My heart is with you, dear one. I will keep you in my prayers and hope something good and helpful comes your way. ❤️

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Oy. ?

Thanks Ginny. I’ve looked in my area and it is sparce and we have so many activities And adding to what we have without meeting needs isn’t going to work. We have 4-H, clogging(dance) lessons, homeschool group, Sunday school, Wed. night church groups, and horse riding. So socialization isn’t lacking. If I have to drive an hour to a support group what is the point? There will be no friendships that really can blossom with that distance. And I did ask to start a group at my church and was told there wasn’t a need. The biggest thing I have noted is that other adults do not want to be in the company of an intense child. Constant interruptions, chatter, wiggling, etc. It is what it is and I can totally understand the hopelessness this woman felt. There really is no help at times. Some people have resources, and others only have themselves, their spouse, and God (faith). We just keep plugging along. That mother probably felt so hopeless and believed it would never change. I’m sure she believed that no one would take care of her children if she left them behind. It is so sad and wrong. No one should ever feel so alone when there are people around them who claim to be Christians.

I have looked into programs. Very few and far between. They generally meet in the evening and we need to stay with our night time routine or we have meltdowns. And adding to what we have without meeting needs isn’t going to work. We have 4-H, clogging(dance) lessons, homeschool group, Sunday school, Wed. night church groups, and horse riding. So socialization isn’t lacking. If I have to drive an hour to a support group what is the point? There will be no friendships that really can blossom with that distance. And I did ask to start a group at my church and was told there wasn’t a need. I guess my need didn’t count for much reason for it to be offered. Instead I was asked to care for a young mom’s daughter and sit with her ill father while that mother could get a break-beacuse I would understand the need. Hahaha

We belong to a homeschool group, but I have found that others have multiple children and homeschooling takes time, little left for playdates-I do invite children to play and most often it doesn’t happen. But then my child is socially and emotionally at about age 4 not her 8 years. I’ve looked into resources, we live in a rural area and the problem is at her age people expect her to be 8 and she acts like she’s 3 or 4. They do not understand that she also needs to be “watched” She is not very good with animals and although she loves younger children, she can endanger their safety when she plays. She doesn’t think like you would expect her to be able to. And yes she has had therapy.

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Big Sister program? Local Sorority looking for community service projects? Church outreach for respite? Start a Grandmother’s Club with others in the same situation? Socialization is important for both child and grandparents. Hugs–many many hugs too you.