Autism Equalizer

Since this was a three day weekend (Friday being the third day), The Hub and I decided to take the boys to the Great Wolf Lodge. For those of you who don't know what The Great Wolf Lodge is....let me explain....think rustic lodge, add a HUMONGOUS water park and add in some games (that, of course, cost money).

The boys have been looking forward to this trip....they advertise heavily in our area because it is about an hour and a half away. The room we have has this little 'cabin' area with three twin beds (convienent if you have three kids) and then a 'parental' room.

Oldest has been looking forward to it all week long...he has been doing his best at school and home so he could go (we'd take him anyway, but we always need a 'carrot'). All he has been talking about is the pool/waterpark.

This complex is huge....when we walked up Youngest looked with his little eyes like something he had never seen. There were huge wolves all over the top of it. He loved it.

So, we checked in, and all we heard was "I want to go to the pool". They loved the water park. Imagine huge waterslides, rides with rafts and rides with tubes, all with a 'lodge' theme. They even have a little kids play area, perfect for Youngest (who doesn't swim, yet).

As far as it being an "autism equalizer'...it's like Disneyland, you really can't tell the kids with autism or the kids who are neurotypical....all you can tell is that the kids are having fun...

Then, they have a special "Trick or Treating' for October....the boys dressed up in their Halloween costumes and went to four different locations and trick or treated. Lots of people thought that our little Pixar "Toy Story" aliens were adorable (especially Oldest in his 3-D glasses) and our Commander Cody.

Tomorrow, we are playing the "Magic Quest" game (another way to suck the money out of you...you have to buy the wand and then the game). It should be fun, once we figure out how to do it (I guess you have to read the instructions and then figure it out....that's not my department).

I truly love places where all kids can just be kids and not labelled as 'special needs' and just be a kid. Those are the times that I cherish. It's not that I necessarily am upset by autism or anything like that, it is just time when I realize I have three boys...not two boys who are neurotypical and one with autism. I treasure those moments because I know that autism hinders Oldest in many ways. For those brief moments, we are just like any other family. Those are the moments that help me get through the bad times (not that we have any of those anymore). I just go 'back to that place' and I remember what a joy all of my boys are (and they are...I wouldn't change anything of my life). Hopefully, that makes sense.