How My Neurodiverse Family Found a Space Where We Could Be Ourselves

What I love most about Extreme Kids is the emotional space we are given to be ourselves. This is a story I recently shared on my Atypical Kids, Mindful Parents Blog, in 3 parts: 1. How My Neurodiverse Family Found a Space Where We Could Be Ourselves 2. Why a "Perfectly Fine" Coat Can Be Torture if You Have Sensory Aversions 3. A Safe Space for Every Kid to Play Freely Without Judgment or Stares We hear the glee and upset in dozens of voices, the trampoline squeaking and the ball pit rustling. We see primary colors, swinging swings, and bouncing children. A random soft ball glances off us as we play. We spin on a tire hanging from the ceiling. We land on giant beanbags. Crawl through tunnels. Spin in, pop out of, or hide inside multi-colored foam barrels. Somehow we aren’t overwhelmed, overstimulated, or overtired. For us it’s an indoor paradise. But the physical space is not what I love most. It’s the emotional space we are given to be ourselves. It is also what is absent: dirty looks, unwanted advice, and misunderstanding... Now, I know it’s a trusting relationship that matters. The kind of acceptance we learned at Extreme Kids. I can’t know who we would be as a family without this community, because we were lucky enough to grow up within it. I do know how lonely I felt before I found it.  Who cares if Ocean wears elastic waist pants to his own wedding? I just want him to love and be loved. Now, I believe that it will happen. A version of this story was first published at MUTHA Magazine.