Boo

We had our first "peer party" this weekend and it was a huge success! After much thought I had decided to have a Halloween costume party for the kids. We invited all of Jessica's preschool class which consists of other children, like her, who have Autism. We also invited some family and friends to help make things feel a little more familiar. I knew Jessica would be exstatic to have all of her friends at her house but I wasn't sure what Will would think about his world being invaded by a bunch of rowdy, random kids. He did great. Yes, the noise level was extremely high and more than a few times I noticed that Will had his fingers in his ears, but overall he was amazing. No meltdowns. No hiding in his room. He wore his costume without protest and interacted nicely with those he knew. We played games where the children won prizes and we ate lots of yummy snacks. All-in-all a triumph for the Cunion family.

Here's my complaint though...Why is it so hard to RSVP? I had invited 10 children from Jessica's class and only heard back from 3! Since I didn't hear one way or the other I knew I had to prepare for the possibility that they could show up. That meant planning for food for 7 more children and their parents. That meant having prizes for 7 more children (each child won a prize for each game we played). That meant having 7 more treat bags for the kids to take home. I'm not trying to be cheap but it is just plain rude to not RSVP when an invitation specifically asks you to.

The important thing is that the children had a great time and accomplished another milestone: hosting a peer party. Little victories my friends...but I treasure them.