32 hours @ BK2

In the past 30 years I have created various environments, events, learning centers etc. I have not , however, ever thrown them a legit slumber party. According to "professionals" my kids would be overstimulated, eloping, self harming, in their own little worlds, needing structure, routine, not wanting to be touched, disruptive etc.

Well. Let ME tell you something. It's NEVER the impairment. It is ALWAYS the environment.

We had a full 7 hour day of camp. Then 7 of my kids came back to the farm for the night. One of the parents gave us pizza money so we splurged and got delivery. Everybody got a plate, got their pizza and some how All of us (our wonderful staff Eli spent the night as well) ended up on top of each other on the deck chatting, munching & smiling.

I'm getting text messages "don't let them out after dark " "he goes to bed @ 8" "she will get bitten by a snake" etc. As I'm watching them run around squealing with laughter, holding flashlights @ 1030 !! Lol

ALL of them. Ages 6 to 18. Some verbal. Some not. All on the Spectrum. Together. On the farm, a warm summer night, flashlight beams bouncing from the trampoline & the forest. We, Eli & I, sat with mouth's wide open, stunned at what we were seeing. Some of these kids we had only know for maybe 2 days? 5? Some for a few months. Some for over a decade.

I decided to bring them in by 11. Yes 11. No 8 o'clock for slumber parties over here!

Seeming to read my mind they all came running in, like a group of drunk cockroaches lol, around 1045. We had 2 beds, 2 couches and a blow up mattress. Several of them had brought sleeping bags. To my sheer surprise, they ALL wanted to camp out in the living room. TOGETHER! So I said okie dokie , got them settled and tossed some led lights around the coffee table and hit the lights. One of our AMAZING newbies said " hey we've got our fairy kindom"!

To make this story even MORE unbelievable, they were ALL asleep within TWENTY minutes!!!! Thank God it's all on video!

I woke up the next morning around 830 to Caelen asking to go to the cabin & if I would cook him breakfast lol . Which I of course did. The others starting rousing & getting their stuff off the floor. Everyone was lovey dovey, affectionate & asking when we were doing this again! Around 10 our other staff and the other campers rolled in. We worked, had some therapy sessions and had a great day @ the farm. We all know how any kid can get after they have been together for too long right? Not our kids! We left the farm and ended our day @ player 1 up arcade. They sat @ the bar eating food, played their games and watched each other & cheered as they won prizes, or didn't.

32 hours with 7 autistic kids. All of whom, according to their IePs were elopers, violent and most had occurrences of self harm. Overnight with one newly trained (like a month?) staff. Not only should it have been impossible but it was a smashing success.

I was talking to a few parents yesterday about how we, the staff, feel like we aren't doing "our jobs". When Dani & I had first had the crazy notion of doing a truly inclusive, FULL Day, special needs summer camp we spent hours coming up with a minute by minute schedule. That went out the window! I will tell you why.

When these kids first came they had ZERO leisure skills and could not express or regulate their emotions. . They were unable to entertain themselves, come up with play strategies, hold a conversation or their peers interest. We were CONSTANTLY on our feet directing them to the forest to swing, or the cabin for activities and were ALWAYS having to help prompt their social dialogues. We have preached and preached about how we are family. We learn, grow, make mistakes and play Together.

After just a few weeks of camp we rarely have to get up. We just sit and paint, chat, love on and "therapatize" them. They are playing. They are forming meaningful relationships. They are filled with pride & excitement. They are emotionaly checked in on, they are truly learning to self regulate!!. Their mental health is our MAIN priority. We do sit them down to work almost everyday. We will hit academics hard (we got a fantastic special education teacher!) in a few weeks once the dreaded school year starts. But for now? We let them play. It's summer camp. A REAL summer camp.

It is truly the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. Truly. It's magical.

I could type forever but we FINALLY started getting in some insurance $ so we, on our day "off" are doing some cleaning up around here and going to buy them a big ole tv for slumber party # 2! with even more kids!!

I'm crazy. I know.

It takes one to know one 😉

Mental. Health. Matters. 💙