Trust me, this one is too fast.
Kids love it. Any person beyond 35 will have some issues with it. It needs to come with some sort of warning.
It's Spring "Break" here in New York, and I'm sweating it out with the kids, kids who are lacking in sensory integration therapy. Sleep disturbances, pacing, crashing into furniture, irritability, moodiness, instability, mouthing objects, toilet regression...ahhh, good times.
Enter, our good friend The Carousel.
Our older son adores the light and sound sensations that come along with the carousels in our local area (four in our vicinity and one more an hour away). However, one important tool those carousels provide for him and for us is sensory input.
The circular motion of a carousel offers vestibular input, helping a child with sensory integration issues to calm and organize himself, to feel where his body is in space. Yes, all that really can come from a carousel.
That's why we do it. We take him daily. And, during breaks, we take him to as many as we can.
'Round and 'round and 'round it turns.
You know, you can feel the spinning more intensely from the top deck.
'Round and 'round and 'round it turns.
I will not move my eyes from the keyboard on my phone.
'Round and 'round and 'round it turns.
Focus. If I look away, I will surely lose my breakfast. I think to the handful of carouses in the area and the fact that it is still morning. I'm toast.
Round and round and round it turns.
Now on the bottom deck, I take it back. The spinning feels just as bad here. My goose has been cooked on this evil kiddie ride.
'Round and 'round and 'round it turns.
Phone closed. Chin to chest. Eyes focused downward. We have at least three more rides to go on this one.
'Round and 'round and 'round it turns.
Next time, I'm taking some dramamine.
This entry was made in response to the letter prompt "L" in the Blogging A to Z Challenge April 2012
********************************
Visit Morgue File for your photo blogging needs--free of charge and free for public use.
I can kinda empathize. I can't watch things that swing. Like swings on swing set or the big rides at the amusement parks (think that big boat that swings back and forth and eventually loops around). Anyway--for my daughter when she needs to destress she goes to the swings out back. She loves the swing at OT/PT too. It helps her get that sensory input. I just can't stand to watch it though, as my stomach turns!! Yikes.
ReplyDeleteBrave Brave Momma--3 times?? WOW!!
Cheers, Jenn
Four-to-six times per carousel, usually. Ugh. At our local amusement park, that ship ride is called the Sea Dragon. It's evil also! My husband and I really do take dramamine before we go to the parks...the spinning rides are the worst!
DeleteDon't like anything that spins fast, but I do think the old-fashioned carousels look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI agree on both accounts!
DeleteLoved the pictures I found on Morgue File for this entry. Our son has taught me the visual beauty of carousels. We have taken so many pictures ourselves of the various carousels we've visited. Some in our area are over 100 years old. I really appreciate the history.
You really area an excellent writer, and from an objective perspective (that as you mom maybe can't take) this is great material. You should submit some of your blogs on BlogHer.com Have I said that allready?
ReplyDeleteAs for rides; the last one I went on was about ten years ago, one of those awful teacup things. I came out feeling green and as if I'd bruised my ribs. I'm terrifed of all those things now. Maybe I liked being terrified when I was younger but not in middle age....
Thank you so much! You just made my day---week--month!!
DeleteI registered on BlogHer...didn't do anything with it. Don't even understand it, truthfully. So much of it takes time that I've not found. Thanks for planting the seed. I'll try. I appreciate the support.
We have a nice little park in our area that has served our boys well. Aside from being fun, it really has provided for their sensory needs. Ugh. Dad and I both feel as though we should buck up and do this for them, but it gets harder every year!
I'm a little queasy just thinking about all the round & round.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're pimping MorgueFile! You rock!!
Beth, I'm mentioning MorgueFile in every entry where I use pictures. Thanks for the reference!!
DeleteI am so with you. I get dizzy just watching these things. Every time we go to Disney I take Dramamine so I don't have to make my husband go on the rides alone. Funny, though, when I was a kid I loved the Tilt-a-Whirl and never got sick. I'm glad to know I'm not the only adult who feels like a wimp on these rides.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad to hear someone else takes Dramamine!!
DeleteOh, I got nauseous just from your description. But found it fascinating to learn about the "vestibular input". I used to ride the "swings" until one day, I felt like I did reading your blog today and that was the last day I ever graced that ride!
ReplyDeleteAmy, it is interesting to learn that the TYPE of swinging actually can affect the child differently. Excite vs. calm and also that it doesn't take much for some vs. taking a whole lot for others. It is a science. I appreciate our occupational therapists very much.
DeleteOn the other hand, we have old fashioned tire swings in our yard, and I remember swinging on something similar as a child until I wanted to vomit. lol.
Different but also the same.
dang....................i am drinking..i NEVER drink, but my son bought some lemonade..but its MIKES and well..DANG its mikes HARDER lemonade with a WARNING sign.."hard and then some" just like reading your blogs!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOne day we will meet and i will buy this and we will toast laugh and hug together...cuz..your BOOK IS ON AMAZON!!!!
P.S. yes i adore reading your blogs...your life is for a reason..help PARENTS COPE and allow children with any form of autism...be UNDERSTOOD!!!!!!!!! yup
ReplyDeleteok i just burped...
ReplyDeletenow i am so CRACKING UP!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOASTING TO WHEREVER YOU ARE....overcome YOU GUYS WILL !!
ReplyDeleteWOOT WOOT!!!!!!1
AAAHAHAHAHAHA! Brenda, I love you and your spirit and the way you keep after me about this book!! I'm cracking up with you. Have just poured a glass of wine. It's cocktail hour on the last day of Spring "Break". I'm done with the bazillion carousel rides for the week, and I didn't complain ONCE!! (But I burped...even without the Mike's. lol!)
DeleteCheers!
what beautiful carousels---i just love to ride them--i remember the high it gave me as a kid---sorry it made you sick
ReplyDeleteI would so have to own one if I were you. It would have to be the right one and a safe one with the guts totally inaccessible to him, of course! ♥
ReplyDeletefaf
ReplyDeleteWow.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this disorder. I'm interested in learning more. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNew follower here. I’m enjoying reading my fellow “A to Z”ers. I look forward to visiting again.
Sylvia
http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/
I can handle the carousel, but that's about it as far as circular rides go. I lost my cookies on the ferris wheel in the 8th grade and I was done with rides that go round and round...
ReplyDeleteMy son loved the swings. We only took him to a smaller amusement park once, and he loved everything - except the lines. He would try to push past people in front of us and made the day not as fun. I don't have to take Dramamine, but the last couple of years, I no longer ride roller coasters with padded headrests where you dangle, because I'm too short and banged my head too much.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you found something that does calm your son and is fun at the same time. Sorry it's so hard for you - being dizzy and nauseous is not fun! And, you are a good writer about the challenges of living with autism!
Used to love carousels, and roller coaster, and...
ReplyDeleteI think my inner ears have changed. Totally in danger of losing my cookies, even THINKING about certain apparatus with the lights, spinning, sounds... where the Dramamine?