But hey I can’t sit at home thinking these kids are going to make any trip a nightmare (even if they have a LOT of form for doing so).  I have to try to have a holiday break, you never know when they (the minions) may get their shit together and behave.

So this summer break we made an effort to get out there and do holiday stuff, like people with neuro-typical kids get to do.  Yes it was probably going to suck, and it was highly likely that our children would reduce us, tour operators, zoo keepers and our holiday neighbours to tears.  But we simply had to try.  Not to prove anything to anyone, not even ourselves, we just have to find a way to feel like a family on holidays.  Too often the Husband and I do activities separately, because one of us will have to stay back with the children that won’t cope with an activity.  You can imagine how much fun this is for the parent left behind.

Last week we went over to the South Coast, and what’dya know they kind of kept it together.  They even stayed in their seat belts for the three-hour car ride, that has never happened before, I’m usually looking for duct tape half an hour in.  We even dared to take them on a Dolphin watching cruise, that went okay – well as okay as confining six kids on a boat with 30 strangers, three of those kids having sensory issues and the wind blowing at around 20 knots, could go – we sailed around Jervis Bay for two hours saw two dolphins.  It has been something we’ve meant to do for years, but have let these kids hold us back.

This past year the Husband and I had a bit of a revelation, we worked out that we were not having any fun, because we didn’t want to try to get out there and do things with our kids that everybody else gets to do with their kids. I’ve talked about this before, I can’t just go to the shop for a loaf of bread when I have an autistic child, I HAVE to plan it.  I also have to my runners on for when the kid absconded.  This is the price of Autism for a lot of families, well we’ve had enough.

To celebrate his birthday I thought I’d share an old post, back where Charlie’s story began, on twitter… Charlie’s birth story tweeted.

Happy Birthday Charlie!

These very simple and cheap apps are fairly easy for the little ones to navigate, and if they can’t they can just poke at the screen until something happens (isn’t that how everyones kids drive their iPods?)

The Beach Fun app is great prep for a trip to the beach, the kids get to apply sunblock, put on hats and sunnies or build a sandcastle.  They can knock down the sandcastle too.  I thought this app could be developed a little further, maybe they could go play on the beach or swim, but other than that it’s a good little app.

Say Cheese is a camera app, and who hasn’t got a toddler who loves to take a hundred photos of themselves with Mums iPhone, my kids love this one.  It has 10 picture frames for the kids to choose from, and then they can take their picture along with the Bananas.  Once a picture is taken you can dress yourself up in hats and glasses, or add extra characters and objects and save the resulting picture.  The Bananas commentate while you take the photo, which my kids thought was hilarious.  Check out an image of Georgie below, the apps biggest fan

Click on the images if you’d like to be taken to iTunes to download the apps

Every kids loves the Bananas, and I’d bet they’d love their very own Bananas dvd!  To be in the draw to win a copy of The Magic Trick comment below, and share what is your kids (or your own) favourite show on ABC2.  (Australian entrants only sorry)

Eight episodes of the all new CGI Bananas, now available on DVD at most department stores and ABC shops.

Disclosure: I received complimentary downloads of the Bananas in Pyjamas iPhone apps and a giveaway copy of Bananas in Pyjamas “The Magic Trick” DVD courtesy of ABC for Kids via Digital Parents. No financial payment was offered nor accepted for this post. All opinions expressed are purely my own. Winner drawn on the 12th of January 2012.

And the winner is LIZ!  My girls chose your comment as the winner, please check your email inbox for a message from me

A moment ago I went to the loo, all I needed was a mere two minutes alone.  I had hardly begun to warm the seat when I was joined by three children and the dog.   All wanting something from me, or had brought me something to open or do for them.  Business concluded I left the toilet three children & dog in tow, and one bottle of cordial, two sippy cups, two dvds and a bag of cookies under my arms.  I swear these kids have absolutely no boundaries.  I now know why my mother would call out from the loo when she was in there; “I’m in here!” if she heard the slightest bump in the house (or the house next door even), a kind of veiled ‘piss off kid’ I’m sure.

One day I will miss all this right?

2012 Calendar