I'm a real newbie at this so excused please as - learn. I just found out about knitting squares about a week ago and it sounded so good I started right in. I was looking for something for a charity that I can do. I have 2 grown kids with disabilities who are still at home-for now. One is 22 and autistic-severe with aggression. His sister is 21 and blind with bipolar disorder. They are handfulls. I spent the day at the ER then hospital as my elderly dad was admitted with heart problems again. It all keeps me busy and stressed. Knitting is relaxing and it is something I can do for someone else despite a hectic life. I've done needlework since I was a kid. It feels so good if I can help someone else with my work. I have 4 squares done and am excited about making more. What a wonderful project! I have a wonderful husband and a fun Jack Russel terrier and 3 lovey kitties. We have a full, active house. Hope to be able to converse with some of you.

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  • You sound like a super-mom! Then again, those of us with special needs kids have to be, don't we? I have 2 daughters, 14 and 9. My oldest has ADHD, Tourette's Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder, and is being tested for Asperger's Syndrome. I , too knit to relax. I usually take some time after they have gone to bed to knit and unwind from the day. Bedtime is usually a battle, so I really need my "me" time. Best of luck to you, and hope to hear from you soon!
  • Lovely to meet you Susie.

    As you will have noticed we have a very caring and compassionate community here. So lovely to have you and I hope very much that you get a lot out of this. As someone said it is amazing that you still have a thought for other people.

    I look forward to chatting with you in the future Susie x x x
    • Thank you Kalai. What a pretty name. Yes I do see a lot if caring people here. I appreciate hearing from them. My kids are both adopted from Korea. We didn't know of the autism or bipolar disorders at the time. but they are our kids. They are real handfuls at this stage. But I love the thought of doing something to help others. I'd love to volunteer my time, but I'm really too busy between kids and aging parents. But I can sit down and knit in the evening and it is relaxing and I love the idea it can warm some little ones. I can volunteer from home-neat. Hope to hear from you again. Thanks forwriting. Susie
      • Totally understandable Susie, sounds like you have a very full plate. I really hope that the stress calms down at some point and that you and your husband get some rest.

