The Benefits of Outdoor Activities
A growing number of research studies indicate that outdoor activities provide many benefits for people, including restorative or stress-reducing effects. One study found outdoor activities provide seven main benefits to children on the autism spectrum, including promoting communication, emotion-regulation, interaction, physical activity, and decreased sensory sensitivities.
Our Outdoor Adventures!
Last Saturday, January 21, 2017, we all met at Lake Houston Park in New Caney, Texas. It rained hard the days prior to this and an intense rain storm blew through the night before. I thought about canceling for fear of an onslaught of mosquitoes and muddy hiking trails. Thankfully, my daughter encouraged me to practice patience and asked me to wait. I am so glad I did. It could not have been a more perfect day at the park with clear skies, a moderate temperature, and very few people. Splendid!
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| Live Snakes |
We met at the Nature Center. In the Nature Center there were five rooms with different themes: Wilderness, Reptiles, Forest, Reading room, and Wetlands. The Wilderness was all display animals, some live turtles, and a beautifully created "Wilderness" environment. When all was quiet and still, one truly felt like one was in the Wilderness. The Reading room had a small reading nook that looks like a tree. The Reptile room had live snakes, charts, and snake skins that can be touched. The Forest room had a live Chilean Rose Tarantula and other non-living insects on display. And The Wetlands had a bunch of aquariums with live turtles swimming and turtle shells on display.
There was a small nature library, different animal furs that could be touched, and all kinds of interesting information to be learned. After the kids and parents finished checking out all the rooms, we all used the restrooms and prepared for our hike.
The Hike
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| Bridge Over Peach Creek |
When everyone was present and accounted for we set off to hike the Magnolia trail. To get to the trail, we walked over a bridge that crossed over Peach Creak. The water was much higher than usual, due to the rains over the past few days, completely covering the beach area. Magnolia trail was the second left after we crossed over the bridge.
Once we were on Magnolia trail, the kids ["J", "L", "A", "N"], and one young adult sibling, ["R"] took the lead while us parents walked slowly behind enjoying the beautiful sounds of the woods, spotting all kinds of creatures and wild berries. There are signs on the trails with information on the uses of certain trees, animal tracks, and berries.
The trails had some puddles, but the kids managed them very well. It was so peaceful and energizing to be among natural life. Us moms were focused on our kids, but I got the sense that each of us truly needed this disconnect from the "rush of life". The kids stuck together and enjoyed being ahead of us, leading the way.
Chow Time!
After our hike, we asked, "Are you all ready to eat?" At the same time, they said, "Yes!". So we walked over to the Peach Creek Group site to unpack the food and build the fire. "R" assisted in building the fire and keeping it going.
While the fire was being built, two moms ["Ro" and "Y"] and their kids played board games. One mom, ["E"], grilled the hot dogs over the fire. Once the hot dogs were ready, we filled up our plates and sat together near the fire eating and chatting. After we finished our meal, we set off to find "marshmallow sticks".
Two of the kids had never roasted marshmallows. "J" (right) was a bit apprehensive at first, but once he saw what was expected, he picked it right up; eventually roasting his own marshmallow. It was also "A's" (left) first time roasting a marshmallow. He knelt down next to his mom and roasted his marshmallow, then immediately got up with excitement and ran around the campsite.
Insects!
We did not see many insects during our hike, so when "R" saw a Canker worm hanging from a tree by it's silky web, "L", and "N" jumped up with her to check it out. The worm fell to the ground and "R" picked it up with a leaf and put it back in the tree.
Toward the end of our adventures, "J" began listening to Beat It by Michael Jackson, so we jammed out for a while. It was such a relaxing time for all of us. Our next outdoor adventure is scheduled for February 25, 2017 at the same park. 😄
There is no amount of money in the world that can buy us more time. Nor is there a holier than thou prayer that can make more time miraculously appear. Twenty-four hours is all we get. Parents do their best to balance, juggle, and manage their time demands in a way that is healthy and productive for their family. They use the skills and resources they have available. However, parents of children with special needs cannot always rely on the skills and resources they have to keep their families moving forward. Many of these parents require more skills, resources, and support than parents of typical developing children.
Prior to our daughter's diagnosis, parental care giving demands were typical for my husband and I. We participated in social gatherings that were appropriate for an infant or a toddler. We praised our daughter's numerous developmental milestones. Our time demands, during this period of our life, did not center around our daughter. I decided to go back to school to pursue another degree while I cared for her at home. My husband worked full-time and went to college full-time. We were concerned about many of the same things as other families after having a baby. And just like many other families, we kept ourselves motivated by continually looking ahead and seeing only success. We had long, drawn out discussions about the condition of the world, our daughter's education, our business ventures, where we would eventually live, and when we would have another child. Then one day an early child intervention (ECI) specialist told us she believed our daughter was autistic.
After we received a clinical diagnosis, all time demands centered around our daughter. We did not spend one more second discussing anything relating to "the future". Our perception of reality immediately scrolled in from the wide world of known and attainable possibilities to a vast world of inconceivable unknowns. We became obsessively focused on our little girl. We lost all sense of time, separated from community and culture, and quickly realized that our society was not set up to understand our autistic daughter and all her needs. Our understanding, training, and education on "how to survive in this world's system" slowly became worthless. We were not prepared to dive into this huge pool of knowledge containing "what-ifs, how do I do that, where do I go from here", but we did.
Support
Numerous studies reveal the benefits of social support. However, after my daughter's diagnosis, I was in no condition to "socialize" even in a parent support setting. I was too overwhelmed to participate in support meetings, respites, and other social interactions. I was focused on the constant barrage of therapy appointments, managing severe behaviors, homeschooling, and helping my daughter overcome language & communication issues. I felt alone, isolated, and worried all the time.
In hindsight, I wish I would have participated in support meetings and respites during my daughter's early years. Why? Because I desperately needed resources, emotional support, and direction. Support meetings and respite provide these as well as genuine encouragement, new ideas, strategies, and a sense of "I am not alone." Furthermore, support meetings and respites strengthen us, re-balance our minds, and gives us room to breathe. This is important, because we are the active agents in our child and family's lives. We are the ones laying down the foundation upon which they can build and grow. We must take care of ourselves in order to effectively care for our children and family.
Researchers have shown child early intervention (EI) strategies are most effective when the caregiver's emotional state is stable. Additionally, researchers have also shown that when parents are stressed and exhausted, there is an increase in problem child behaviors in our children.
Support meetings are available all over the city of Houston and in surrounding areas. Check the HARS calendar for one near you.
While the fire was being built, two moms ["Ro" and "Y"] and their kids played board games. One mom, ["E"], grilled the hot dogs over the fire. Once the hot dogs were ready, we filled up our plates and sat together near the fire eating and chatting. After we finished our meal, we set off to find "marshmallow sticks". 
Two of the kids had never roasted marshmallows. "J" (right) was a bit apprehensive at first, but once he saw what was expected, he picked it right up; eventually roasting his own marshmallow. It was also "A's" (left) first time roasting a marshmallow. He knelt down next to his mom and roasted his marshmallow, then immediately got up with excitement and ran around the campsite. 
