Tickets, Almost.

The biggest challenge to date in planning our European adventure has been what to squeeze in and what to miss given our limited time frame. We start in London and leave Europe from Rome less than 4 weeks later so precision planning is required, and reluctant passing up of many sightseeing opportunities. This is the thing about travelling with kids. You've got to have a detailed plan of action to ensure you will arrive into new destinations with guaranteed accommodation. There's no taking things as they come. Unless you fancy the idea of sleeping on park benches. As we are going in peek tourist season, and decided 6 weeks out from departure to embark on this madness, we have already limited ourselves considerably in terms of options.

Fortunately for all involved once an idea has sparked our imaginations I will obsessively spend hours upon hours engaged in online planning, finding the best routes, travel options, accommodation etc. I watch Youtube clips of the various EU cities for hours, read TripAdvisor threads late into the night, and spend stupid amounts on travel guides and language phrase books.

All this 'research' led to a finalised itinerary and here it is,
Perth to London.
London - Cambridge back to London.
London to Brussels.
Brussels to Paris
Paris to Bern (Switzerland)
Bern to Venice
Venice to Rome
Rome to Dubai
Dubai to Perth.

Phew!

Iv'e been using this online time to show the kids the cities, the trains, the sights. We've also started to introduce some basic French such as Bonjour, Merci, non and oui. This is helping to build excitement and also allowing for discussions about anything they may be curious or anxious about. I know for both, but particularly Ali, being able to visualise things ahead of time helps to reduce fear of the unknown. I also think she's feeling much more confident about flying thanks in no small part to the in flight entertainment options. Hat tip to Emirates. Ive also bought some books for children about Paris which they seem to enjoy. And once I know where we will be staying I will look at something more specific for them to read. This idea came from the brilliant Bec at Snagglebox  who created an awesome guide for her boys prior to their stay in Paris. This is one of the many incredibly useful tips she's provided, which I'll share over the coming weeks.

Because Who Doesn't Need More Drama...?

It may seem at times this blog's title is a misnomer given I rarely share our day to day tumults. I'm not sure why that is really. It was my intention when I started to be completely candid about the daily struggles of living with kids on the spectrum. Maybe it seemed a bit too miserable or raw to expose our private battles with the world? Anyway my husband and I have seen fit to up the anti in the X-treme parenting stakes. We've decided to do the unthinkable (no, not have another child, if that happens shoot me dead, please) We are embarking on a 4 week 'holiday', a term I'm using loosely, commencing in London!!! dun, dun,dun!  For those who don't know the flight from Perth to London is about 20 hours. It's not much fun even in the best of circumstances but add Harri to the mix and we have potential hell here on earth. Well 30,00 feet up for the pedants. And did I mention my daughter has developed a fear of flying? And that I am terrified of flying? So from now until the end of the trip which will be 20th July I will be blogging primarily about preparation and the brilliant travelling tips I receive, the resources I find and most importantly managing my panic attacks as the big day approaches (June 20th).

Let me share with you now tip number one, or un as they say in France. If you are contemplating travel with kids anywhere you are unfamiliar with, ask a person on the spectrum who's already been there for advice. You will receive the most detailed, helpful and well thought out guidance. Forget seasoned travellers, grey nomads and travel agents. Find yourself a friend on the spectrum who's been game enough to travel, preferably with kids. They will know every trick in the book about long haul flying, local resources, avoiding queues, airport services, quiet spots in busy cities, preparing kids, social courtesies, customs, sensory considerations, dietry considerations, crime hot spots, best seating allocations and so forth.

Stay tuned for the details amongst the nausea induing anxiety.

Please Sign and Share.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_killing_children_by_selling_Melanies_Marvelous_Measles/?cWUaAbb

Pinterest Keeping it Real Week.

My brilliant friend Bec at Snagglebox wrote a hilarious piece on what real Pinterest parenting looks like. Click the hyper link above to see for yourself before reading any further. I'll wait.

So I thought why not take her post and run with it for the sake of some laughs. I know some very funny writers in the online autism world and figured there's some hysterics to be had, and hey, who couldn't use the distraction these days? So bloggers get posting and Pinning.

 I'm kicking it off with my kid's dinner from last night. Fish Finger Deluxe aka Stigmata (thanks Ben :) The crooked fish finger on the blue plate is evidence of my wine impaired sense of symmetry. I'm keeping it real! 

Fish Finger Deluxe

Vaccine for Autism? Probably Not.

So this story about a vaccine that helps with gut problems and thereby symptoms of autism is getting quite a run in the media at the moment. Over and again in journals that should really know better

we see this same article, which I gather is a press release due to the similar wording .

Thankfully there are some out there in cyberland trying to provide a measure of sense to this news story.

As the above article by beforeitnews notes, many children without autism suffer from gastrointestinal illness and discomfort (and many with autism don't ). Why then is this vaccine not marketed at children for whom these GI conditions are ongoing rather than autism specifically? Call me cynical, really feel free, but I think its pretty obvious to anyone with any links to autism there's money, big money, to be made from desperate parents. Perhaps parents of children with gastro-intenstinal illness without autism might want to demand some answers here?

Please don't get me wrong. I am all for treatments that alleviate suffering. And I know there are many people on the spectrum who do struggle with chronic GI issues. Anything that might provide relief in this area, and as an added bonus provide amelioration of other symptoms and behaviours that are causing distress or disability is awesome. But it's not a cure. The vaccine makers don't claim to affect genes, or neurology in any meaningful way. This is not proof of the leaky gut theory as far as I can tell.

 I wont be lining my kids up for any trials of this drug down the road. Neither have gut issues to speak of. At least nothing that cant be improved with more water and fibre. Which brings me to the spurious claim of 90% of autistic children having GI issues. These authors don't seem to realise that autism is not a child only condition. So for starters how many adults have similar problems and if the numbers are different then why? But also 90%? Really? I note none of the articles above give a citation for that stat. Again, to me this looks like marketing propaganda.

So I say this is really interesting research, and its great there is something on the horizon that will potentially make the lives of many far more comfortable. I'm all for that. But I'd also ask people to show some caution in terms of expectation. And to read the ongoing new articles with some skepticism if the few that are already doing the rounds are anything to go by.

Surviving the Wandering Nightmare

Surviving the Wandering Nightmare

Got A Spare 30 Minutes?

This group chat on Aljezeera's English network is worth watching. Has some familiar faces such as Shannon Rosa, Steve Silberman, Ari Ne'eman and Stuart Duncan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=D9zN5lD4JHI#!