was off with her friends for over half the time we were there, also a good thing since then I could catch up with the mamas & papas!

Mara - we've got one weekly standing peer-playdate that happens in context of a therapy session, and it's been a big success. I should definitely look to add those opportunities, especially in the summer when the schedule is more open. Added bonus is that Rose gets an older-sib playdate simultaneously. Thanks for the nudge!

Oh, and... appearances of sanity may be deceiving. muuaaaAAHHH-hahahaha!

JoyDad said...

Speaking of JoyMama's sanity... Need I remind everyone that the she is the woman seen jumping off a bridge in her profile picture????

JoyMama said...

JoyDad - Only after I went and married YOU!

*wink*

Anonymous said...

Okay, the bridge jumping may have been post-wedding, but was the fire eating?

I tried to figure out the timeline, and I just couldn't.

JoyMama said...

Oh yes, the fire-eating was post-wedding too.

Y'know, the stereotype is for people to do their wild deeds BEFORE settling down and getting hitched!