|
Friends
Jan 29, 2008 17:40:02 GMT -5
Post by Jodi on Jan 29, 2008 17:40:02 GMT -5
I was just wondering if your kids with DS have friends over to play or hang out. Do they also have disabilities? What kind of activies do they engage in? Just curious. Thanks
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 29, 2008 18:50:56 GMT -5
Post by momofrussell on Jan 29, 2008 18:50:56 GMT -5
Nope No friends come over to "hang out" with Russell. My girls play with him sometimes. Actually Regan interacts with him lots, Reece, not so much. Reece is snobby though, she is picky about everyone she interacts with LOL We do have friends over, say families with kids w/needs and usually Russell is off doing his own things and the kids are playing with Regan and Reece. A.
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 29, 2008 20:10:50 GMT -5
Post by andrewsmom on Jan 29, 2008 20:10:50 GMT -5
Andrew is still very young but has had "friends" over to our house on several occasions. One child has DS and two others have "special needs" but nothing you could see by looking at them or interacting with them in any way. One little boy just doesn't talk yet...nothing else. Another little boy is still going through some testing... they haven't diagnosed him with anything yet....he is small for his age and has low tone. We also are fortunate that my SIL just moved to the area and comes over often with my little nephew. Andrew just adores him and they get along very well. Andrew is more the laid back type and mainly watches what is going on, but will interact with my nephew.
I find it easier to have friends over for Andrew in the nicer weather because they can go play outside on the swingset or kick some balls around etc. I find he gets tired faster then most kids so our play dates are usually shorter.
I'm glad you asked this question and also would like to see what others have to say. I have been thinking this alot lately with Andrew being in school and getting invitations to party's etc. Good question!
-Trisha
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 29, 2008 22:35:49 GMT -5
Post by lespring on Jan 29, 2008 22:35:49 GMT -5
Angela is 11. If I make a point of inviting someone, I can get a typical friend or two to come over. This past weekend she had a sleep over with one of her friends from her 5th grade class. They did 5th grade girl things. I *think* the other girl had fun, but I'm not sure. I'd originally invited two girls so that Angela could kind of follow their lead, but one of them wasn't able to come.
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 29, 2008 22:36:02 GMT -5
Post by Googsmom aka Jennifer on Jan 29, 2008 22:36:02 GMT -5
Not really here either. Brook has her sister, 14, who is here every other day. Her cousin, 10, stops by all the time. (when she's not stuck up on the hill cuz of snow) and once in a while hubbys little nephew, 5, comes by. I babysat a little girl once who was staying in one of my apartments so her mom could go to an AA Meeting but Brook was NOT happy!!! Daisy was 10 months at that time and at the same "stage/level" that Brook was. I don't know why but Brook just screammmmmed for mommy. Must be a spoiled thing Other than that we have a picnic once a year w/ the other families from around here w/ kids w/ DS. Were planing on a float in the parade this year too I've wanted Brook to be more interactive w/ other kids but I refuse to take her to day care/babysitter and there are so many colds and stuff and i'm sooo paranoid she will get sick. I've very overprotective of my kids. Maybe i'll calm down some someday. Today is not the day
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 4:13:45 GMT -5
Post by twosomy21 on Jan 30, 2008 4:13:45 GMT -5
we usually see family, and i have three boys so there is always a playmate. i did recieve a nice letter from a mom asking for a get together so i will do that this summer,that will be fun for kyle,although we have not did freinds" out of school"-he has his favorites he talks about, its nice to see them form a freindship
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 6:23:27 GMT -5
Post by momofcourt on Jan 30, 2008 6:23:27 GMT -5
No it doesn't happen much here. Even if I invite a child over it doesn't seem to happen. I volunteer in my daughters class and the other girls will tell me about going over to so and so house to play. Even my in laws don't include my daughter as much as her two cousions. If we invite them over for a birthday party or a gathering they will come. But they go out of their way for my husbands brothers two kids. They ask to pick them up from school to take them to the park or just to spend time with them. They offer to keep them over night. I always have to call them to spend time with Courtney. It is a very sore subject for me. Courtney loves to play and gets so excited to see the family. She has a brother but he is 28 y/o and doesn't live here. So unless I take her to a park so she can play along side kids she doen't know she spends most of her time outside of school with me. We do have a small support group that meets everyother month. On very rare occasions I arrange a playdate with one of them and they are avalible. People just seem very busy these days.
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 9:08:20 GMT -5
Post by Chris on Jan 30, 2008 9:08:20 GMT -5
Sarah is in an MoCI classroom and loves all her classmates. Since she is with them 6 1/2 hours a day, they are her best friends. We have gotten together with one of her classmates a few times but everyone is so busy it is hard to find the time. Sarah still needs lots of guidance and is still learning how to play with her peers. It is actually a goal in her IEP. She has a couple of typical friends in her Sunday school class. She has been to their birthdays and plays with them pretty well since they tell her what to do. I think they like playing with her because they can be bossy and she doesn't care. We had one of the girls over (plus the rest of the family) after church on Sunday. It is so sweet to see how much they love each other. You kind of hit a nerve with this post since I feel guilty about not scheduling enough playdates for Sarah. Chris
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 9:32:30 GMT -5
Post by Chris too on Jan 30, 2008 9:32:30 GMT -5
None of my kids has friends over much. We do have some neighbors who don't live too far away (1/4 mile) that play with my 3rd daughter mostly (age-mates). My oldest has a friend that comes to spend the weekend with us a few times a year, but other than that, we don't even see her much. They all see their friends at dance class, choir, & at church. The main reason I'm planning on putting Stevie in pre-school, when none of my other kids have gone, is that I'm hoping that she'll get a chance to make friends with some kids near her age that will have disabilities. I figure that she has plenty of opportunities to make typical friends, but very, very few to make friends of this sort. I plan to work hard to find a friend of my own who's the mother of one of her school friends, so that we can keep right on getting together once Stevie's done with pre-school. I have no intention at all of sending her to Kindy - 'cause I'm a die-hard homeschooling mom But I am learning that solutions vary, even within a family. So we'll see...
