Knott's Berry Farm and Autism

Knott's, we've been going for years, it was and has been fantastic therapy for my boys.  They learned how to stay with me, deal with crowds, waiting, and some social skills.   See my boys are thrill seekers, and like the caliber of roller coaster available at Knott's Berry Farm (mom not so much in love with that part).  So I sacrifice my nerves and suck it up and get on rides that scare me from seeing them from the freeway.

So if you're looking for a gift to give a family or child with autism that you may know.  I would suggest a Knott's Berry Farm Season Pass.  Why a season pass you ask?  Well they're affordable, $90 for the entire year, with no black out dates.  They have light crowds a lot of the time that make the park not the sensory nightmare some other places can be.  It's a great way to get the families out and participating in the community.  Knott's has stepped up their Autism game even since we have had passes the last 4 years.  The disability pass lets you plan your day, and they give you boarding pass times to enter rides at the exit, which makes the whole experience possible for us.  However, my children have learned to wait at Knott's and have patience, we can tolerate a 15- 20 minute line if a ride is highly preferred. 

There are usually great musical performances, there are a lot of quiet places to chill or take a sensory break if need be.  They have a gluten free menu in many of their restaurant facilities within the park. They're famous for their Fried Chicken and Boysenberry and since our diet is extremely limited and picky - the chicken strips at Knott's are second to none and a favorite in our family.  So it meets all my criteria ;)

Knott's Berry Farm also offers Kid Track, which is a child identification in the God forbidden instance you get separated from you child, it will help them get back to you immediately. 

I have found Knott's to be a life skills therapy for my two boys with autism, that has really helped them move forward and onto bigger things, that I never expected.  It has rides and attractions that are appropriate for all ages, and that's what I love.   This was their foundation, and stepping stones, that gave them the ability to go to the moves, to Sporting events, to small community concerts, so many doors it opened up for them.  Was it easy, absolutely not?  It was a place that made a lot of the success that they have now possible.  For that I will always be grateful. 

We started in Camp Snoopy years ago, and have grown up in that park, to now everyone being tall enough for Silver Bullet.  Those were the toughest years of autism,  the staff at Knott's was always helpful and offered their suggestions that would make our experience easier, and even went above and beyond in some instances. 

I can't speak enough about Knott's we are there about once a month throughout the year, so we hit up all their different seasons.  The fall from Camp Spooky and the Haunt, and winter for Merry Farm are our favorites, but Easter Time is beautiful in the park and Camp Snoopy has a great Easter Egg hunt.

Oh and I almost forgot the dining pass.  $99 added to your season pass and you can eat lunch and dinner at the park every visit.  If you're aware of theme park food, it's expensive, this is the deal of the century!

So if you're stumped on what to get a family or a child you know, this would be a gift of ability, growth, and life skills that every kid especially those on the Autism Spectrum could use.

Autism Adult Housing Tsumani

In November I attended the 5^th Autism Speaks Town Hall Meeting on Adult Housing.  I was excited to go and left there feeling anxious, apprehensive, scared, and determined to help solve this tsunami that is about to hit communities all over the country if action isn’t taken soon or more like IMMEDIATELY.

Panelist Fran Solmor made the most personal and powerful statement to me because she actually a parent of a child and adult child with autism.

"I am here tonight because like all of you who are parents, I go to bed every night worrying about where our daughter will live when we are no longer around.  My greatest concern is this: will Sarah have a home and a community to live in?  Right now, the answer is that there are very few options.  Our job is to fix that problem."

I want to fix the problem too, but don't have the slightest clue as to where to begin, and what struck me at this event, was that none of the panelists had a viable plan or solution, and frankly that hurt my stomach, and made me cry.  It feels like diagnosis day all over again, Good Luck, see you in a year and they send you on your way.

Since my kids with autism, are still relatively young – 6 and 8 this month, housing was not on the forefront of my mind.  I’ve still been trying to maneuver my way through the IEP process and Regional Center labyrinth.  So I was frankly caught completely off guard when at this presentation most of the participants were saying there is a lack of housing.  No, not a lack of housing, there is basically for lack of a better word – NOTHING that will be there for my kids if action – serious action isn’t taken now.  That action needs to be taken legislatively, through the faith based communities, and the private sector as well trying to solve this problem.  While there was Senator Correa speaking at the event, I was left completely deflated with his lack of solution, and no words of HOW to make it HAPPEN.  And when I say IT I mean, actually housing come to fruition for the tidal wave of children reaching adulthood with autism that is coming to our state. 

One action item that came out of the meeting was the December 7^th Walk Now of Autism Speaks event at Anaheim Stadium, where Autism Votes will have petitions to sign to start the legislative process going.  There will be at least 5000 people that can sign these petitions and help move the process and get this in front of the legislature who HOPEFULLY will have our kids interests at heart.

I never thought I would say there was anything scarier in my life than my kids being diagnosed with autism, because there is not a “manual” on how to treat autism, so you basically follow “advice” and fly with whatever treatments, therapies, and medical interventions work for your kids. However, this new knowledge of how severely impacted our kids will be if all of us as an autism community don’t ban together and make a difference here, that is the scariest thing ever.  I have not slept a good night since, because I feel like I have to make a difference, and I can’t stop the worry of “What will happen to my kids, when I’m no longer here?”  So the only thing I can do to help stop that worry is take action.  I can not trust that our dysfunctional frozen government is going to be able to deal with this.  I can’t put my kids will being completely in that basket that I frankly don’t trust.  

I have always thought I would be there to take care of my kids, because they NEED me, and one of my kids is so severely impacted by autism, I have just cluelessly thought - "I can never die" - joking but not really joking.  And now I feel that thought is going to haunt me.

As a mommy, I have to now add to my already overwhelming plate of AUTISM to make a solution.  I don’t think the government will ever do anything to care for these kids adequately, so as a community we have to come together and think, plan and do something to make a community for our children and help avoid the tsunami of adults that are about to hit the system.

I am open and looking for any ideas anyone has here. 

Rebecca