Compulsory Craft Time
By Veronica Smith – 11 CommentsIn the spirit of the new year I am going to make the best out of a situation that we haven’t really got any control over – hubby is as well.
My now 14 year old daughter has normal intelligence but what amounts to a processing problem (Severe Mixed Orthophonological Literacy Disability). This means that we have spent many years with assessments and help. All of these have been away from home and given our location always 1 – 2 hours from home, and we’ve been doing it 1 to 3 times a week for years.
What has this got to do with crochet? Well as it turns out it has lots to do with it this year. She has progressed and needs a new type of help and the help will be coming to us. That’s right, coming to our home, NO traveling any more. This will make it so much easier on everybody including my daughter who wont have to be extra stressed and tired from traveling. Back to crochet. The nice new specialist will be here Sunday’s for 3.5 hours. This means her and my daughter will need quiet for that time. This in turns means that my eldest, my hubby and I all need to be out of the way.
…You hear that, “out of the wayâ€. This means that I will get 3.5 uninterrupted hours in my craft room that I won’t feel guilty for taking. Hubby gets the same in his office/studio where he has a myriad of things to do, or he can go to the shed. The 21 year old will either be at work or she can get some of her studies done or just mess around in her room (she’s a nerd, if she isn’t at work she will take the opportunity to do uni stuff).
Anyway – for the first time in 10 years there is ‘intervention’ (which is what they politely call special help) that I don’t have to be involved with. Hope that doesn’t sound like bad parenting, she is 14 now and hates me in with her on all these sessions all the time, she gets enough of me when we have to do all the follow up work. She’s actually feeling quite positive about this, probably feeling a bit more independent and in control of what is happening to her.
So back where I started this blurb. I have 3.5 guilt free hours to play with yarn every week. Now I suppose I am going to have to have something to show for my time? I hope so.
Oh, and I have just downloaded Rachel’s “Diamond Eyelet Wrap Sweater†pattern so I should get on to that and show it off!
…guilt free crochet time. Now all I have to figure out is how to get guilt free chocolate consumption and things will be perfect!
I would do the exact same thing! It’s really fantastic that you can get help to come to your home now. Enjoy your “Quiet time”
mmm hard to enjoy chocolate while crocheting though!
You can enjoy white chocolate mocha while you crochet! Coffee and crochet, hmmmm! sounds refreshing!! Oh, by the way, you should never feel guilty about taking time for yourself and crocheting. I never do!!!
Enjoy your craft time.
Wonderful! Enjoy your time, and don’t forget that you have certainly earned it over the years.
Hi, How wonderful you will be able to have some ‘ME’ time. I used to dream about it and then I was forced into retirement. Now ‘ME’ time is every day!!! I can do whatever I want (more or less since hubby is also retired) Enjoy your time and I am sure your daughter will appreciate you even more. You certainly deserve the time.
It is great your daughter is getting one-on-one care in a familiar environment. Veronica, this is an opportunity for her to be involved with her own care without mommy watching over her, which will allow her to take next step toward maturity. You have sacrificed alot for your daughter, so you should not feel guilty of your “me time.” Wishing you all the best. (from an almost retired pediatric advice RN :))
Hi Veronica,
I can completely understand your joy at having that time to yourself. My son has a special needs (ASD ADHD and ODD) and finding the balance in your life to have time to yourself to just do anything that pleases you is a rare occurrence, crochet is one of my passions but sadly as my son is only 11 years I do not have much time to crochet. Enjoy you time well as I am sure that your whole family deserves it.
Regards Emma
You are wise to spend those 3.5 hours re-charging in your studio. It will make you a better wife and mother the rest of the week when everyone needs your attention.
As for the chocolate, eat it for the antioxidants! 😀
This is wonderful news for you and your daughter. My son is autistic and he used to have ABA therapy at our home and I used that time as well for me, whether it was catching up on cleaning, reading or just crocheting. If we don’t take care of ourselves how can we possibly take care of those we love?
I know how it is to have a child with a disability-my son(now24) has many attentional problems all stemming from ADHD,ADD, OCD,and emotional issues-so having any “alone,me time” is quite cherished…
Somehow,they all grow up in spite of it all,and learn coping and compensating mechanisms. We have to consider ourselves lucky that there are available specialists and therapists out there with knowledge increasing daily to help.
So-enjoy your quiet time,and thank you for all your posts!