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What Surfside Beach Did For Us On Our Spring Vacation

June 13, 2016January 31, 2022 by Shannon Des Roches Rosa

John Ordover John Ordover recently wrote about Surfside Beach, South Carolina declaring itself an autism-friendly family vacation destination. In April of this year, John, his wife (TPGA editor) Carol Greenburg, and their 13-year-old autistic son Arren spent a week in Surfside Beach, and had a blast. This is his report on their trip. —- Arren in the airport waiting room Photo: John Ordover [image: white tween boy lying on top of a carpeted cubby] On landing in Myrtle Beach airport after an uneventful flight, we were met at the gate by Becky Large of Champion Autism Network (CAN). Becky is the person who had pushed for Surfside Beach to make its commitment to hosting autistic families in the first place. Becky took us to the lovely small airport’s special waiting room for autistic kids who might need some chill-out time. Arren took to it immediately and enjoyed snuggling into its…

Disability

A Vacation Destination for Autistic People And Their Families: Surfside Beach, SC

February 2, 2016January 31, 2022 by Shannon Des Roches Rosa

John Ordover Surfside Beach, South Carolina, a town just South of Myrtle Beach, has declared itself an “autism friendly travel destination.” For a deeper look into what this means on a practical level, John Ordover spoke with Champion Autism Network‘s Becky Large, the prime mover behind the project. Ms. Large is the parent of an autistic child. —- [image: Neon-lit Ferris wheel at night, behind a downtown entertainment district.] John Ordover: Before we get into the specifics of how the town is prepping for autistic kids and their families, what do Surfside and the surrounding area have to offer for vacationers in general? Becky Large: Water recreation, the beach, inlet and rivers, with boating, fishing (sea, surf, pier and fresh water), crabbing, clamming, oystering. There’s a Sky Wheel. Myrtle Beach boardwalk. Wacattee Zoo, zip lining, Broadway at the Beach, a museum, an aquarium, mini-golf, golf. Family Kingdom Amusement Park, water…

Disability

Separate Vacations

February 20, 2012January 31, 2022 by Shannon Des Roches Rosa

Shannon Des Roches Rosa www.squidalicious.com www.thinkingautismguide.com When we told people we were spending a week on a summer family vacation with our girls — but without our son Leo, who has high-octane autism, responses varied. The best reactions stayed positive without dwelling on the details of our abandonment: “Wow, that sounds like fun, all that time in the San Juan Islands!” More well-intentioned reactions stoked my already-raging guilt-fires: “Well, you know, those girls really deserve a break, and so do you — it’s about time you had a regular family vacation.” I know those latter folks meant well, but it’s amusing to me that, because of his autism, sweet-natured Leo is assumed to be the kid we need a vacation from — when in truth it’s his fiery, defiant, bickering sisters who are currently draining the parenting lifeblood from my veins. Still, I felt guilty leaving Leo behind. I kept…

Disability

Summer Strategies for Autism Families

June 20, 2011January 31, 2022 by Shannon Des Roches Rosa

Shannon Des Roches Rosa www.thinkingautismguide.com www.squidalicious.com Summer. Now there’s a word that terrifies parents of school-aged kids with autism. We do not necessarily associate the word with “break.” For us, summer means potential implosion of carefully orchestrated school, services, and respite schedules — and the resulting scrambling and scraping to make new arrangements. My son Leo’s last day of fourth grade was Friday, and I am fretting. He is in such a beautiful space in his wonderful new school — progressing on his IEP goals, excited to get on the school bus every morning, arriving home trailed by email reports of successful, action-filled classroom days. Getting him to this point has taken months of routine-reinforced effort. I’m worried that summer will undo it all. Children with autism work hard to gain skills during the school year, and that learning can quickly slip away without ongoing, reinforcing learning opportunities. This means…