        Keep in contact Susie, chat soon x x x
  • Hi Susie, Do either one of your children go to a sheltered workshop during the day? My dtr, Beth, with Autism goes to a county program for developmental disabilities. She is in the workshop part as she prefers that as the recreational part isn't structured enough for her. She can't carry on a conversation like you and I but uses commercial and mostly phrases she has learned that fit the situation. She understands more than she can express. She is not agressive and in fact she has been picked on by people on the bus and former room-mates. She is in supported living as we were able to get a waiver to pay for caregivers and she pays her rent, utilities out of her social security. As we get older (we are in late 60's) we worry about what would happen to her if we couldn't take care of her so this is in place now and my husband and I can spend time together and do things without worring about Beth. Of course I still worry about her as all Mothers with disabled children do. We have to speak up for them. Just last week the local Hobby Lobby store wasn't going to let her buy a skein of yarn with a % off cpn. as I also used one . She has her own money and goes with me most weeks to that store. I complained as if my husband had been with me and bought a skein of yarn nothing would have been said to him. She was singled out because of her Autism. She finally gave Beth the % off. I wrote the co. and got a nice letter back that said that a customer is one with their own money and if this happened again to talk to the mananger and he was going to tell the store about it. I don't like to argue with them in front of Beth as she thinks she is in trouble which she isn't. Have you had any of these problems? Jan
    • Hi Jan. My son goes to s Day Program> His vision and fine motor and behaviors all keep him from the only sheltered workshop I know of around here. He had cataracts when he was born and now after knocking his implants loose and nearly tearing his retinas, he has no lenses and poor vision. At the day program he plays with plastic keys(baby keys) or bottles with string in them that he flicks in front of his face. He is smarter than he seems. He can point to letters on a board and spell out what is on his mind, but he needs physical supportat the hand to do it. His speech is limited, some of it is real speech, some delayed echoes of things heard years ago. He isn't conversational. He doesn't handle money so no we've never had a situation like you had. That just wasn't right. Was it a young person? People have no idea how to treat people different from them> The dayprogram was taking Patrick to the Y to swim and another customer got nasty saying people like him had no business being there. The director complained to management, but didn't make a stink. It wouldn't have helped that bone head change his mind anyway. My daughter sometimes goes to Aurora club, it is sort of like a day program for folks with mental health or MR issues. She helps make lunch, and helps with some tasks, but also playss a lot of games and socializes. Both kids are adopted from Korea. We did not know the full extent of their challenges. Autism and bipolar were surprises. Vision impairment and blindness we knew about. Laura Beth did hold a job for a while, but she also had ADHD and really wasn't following their directions.. She then relapsed into manic phase after sneaking and being up late texting on a phone her boyfriend gave her. It spoke the texts. She didn't get enough sleep and that sends her back into manic. She was hospitalized. She was on a 3 week disciplinary suspension from the job at the time. She insisted on going back, but messed up again and got fired. Her bipolar is truly a biger obstacle than her blindess. She is impossible tolive with these days. She is supposed to be trying to find supportive housing with help from her case manager, but while she doesn't wantto live here, she doesn't want that either. She is very immautre, not ready to be independent. We are waiting for approval for a house for Patrick--supported of course. He has his waiver money too. We just need state approval. Tom and I are in our 50's and wearing out fast from the stress. We need to have them in a good place for their well being and our own. I knowI will always worry, I guess it never stops fpor a Mom, but I'd also enjoy some quiet time with my dear hubby. He is a great guy and deserves some peace. That is hard to come by around here of late. Sounds like you have a good situation for your daughter. I'm glad. I wish you well. Keep in touch if you can and I will try to do the same. Nice meeting you. Susie
      • Hi Susie, Our daughter Beth is also adopted. We got her at 5 weeks of age. She has what they call late onset Autism. She was easy to potty train and get off the bottle but as she got in the toddler stage began to regress. Supported living is good for my husband and me as it gives us some time together without being caregivers but I miss her not being home. She does come home 2-3 days a week, usually 2 as to much time away from her supported living house messes up her 2 room-mates funding for caregivers as they divide pay for caregivers by how many are there. We didn't know anything about Autism when she was diagnosed but sure do now. Poeople have made remarks behind our backs like why didn't we take her back when we found out she had Autism. Once they put that child in your arms they are yours and not like a used car to be returned. You love them dearly no matter what. It can get tiresome dealing with the stress. For instance Beth cut her thumb open yesterday and went to ER and they glued it shut and today she picked the glue off and so they said to leave it as she would do it again and did not want to stitch it as she would probably take stitches out and won't leave a band-aid on anything Now it is oozing and then she picked a scab off her face and had blood all over from that. She always picks scabs off and so she is home for 3 days and I am trying to deal with this. She didn't go to bed until after 2 am as upset due to her thumb. When she is sick or hurt she wants to be home with Mom and Dad. Dad doesn't tolerate all her get into stuff as well as I do. I worked part-time for 29 yrs. as a nurse at a nursing home so used to some of the behaviors from there. Jan
  • Welcome!

    I think you may find that over your time here with us at KAS, you will get more friendship and support than you realized, as there are many people here who are in similar, very hectic households and we make up for one large, constantly changing online community. I would like to thank you in advance for choosing KAS to be the recipient of your spare time.
    • Thank you. I can see from the replies there are a lot of very nice people involved here. I do thinkI'll enjoy this.
    • I second this Kyla. Welcome Susie. I hope that over the months, you will get a great deal of comfort in what must be a very stressful day to day life from your knitting for KAS. There are so many caring people in this community, we are all lucky to belong.

      Would either of your children be able to, or benefit from, the learning to knit a plain square. Or perhaps making a scrap book? I know that the disabilities of severe autism and bi-polar may make these activities impossible, but it is a thought and perhaps if it worked in anyway, you could let us know. We have heard from a variety of people with a range of illnesses and disabilities that knitting is therapeutic. Recently we heard from a woman whose mother had alzheimers but remembered how to knit and had taken back to it with a passion resulting in finding a great deal of peace.

      It seems wonderful to me that knitting a square can have a double benefit, for their children when they get their blankets but also for all kinds of reasons for the maker.
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