COLD DARK ROOM

[Tidgy's Dad]

Morning, Adam!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I should just make that my signature but then I'd be failing in brevity.

You just like the air of mystery.
Morning, Cameron!

 

[johnandjade]

Hey, John: What face is that in your avatar? ...and DON'T try to tell me it's you!!!!!

holly from the BBC show red dwarf

 

[johnandjade]

No sign of rain here, everything's dying.

you can have ours

 

[Moozillion]

The Santa shoot last night was very interesting.
To recap: my hubby is a professional photographer, and he was hired to do a Santa shoot at a clinic last evening. There was a professional Santa there (who also happens to be a personal friend of ours) and the kiddies would get turns sitting in his lap to tell them what they wanted for Christmas, and hubby would snap their picture with Santa.
Only this was a Neurobehavioral Clinic. These children have severe neurologic problems and require lot of therapy and skills training. The kids we had last night were the ones who were unable to tolerate going to the malls to get their pictures with Santa there.
The vast majority of the kids were autistic, some severely so. There were also some normal siblings too. The kids ranged from age 4 month to 12 years but most were between 7-12. They were all dressed up to see Santa, but the disabled kids, of course, were in disarray. The clinic staff wisely schedule only 1 kid or family group every 10 minutes. Many were non-verbal, and could only squeal or repeat their favorite words or sounds endlessly and pointlessly. Some echoed everything they heard, one spun in place. Their activity level was beyond "hyperactive." A couple of times I had to throw myself across the printer to keep a VERY fast autistic child from jamming his hands down in it. The backdrop nearly took a dive and the lights got switched off and on by one kid who was fascinated with lights. It's AMAZING how strong these kids can be- and some of them were large for their ages.

There was lots (LOTS) of screaming and a couple of melt-downs. But the parents and the staff were "front and center" and TREMENDOUSLY helpful. And the normal siblings were incredibly tolerant; several (even ones who were younger than their disabled sibling) even helped manage them because they knew their quirks so well. Joel (hubby) and Santa were amazingly patient and creative in working with the kids. The Santa has been doing this for 28 years (although he's employed as an insurance adjustor outside of Christmas season) and Joel has special certification to work with special needs children. Santa got his (very real) beard pulled a couple of times, but 2 other times, it was his big soft beard that fascinated and calmed the kids: stroking it like they stroke the family pet.

I found it a bit nerve-wracking, and we were changing our approach with every child. Joel shot 132 photos of which we printed 32, but he says that's not bad for a situation like this. He says the trick is to be QUICK and to shoot a lot, then you have a good chance of getting an image of that one oh-so-brief moment where the kid was half-smiling instead of grimacing, or actually ALMOST looking at the camera, etc.

The really wonderful thing is that they got some really GREAT photos of very ill kids, and in the photos the kids look normal, or very nearly so. Some of the parents had NEVER been able to get decent pictures of their child until then and their gratitude was tremendously touching. The clinic staff and the families were so happy, they want to do it again next year.

The whole experience was exhausting, but so humbling. Most of these kids will never be "normal" or be able to live independently. But their parents love them and have basically devoted their lifetime, both now and the foreseeable future, to their care. We have SO MUCH to be grateful for.

 

[meech008]

YOU WERE A CHRISTMAS BABY?!??!

I was!

 

[Moozillion]

I was!

I think that's really cool, but it takes sensitive handling by parents to make sure the child gets a real birthday celebration. I had a friend who had a Christmas baby, and they celebrated his birthday with a party on the HALF-YEAR so that Christmas didn't intrude. Of course he still got a cake on his real birthday. It seemed to work out well.
I was a Thanksgiving baby, which I think is great fun. My mom and I used to have an old running joke where I would say that I thought my being born on that day was the REASON we celebrated Thanksgiving; then she would make a crack about Thanksgiving turkeys!

 

[johnandjade]

The Santa shoot last night was very interesting.
To recap: my hubby is a professional photographer, and he was hired to do a Santa shoot at a clinic last evening. There was a professional Santa there (who also happens to be a personal friend of ours) and the kiddies would get turns sitting in his lap to tell them what they wanted for Christmas, and hubby would snap their picture with Santa.
Only this was a Neurobehavioral Clinic. These children have severe neurologic problems and require lot of therapy and skills training. The kids we had last night were the ones who were unable to tolerate going to the malls to get their pictures with Santa there.
The vast majority of the kids were autistic, some severely so. There were also some normal siblings too. The kids ranged from age 4 month to 12 years but most were between 7-12. They were all dressed up to see Santa, but the disabled kids, of course, were in disarray. The clinic staff wisely schedule only 1 kid or family group every 10 minutes. Many were non-verbal, and could only squeal or repeat their favorite words or sounds endlessly and pointlessly. Some echoed everything they heard, one spun in place. Their activity level was beyond "hyperactive." A couple of times I had to throw myself across the printer to keep a VERY fast autistic child from jamming his hands down in it. The backdrop nearly took a dive and the lights got switched off and on by one kid who was fascinated with lights. It's AMAZING how strong these kids can be- and some of them were large for their ages.

