There has always been one place that is close to my heart and that is Charmouth on the south coast - Dorset. It is just beautiful there, and my children absolutely adore it there. We generally go in the evening (4pm+) when it is quieter. My autistic son does not like places that are to crowded, he likes to be able to run around like a headless chicken in peace, and i find it more relaxing as I don't have to constantly tell him "NO don't take that little girls ice cream!!" or "That is NOT your bucket and spade!!!". Its far less stressful. He does not understand that he cant have something. He seems to think that because it is there he can use it. I don't blame him at all. Its just the way he sees the world, and to be honest what is wrong with another child using your bucket for 5 minutes? As long as they don't run off with it and take it home i really don't see the problem. Its a shame really that my son is seen as a "naughty" child. He isn't/ He just sees the world differently and doesn't understand the social etiquette that everyone else does.
Charmouth is one place that i can just let my children be children. We do not have any computer consoles at home, my children do not have tablets, gameboys etc... If they want to have fun they are going to have to make it for themselves - i'm very old fashioned in that way (at only 27!). You see, when i was brought up we didn't have any money - or not a lot anyway. We didn't have all the top of the range stuff but not once did i miss out. My parents took us for day trips that were free. I can remember sat on the beach all wrapped up eating a sandy sandwich because we didn't listen to mum when she told us to eat out picnic before we dug holes in the sand. I can remember my Uncle Mark (who has sadly passed away) make lines in the sand and get to to have races. Yes we had no money, but i had the best childhood anyone could ask for. I want the same for my children. I want them to have fond memories like I do. I don't want their memories to be of that moment they finally completed level 250 on some silly game.
Here are a selection of photographs from one day at Charmouth, and i hope there will be many more to come now the 6 weeks holiday is here. If your children are driving you insane just make a picnic, chuck them in the car and head to the beach, local park or woodlands and let them entertain themselves. It does not matter what time of day it is, just make it count.
Please head on over to Susanna's blog to see some beautiful photographs and her blog for this month.
