Autism Family Camp

We went to the autism camp this weekend to try a new adventure. We left on Friday about 3:00pm and arrived close to 6pm. The trip should have taken about 2 hours, but Meg and Sarah each had a case of carsickness. Fortunately, we got there just in time for dinner, so Steven was happy right away! He had some difficulty with the noise level in the dining hall, so he ate fast and I took him back to our cabin.

The cabins are duplexes, are very nice and sleep 12 people on each side of the duplex. They are very closely located to the lake....within 20 feet or so. The downstairs has bunkbeds or beds for 8 people, a kitchen, dining table and a double size bathroom. The upstairs loft has another 4 beds. We had one whole side of the duplex to ourselves. Our friends, The Turners, were on the other half of the duplex.

While Megan and Sarah finished eating, Steven and I headed to the cabin to let him acquaint himself with our space while I unloaded the car. BIG MISTAKE!!! As soon as I opened the car doors, Steven bolted for the lake! He didn't go to the lake right by our cabin. He ran across the courtyard, stripping while he ran and went straight into the lake in only his underwear. The crowd in the dining hall had a perfect view of this. The more I would try to cajole Steven to get out of the water, the deeper he would go. I caught up to him in waist high water....soaking my clothes. (cmon, visualize this....it's okay to laugh!)

We went back to the cabin, dried him off, got him a spare change of clothes and Megan and Sarah came back from the dining hall. They had seen Steven in the water and came running to help!

That evening, there was a bonfire and welcome ceremony. By then, Steven was tired....he's only been sleeping about 3 hours a night the past week. Again, Steven and I stayed in the cabin, snuggling and watching Barney until he fell asleep about 9. I couldn't fall asleep until about 11:30 as there were still many people driving in and the cabins don't have any curtains on the windows.

Imagine my dismay when Steven woke up at 1:00am. I tried to convince him he needed to go back to sleep. He wasn't having any of that. After an hour or so, I took him into the car so he could watch a video and wouldn't wake up the world. By 5:30am, I decided I was an idiot to even attempt camp. At 6:00am, I yelled upstairs to the girls to wake up and pack. We were leaving. By 6:10, we were on the road. After 20 minutes of silence, Sarah spoke up and said she would help more. Megan also really wanted to stay. I was soooo tired.

We developed a game plan and went back to the cabin. We unpacked for the second time. We went to the dining hall for breakfast. After breakfast, I took a 2 hour nap and the girls attempted to take Steven on the barge.

The barge is, of course, on the lake.

The same lake that Steven wanted to swim in.

While I was sleeping, Steven was biting, scratching and pinching the girls because they wouldn't let him jump into the water.

They brought him back to the cabin. I sent the girls back to ride the barge and I tried to calm him down. He did okay, but really really really wanted to go in the water.

I decided to let him go in the water.

The Camp Director came running over to remind me there was no swimming due to no lifeguards. I explained our situation, said I would be the lifeguard, etc. But, no go. She was adamant. I was adamant. Eventually, she won.

By lunchtime, I tried to convince Steven we should head to the dining hall to meet the girls. He wasn't having any part of that. I called the girls and asked them to bring us food back to the cabin. Then, I bribed them with Papa Johns pizza, videos, s'mores in the fireplace, sleeping in our own beds and Steven being calm in his own environment. I just wanted to come home.

They agreed. For the third time in 24 hours, we packed stuff back into the car. We made good time on the way home. Sarah is gone to a friend's house. Steven is calm. Megan is playing Sims and I am blogging away.

It's 5:28 and I expect us all to be asleep by 8pm. I don't even think the videos and s'mores sound good to any of us.

Overall, I would attempt camp again, as long as Troy could go and they allowed swimming. But, doing it alone, with an inexperienced nanny made it a long 24 hours. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight!

But, hey, at least we tried!!!

Betsy