There was lots (LOTS) of screaming and a couple of melt-downs. But the parents and the staff were "front and center" and TREMENDOUSLY helpful. And the normal siblings were incredibly tolerant; several (even ones who were younger than their disabled sibling) even helped manage them because they knew their quirks so well. Joel (hubby) and Santa were amazingly patient and creative in working with the kids. The Santa has been doing this for 28 years (although he's employed as an insurance adjustor outside of Christmas season) and Joel has special certification to work with special needs children. Santa got his (very real) beard pulled a couple of times, but 2 other times, it was his big soft beard that fascinated and calmed the kids: stroking it like they stroke the family pet.

I found it a bit nerve-wracking, and we were changing our approach with every child. Joel shot 132 photos of which we printed 32, but he says that's not bad for a situation like this. He says the trick is to be QUICK and to shoot a lot, then you have a good chance of getting an image of that one oh-so-brief moment where the kid was half-smiling instead of grimacing, or actually ALMOST looking at the camera, etc.

The really wonderful thing is that they got some really GREAT photos of very ill kids, and in the photos the kids look normal, or very nearly so. Some of the parents had NEVER been able to get decent pictures of their child until then and their gratitude was tremendously touching. The clinic staff and the families were so happy, they want to do it again next year.

The whole experience was exhausting, but so humbling. Most of these kids will never be "normal" or be able to live independently. But their parents love them and have basically devoted their lifetime, both now and the foreseeable future, to their care. We have SO MUCH to be grateful for.

 

[Moozillion]

I was!

How did your parent handle your birthday?

 

[AZtortMom]

Hi everyone!!
I'm sorry I've been away! It's been so crazy at work. We are in our peak season which means I go in at midnight now until 9am. This crazy schedule lasts until just after Christmas.
I just have time to go home and eat and then go to bed for a little bit. I get to see my hubby for about an hour then back bed before back to work. Whew!

 

[meech008]

That sounds awful...

I guess everyone has family troubles at one point I'm just a venter haha. We will survive

 

[meech008]

The Santa shoot last night was very interesting.
To recap: my hubby is a professional photographer, and he was hired to do a Santa shoot at a clinic last evening. There was a professional Santa there (who also happens to be a personal friend of ours) and the kiddies would get turns sitting in his lap to tell them what they wanted for Christmas, and hubby would snap their picture with Santa.
Only this was a Neurobehavioral Clinic. These children have severe neurologic problems and require lot of therapy and skills training. The kids we had last night were the ones who were unable to tolerate going to the malls to get their pictures with Santa there.
The vast majority of the kids were autistic, some severely so. There were also some normal siblings too. The kids ranged from age 4 month to 12 years but most were between 7-12. They were all dressed up to see Santa, but the disabled kids, of course, were in disarray. The clinic staff wisely schedule only 1 kid or family group every 10 minutes. Many were non-verbal, and could only squeal or repeat their favorite words or sounds endlessly and pointlessly. Some echoed everything they heard, one spun in place. Their activity level was beyond "hyperactive." A couple of times I had to throw myself across the printer to keep a VERY fast autistic child from jamming his hands down in it. The backdrop nearly took a dive and the lights got switched off and on by one kid who was fascinated with lights. It's AMAZING how strong these kids can be- and some of them were large for their ages.

There was lots (LOTS) of screaming and a couple of melt-downs. But the parents and the staff were "front and center" and TREMENDOUSLY helpful. And the normal siblings were incredibly tolerant; several (even ones who were younger than their disabled sibling) even helped manage them because they knew their quirks so well. Joel (hubby) and Santa were amazingly patient and creative in working with the kids. The Santa has been doing this for 28 years (although he's employed as an insurance adjustor outside of Christmas season) and Joel has special certification to work with special needs children. Santa got his (very real) beard pulled a couple of times, but 2 other times, it was his big soft beard that fascinated and calmed the kids: stroking it like they stroke the family pet.

I found it a bit nerve-wracking, and we were changing our approach with every child. Joel shot 132 photos of which we printed 32, but he says that's not bad for a situation like this. He says the trick is to be QUICK and to shoot a lot, then you have a good chance of getting an image of that one oh-so-brief moment where the kid was half-smiling instead of grimacing, or actually ALMOST looking at the camera, etc.

The really wonderful thing is that they got some really GREAT photos of very ill kids, and in the photos the kids look normal, or very nearly so. Some of the parents had NEVER been able to get decent pictures of their child until then and their gratitude was tremendously touching. The clinic staff and the families were so happy, they want to do it again next year.

The whole experience was exhausting, but so humbling. Most of these kids will never be "normal" or be able to live independently. But their parents love them and have basically devoted their lifetime, both now and the foreseeable future, to their care. We have SO MUCH to be grateful for.

I loved volunteering at clinics like that. Special needs children were my favorite to work with good for you guys!