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 10:31:04 GMT -5
Post by hannahph on Jan 30, 2008 10:31:04 GMT -5
That is a loaded question for us. I would say yes and no. Hannah has friends at school, the kids in her class. They get along great at school and go to each other's birthday parties and such but we don't really see them socially(this is a self contained class) Hannah's closest friends are kids with DS who we see monthly for a support/play group. She really seems most comfortable with them.In fact she has a really favorite friend with DS from this group and we try to get them together to play as much as possible. She also likes to play with her cousins a lot. The thing is friendships are something we have to work at. we don't really have many kids in our house as our neighborhood has none and it stinks.Hannah is pretty shy too and it takes a while for her to warm up to new people.
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 11:28:28 GMT -5
Post by lespring on Jan 30, 2008 11:28:28 GMT -5
We don't all have good days all the time, and during one particularly emotional day a couple weeks ago I wrote a blog post on the subject. Ok....clearly it was a REALLY REALLY bad day. I debated removing the post, but you know what? We all have these days sometimes. Life is not all roses, no matter how much you love your child. gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/2008/01/tough-emontional-days.html
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 11:58:34 GMT -5
Post by chasesmom on Jan 30, 2008 11:58:34 GMT -5
Nope, no friends come over to play with Chase. He's never had a sleepover, been invited to a party or just over to a friend's house to hang out. He has nichole, his aide who he calls his friend and all of her high school/college age friends that he calls his friends and they are awesome with him, but let's face it, Chase has no real true friends of his own. That is exactly why I need to live next to Susan and Terry ;D He and Emily adore each other and she even puts up with his moodiness and can talk him out of it Leah....I read your blog, I understand, I have said so many times that life would be so much easier if Chase just had DS and nothing else, instead he has more and we have to deal with the agressiveness and lack of impulse control also, I hear and feel what you are saying. Hugs, Robin
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 14:10:45 GMT -5
Post by Jodi on Jan 30, 2008 14:10:45 GMT -5
Wow - interesting responses! Many are right in line with my thoughts/issues. I wish we all lived near eachother. Then I don't think this would be such problem! We have not had friends over until just this last weekend. MB had posted a while back about this subject, and one of her tips was to shorten the time for the visit. We had a child (non-ds but other issues) that was a couple years older than Ryan over for a few hours. THANK GOODNESS for MB and her advice, because I was EXHAUSTED after three hours!! First thing Ryan did was take his friend to his room and start reading a story to him (Snowmen at Night - very cute story!!). It was precious - except the boy had zero interest. Well heck, if you don't know Ryan, it is hard to understand what he is saying so I can't say I blame the kid for wanting to run! Anyway, the two had a hard time connecting and playing with eachother. I tried to get them to play a variety of things but it was challenging. It wasn't until the last half hour that the two of them started playing with nerf balls up and down the stairs. They were laughing and having a blast. I had mixed emotions over the whole thing. Finding a true "peer" for Ryan would be impossible. I really feel it is necessary to keep doing this though so that Ryan learns that the world does not revolve around him. Outside of school, his interaction is mainly with adults - and unfortunately most cater to his every desire. I would like to get Ryan in a situation where he interacts more... more give and take, less take take take!! - but it takes two I think this is an area that requires a lot of work on our part, and with all the other stress/stuff going on, sometimes things suffer. I sure wish there was an easier solution though! Thanks for your repsonses Jodi
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 14:26:31 GMT -5
Post by lespring on Jan 30, 2008 14:26:31 GMT -5
One suggestion: Call your son's special education teacher, or mainstream classroom teacher, and ask if there are any particular students that he seeks out in the class, and with whom the seeking is mutual! (for example, Angela is obsessed with "Drew" in her 5th grade classroom, but I don't think it's a mutual obsession. ) Angela's teachers have always been willing to help with this, as they understand that she can't always be depended upon to get the information to me.
|
|
|
Friends
Jan 30, 2008 14:48:10 GMT -5
Post by Jenifer on Jan 30, 2008 14:48:10 GMT -5
Joy is 6 and has regular sleepovers with:
Her 5-year-old cousin A 5-year-old friend of the family A 6-year-old girl from her class last year
She also has "play dates" with friends from school and the children of my friends.
I make it a priority to have a sleepover at least once a month, and regular get togethers with friends. I think it's really important for Joy to have that one-on-one socialization with children her age, plus she's has so much fun.
Occasionally there are conflicts or one kid doesn't want to do what the other wants to do, but that happens with every kid that goes to or hosts a sleepover. I moderate and we find common ground.
Joy is a great hostess, and she's learning that when a friend is over, it's always the best for the guest. This means she shares her toys, she gives her friend the bigger brownie, she surrenders her bed and takes the floor, etc. It's teaching her to be more caring toward others, which I think is a good lesson for her since she's essentially an only child. Her siblings are 13 and 15 years older than her.
Good luck! Jenifer, mom to Joy Daisy
|
|