The Christmas list 2014

Every year I write about great gifts for my super sensory kid.  Like so many families with a different needs child, it is simply really hard to buy gifts for us.  It is hard for me to "make a list" because what is on it you may not really want to buy.  But believe me.... it would be helpful & appreciated! 

Here are my hints for this year...

Cliff Bar high protein kids granola bar (chocolate chip mint flavor is his FAVORITE). Pecans.  Organic high protein milkshakes.  Because his diet is so wonky, we buy these OFTEN. (Whole Foods gift card!)

Memberships.  Zoo, children's museum, national park pass or pool.  We go when we can, for as long as we can.  We utilize them.

Pay for his therapy, doctor or medication.  We spend minimal $55 a week on just these things.  It never stops. 

Amazon, iTunes and Target gift cards.  My child loves books and we purchase educational games on the ipad for him.  He can manage to shop by himself at Target and not enter a meltdown.

I know.... something he can unwrap because there is so much about that.... Our house is littered with things he rarely plays with.  He is not a child that sits quietly and plays alone with something.  He dumps everything out and then wants to go outside.  It is just how he plays. 

Outside things - he REALLY wants a collar for his bike.  This gadget allows the handle bars to spin without jacking up the brake line.  Ramps, half pipe, etc....  A racing helmet. 

Hot Wheel cars & tracks. He especially loves the motorcycle line.

Interesting games.  That help him manipulate fine motor or gross motor or word recognition. 

Flashlights. 

Legos.   

Science experiment type kits.  He loves to see how things work.  He is curious about simple experiments he can do himself. 

Play doh, watercolor paint, finger paint, white paper.

Clothing is rarely a good idea.  He wears a very limited wardrobe.  Because he is sensitive to tags and seams and doesn't do buttons or zippers well enough to have independence (which he craves).  He wears hand me downs more then not because they are already broken in.  And I assure you when he unwraps clothing he is not impressed or even happy.  He just doesn't care.

Anything that smells is a bad idea.  We use the same soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion and laundry detergent. We don't mix it up.  We don't use scented lotions.  It drives him mad.  Stuffing his stocking with smells will make him overloaded.

There is so much about a gift that my child just doesn't get.  I assure you we are training him to say "THANK YOU".  It is an ongoing process ~ one we will grow into eventually in our own way.