 

[johnandjade]

Hi everyone!!
I'm sorry I've been away! It's been so crazy at work. We are in our peak season which means I go in at midnight now until 9am. This crazy schedule lasts until just after Christmas.
I just have time to go home and eat and then go to bed for a little bit. I get to see my hubby for about an hour then back bed before back to work. Whew!

busy busy! nearly holidays though

 

[meech008]

I think that's really cool, but it takes sensitive handling by parents to make sure the child gets a real birthday celebration. I had a friend who had a Christmas baby, and they celebrated his birthday with a party on the HALF-YEAR so that Christmas didn't intrude. Of course he still got a cake on his real birthday. It seemed to work out well.
I was a Thanksgiving baby, which I think is great fun. My mom and I used to have an old running joke where I would say that I thought my being born on that day was the REASON we celebrated Thanksgiving; then she would make a crack about Thanksgiving turkeys!

How did your parent handle your birthday?

My parents were great with that! I would get a party on a different day with my mom and we'd have a bunch of family and friends come, and then we'd have Christmas on the 25th. It's still like that actually. I still get happy birthdays next the occasional birthday present on the day of course. I'd celebrate Christmas and my birthday at my dads on the same day usually becAuse I was only there 2 weekends a month.

 

[kathyth]

Good morning, everyone! Thank you, Adam for inviting me back for a cup of coffee. I'm here and again brought all of my friends some cheese. I can only stay a short while as I need a warmer climate. Maybe you could put a fireplace in the " cold dark room"
Just a thought. It's nice to see everyone.

 

[johnandjade]

adult beverage time

 

[144 Grandpa Turtle]

adult beverage time

Nope work time first but then thirst time !

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

you can have ours

Wouldn't mind a bit of it, but not the cold and wind.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

The Santa shoot last night was very interesting.
To recap: my hubby is a professional photographer, and he was hired to do a Santa shoot at a clinic last evening. There was a professional Santa there (who also happens to be a personal friend of ours) and the kiddies would get turns sitting in his lap to tell them what they wanted for Christmas, and hubby would snap their picture with Santa.
Only this was a Neurobehavioral Clinic. These children have severe neurologic problems and require lot of therapy and skills training. The kids we had last night were the ones who were unable to tolerate going to the malls to get their pictures with Santa there.
The vast majority of the kids were autistic, some severely so. There were also some normal siblings too. The kids ranged from age 4 month to 12 years but most were between 7-12. They were all dressed up to see Santa, but the disabled kids, of course, were in disarray. The clinic staff wisely schedule only 1 kid or family group every 10 minutes. Many were non-verbal, and could only squeal or repeat their favorite words or sounds endlessly and pointlessly. Some echoed everything they heard, one spun in place. Their activity level was beyond "hyperactive." A couple of times I had to throw myself across the printer to keep a VERY fast autistic child from jamming his hands down in it. The backdrop nearly took a dive and the lights got switched off and on by one kid who was fascinated with lights. It's AMAZING how strong these kids can be- and some of them were large for their ages.

There was lots (LOTS) of screaming and a couple of melt-downs. But the parents and the staff were "front and center" and TREMENDOUSLY helpful. And the normal siblings were incredibly tolerant; several (even ones who were younger than their disabled sibling) even helped manage them because they knew their quirks so well. Joel (hubby) and Santa were amazingly patient and creative in working with the kids. The Santa has been doing this for 28 years (although he's employed as an insurance adjustor outside of Christmas season) and Joel has special certification to work with special needs children. Santa got his (very real) beard pulled a couple of times, but 2 other times, it was his big soft beard that fascinated and calmed the kids: stroking it like they stroke the family pet.

I found it a bit nerve-wracking, and we were changing our approach with every child. Joel shot 132 photos of which we printed 32, but he says that's not bad for a situation like this. He says the trick is to be QUICK and to shoot a lot, then you have a good chance of getting an image of that one oh-so-brief moment where the kid was half-smiling instead of grimacing, or actually ALMOST looking at the camera, etc.

The really wonderful thing is that they got some really GREAT photos of very ill kids, and in the photos the kids look normal, or very nearly so. Some of the parents had NEVER been able to get decent pictures of their child until then and their gratitude was tremendously touching. The clinic staff and the families were so happy, they want to do it again next year.

The whole experience was exhausting, but so humbling. Most of these kids will never be "normal" or be able to live independently. But their parents love them and have basically devoted their lifetime, both now and the foreseeable future, to their care. We have SO MUCH to be grateful for.

That is a super tale to hear at this time of year.
Thanks so much for taking the timz to put it all down for us, Bea, and I'm so happy that the effort was well worth it and a positive result was achieved.
I couldn't have coped, I'm afraid, I can't deal with children at the best of times, but this would have been far beyond my tolerance levels.
Well played you, Joel and Santa.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hi everyone!!
I'm sorry I've been away! It's been so crazy at work. We are in our peak season which means I go in at midnight now until 9am. This crazy schedule lasts until just after Christmas.
I just have time to go home and eat and then go to bed for a little bit. I get to see my hubby for about an hour then back bed before back to work. Whew!

Wow!!!
That sounds very not good.
Do you have to work on Christmas Day and Boxing Day ?
Good luck with all that, Noel.