By Callie Stezar | Director
If you could remove one holiday stressor that you’re experiencing, what would it be?
Many of the adults to whom we posed this question reported that things like shopping, keeping to a tight schedule, trekking kids on errands and angry drivers were all major sources of stress. These adults just wished that they could “skip to the good part and socialize with family and friends.”
But what if socializing with loved ones triggered our stress the most?
This is often the challenge for children with autism and other social learning disorders. Finding respite among a flurry of changes in routine, new faces, unexpected events and high social demands is so difficult for our campers and can make their holiday season almost unbearable. Take2 recognizes that the reality for many of its campers is that the 'social stressor' is actually present year-round, and we work hard to teach our campers how to feel confident and competent in the social world by practicing skills such as starting and maintaining a conversation, and teaching strategies like creating a 'plan B' to manage stress in the moment. And of course, we practice gift giving and receiving, so fruitcakes are no longer a disappointment, but rather, a great substitute for birdseed (plan B)!
Knowing that our campers leave equipped with an arsenal of skills and a sense of mastery over the social challenges that the holidays bring is what makes our hearts grow three sizes. As 2014 comes to a close, we remind you what an incredible gift your donation is to our campers and their families. Subsidized tuition allows many more children struggling to make social connections learn how to access their family and peers in a way they were once unable to----not just during the season, but also year-round.
To our donors, past present and future, we thank you for your support and are honored to be the recipients of your incredible charity.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a New Year abundant with all of the things that make your hearts grow,
Callie
By Callie Stezar | Director
By Callie Stezar | Director
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