October 12, 2018
Renee Limon
I often pinch myself when I remember how awesome it is that I get to listen to, talk and connect with kids, parents and other caregivers as they visit our clinic every day. What I’ve been hearing lately is that a surprising number of folks love autumn. The sweaters, the colorful leaves, the warm drinks (if you need tips on a less-sweet Pumpkin Spice Latte, check in with Laura). We all get to hear about the pumpkin patch field trips, see the pictures and laugh about how rainy and muddy it was. Oh, Oregon. How we both love and hate the rain.
Did you know that pumpkins, October’s favorite squash, are thirsty plants, and can really drink in all the rain we get? So all month long, we’re crafting paper pumpkins, a ridiculously adorable art project Carla put together for us. Our kids and families are loving this one so far. Check in with your clinician if your child hasn’t made one yet, or if they simply want to make more.
And then there’s that sacred and sugary holiday on October 31st. Halloween has to be one of the best holidays ever. It’s fun to dress up and pretend to be someone new: superheroes, princesses, animals, characters, or a full-on family themes. Costumes can be simple or elaborate, and reused costume options abound. The price of entry isn’t too steep. In our neighborhood, one bag of candy can suffice, and we keep the front light on until the candy runs out or we get too sleepy. Carved pumpkins are entirely optional, as some people love the seeds, and others are grossed out by the slime and stringiness. My teens have outgrown carving pumpkins, much to my delight as I was usually the one scooping out the pumpkin guts.
Were you in the clinic for trick-or-treating last year? We recently had a visit from a neighboring business suite, asking if we were going to bring our kids around for trick-or-treating again. They loved handing out treats, meeting the kids and seeing the costumes. Not hard to guess that we’re doing it again this year. It gave our clinic the opportunity to really get to know the folks we smile at in the hallways. And for our speech and OT friends, it’s a great chance to practice speech and language skills with unfamiliar listeners, and show off their costumes. Nonsweet treats are available for trade in our clinic after the event.
So we hope your kids will join us for trick-or-treat fun from 8:30 am to 6 pm on Wednesday, October 31. If you’re too busy, we get it. If you want to show us pictures from Halloween parties, we’d love that. If you don’t usually come on Wednesday, but really, really want to come, we’ll arrange for a responsible adult to take your kiddo trick-or-treating. Siblings are welcome to wear costumes and trick-or-treat as well.
Happy October!
