Pley (Toys) for Special Needs Children

TOYS:

Toys for typical children and what is called equipment for the stimulation needs of those with special needs are desired but all take up space. Every child needs both toys for play, pretend and educational stimulation. Parents, grandparents, friends, and other family, spend years collecting, gathering, organizing, storing and reintroducing these “toys” into the lives of our children. Toys, that spur arguments, expose language you did not want to expose your children to when you step on the ones they failed to pick up out of the floor before bedtime; and that also make a mind full of memories filled with fun and enjoyable moments; some of which are lucky enough to be captured on film for hours of viewing entertainment for a lifetime by everyone thanks to the world wide web and social media.

SPACE:

Whether you have too much space (yes it is possible) or too little space; over time you still have to contend with….The PURGE!! An activity you absolutely cannot partake in with children no mater the age or ability. You try to rationalize with the little ones explaining the need to make room for new toys; and pass along the ones that have not been used for months or years. But in that moment every toy becomes your child’s most prized possession they cannot bear to part with; and should they pass along this toy to another well deserving child in need a piece of there heart will be forever broken; lost in a sea of loneliness and despair.

ISSUE OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN:

With your special needs child you perhaps do not notice so much of this issue; but I promise it is there because mentally they are there. They see you rummaging through their things or the things of there siblings. The things in brother and sister’s rooms that they have always wanted; but could never express the desire in a way in which you would understand. The heartache is there. The heartache is real. The expression is hidden because their ability of communication is different from that of your typically developing child.

THE QUESTIONS?

Do we, as parent’s, PURGE ON realizing that someday 20 plus years from now they will understand? But at this moment we will hear about this horrible life experience for the remainder of the week every morning at breakfast and every night as they pray for their toys to return to them. Is this one of those monumental events like my clean underwear on my head my grandmother made me wear when she insisted on sponge rolling my straight, stringy hair overnight? (Yes, this really happened and we laughed about it for years. Before she passed away she said if she had known it was going to be that much of memorable “tragedy” she would have picked another way. Love you, GG)

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