Another step

This weekend saw us take another huge step forward into welcome our children into every aspect of our lives. We took them to a re-enactment event. Re-enacting is something my husband and I have done for a long time, we even met at an event and it is something we never saw ourselves not doing.

When we first welcomed the children we expected it would not be appropriate to take the children to one of our events this summer, we had planned to take the summer as it came, missing what we needed to to make sure that they were fully settled and comfortable before we entered into such a busy and stimulating environment. Discussing with our social workers they advised us to try it and if it turned out that it was too much we could come home.

Anyway we gained our social workers approval, packed for every eventuality including enough to let the children decide whether they wanted to dress up or not, plenty of toys for all weathers and with a plan to let the children decide what they wanted to happen. They travelled well - excited was an understatement as they do love camping. We arrived and the site was busy but we found a spot away from the main 'busy' spot and got set up. We made sure that we were set up in a way that the children had somewhere private to play if they found it all a bit too much as well as safe space to eat with their own chairs and no one else watching.

Like I said, we gave the children the choice whether to dress up - they wanted to as they do love fancy dress and this was an excuse to wear it and to wear it all day with lots of other people also dressing up. They looked fantastic! They really did surprise us with how well they coped. Our friends respected them and their needs and did not overwhelm them but allowed the children to take the lead and it worked for them. They still stayed close - always with one of us in sight and always looked for reassurance from us which we are hoping it further evidence of their attachment to us but they had the confidence to explore and to play. We are lucky in that my parents and sibling also take part so they were there which seemed to add to the children's confidence as it gave them more familiar faces.

Coming home was lovely as they both asked to go again but to a different field! I can't wait to take then again.