While son number two is gearing up for his move back to school and his beautifully decorated apartment courtesy of moi, son number one is at a standstill. His job is on hiatus since the school he works at, for now, has decided to go for virtual instruction. For a young adult with special needs, this is quite an adjustment. Don’t get me wrong, Bailey is not a complainer, but the ramifications of being isolated from society is bound to gnaw at him. He is a social being and work has been a huge part of his growth. Now what?
Well, friends, I have spent years thinking outside of the box. Now, I get to be creative, so he isn’t residing on his blowup mattress watching endless YouTube videos. And while I want to explore various options, I have to think of ways he can interact with others while being safe. It is a clusterfuck of epic proportions. Fortunately, through his waiver he has workers that can take him out for various activities. Walking the park. Going to the zoo. Working on his cooking skills. Golf with his Dad. Those are just a few ideas floating around until he goes back to work. And, I am being realistic in thinking that may not be until after the holidays.
When I approached Bailey with the concept of getting back into a routine which would include him not staying up until the roosters crow, he was receptive. Sort of. Until I mentioned that the blow up mattress would only be available Thursday night through Sunday afternoon. Those are his free days. Monday through Thursday, he would have set bedtimes along with getting up at a reasonable hour in order to establish a routine. He has had four months of being a basic slug. It’s time to shake it up. His facial expression was all I needed. I call it “resting asshole face”. Whatever. It wouldn’t be the first time he wasn’t pleased with me.
It’s a tricky balance trying to introduce safe socialization in the midst of a pandemic. But, for his and my mental health, we have to find a new norm. The “joy” in his face says it all. It is going to be a very long fall, friends.
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