Summer Strategy

I cannot believe that there are only two more days of school for the CMS kids. Yikes! Summer's relaxed schedule brings some degree of ease into our home on account of not having to be up at 6:30am (or I should say not having to leap out of bed at 6:30 since Roxie will likely wake up around 6:30 anyway-argg), not having to have Roxie ready to leave the house at 7:45 (I am really looking forward to that), and not having to pack lunches every night. But, as a stay-at-home parent of a special needs child, summer break brings a certain degree of stress and exhaustion. Many people have worked all year to help Roxie progress and we want to keep her on that forward moving track during the summer months. But of course Mom needs to keep her sanity, too. Time to strategize!

Enter the CAP workers (i.e. my saving graces). They are patient and devoted women from Easter Seals UCP who provide in-home support services to Roxie when she's not in school by working on her goals, providing care, and providing companionship. Beginning next week a CAP worker comes to our house for 4 to 8 hours a day Monday through Saturday. Seriously I don't know what I would do without this support during the summer months and that is no joke. But there is no getting around that Mom (that's me) is responsible for Roxie for a lot of the time during the summer. Sometimes I don't mind pushing Roxie to work on her goals by putting her in her walker, asking her to use her communication strategies, or making her use her hands to eat our manipulate toys. But I also like to let her just hang out with me, play in her room by herself, listen to music, or watch a DVD. A typical 8 year old would get to do those things so I think Roxie should, too. Not to mention that I am a softy. And I also occasionally get tired of constantly being on task as a special needs Mom. Sometimes it is easier and quicker to feed Roxie myself or put her in front of a movie when I need to unload the dishwasher or check my email. But I am crossing my fingers that with gentle encouragement from Mom and Dad and with the ardent support of the CAP staff that Roxie will also be ready and able when school begins in late August.