Need Ideas For Summer

[Juliebove]

So... My daughter's summer plans have been shot. She had back pain back in March and we just found out yesterday that she now has something just short of a stress fracture in her back. Long story. Series of Drs. and finally an MRI and CAT scan. She also had numbness at the top of one foot that turns out not to be related. Still might have another appointment for a Nerve Conductivity test and a lab test showed a possible thyroid problem. So another appointment for that! Bottom line she has to wear a corset for two months and can not be active.

Daughter is 12 and is a dancer. Not just a dancer, but it is her life! Recital is in 2 weeks and she can not be in it. She can not take the lessons during the summer that I signed her up for. And she can not take dance camp either.

Our house has no AC and there is no way to get it in here. Luckily it doesn't usually get too hot here in WA but we usually have about two weeks of hot weather. And some summers we do have more than that. But... The corset in and of itself is hot! And she has to wear an undershirt under it. I bought her some men's undershirts (the cotton kind without sleeves) to wear under it. She is 5'6" and a plus size. But that could relate to the possible thyroid problem. I hope. She had been taking 12 hours of dance a week and was really good to exercise at home a lot. Plus her regular gym class. But I think the gluten free diet in and of itself can be higher in calories. I checked her Teff Wraps and they are 180 calories each! When we first changed her diet due to her allergies, she lost some weight. But she quickly put that back on and then some. She does love to eat!

Because of her size (I think) she is reluctant to wear shorts or sleevless tops. She does have to wear these for some of her dance classes. But she won't wear them otherwise. Prefers to wear sweat pants and T Shirts.

So because she can not take the dance classes and camp and because our house tends to get hot inside once it reaches much above 70, I have to come up with some ideas of air conditioned places where we can hang out that don't require much activity. Walking and standing do need to be limited but she can sit. Obviously the Dr. visits will help because those places have AC. We can go to the movies, but I can't really afford to go much more than once a week. Maybe twice a week a couple of times. But... Due to her age, that also limits what interests her and what she can see. I did drag her off to see Julie and Julia (I think that was the name) last summer. I'm not a big movie buff and don't usually want to go but it was unbearably hot that day and I did want to see that one. She protested, but after she saw it she did like it and now likes to watch the old Julia Child shows on PBS.

We can go out to eat, but again, I can't afford to do that too often.

There is shopping but that involves standing and walking so we can't do a lot of that. That is our usual summer thing to do when it gets too hot. Looking for school supplies can take up the better part of a day.

I mentioned the library. I knew she wouldn't like that! She hates to read. She will read magazines but frankly I haven't been in a library for many years. I used to go all the time but I am a very fast reader. I would lug home a huge bag of books only to finish them 2 days later. And soon I felt like I had read everything of interest in there. She really protested about the library but I think due to the circumstances it is going to happen!

There is the Univeristy of WA bookstore nearby. She does like that place. They have a Top Pots donuts in there. Not that we can eat there. But they do have drinks and couches for seats. So we can waste some time in there just as we can in one of the many Starbucks or even Lady Latte. Lady Latte offers free WiFi so she can take her little Netbook in there. But those things will be good for a couple of hours at the most.

We do have one of those paint your own pottery places near here, but... We did her birthday in there once and it was unbearably hot. They didn't bother to turn on the AC and they use a kiln or an oven or something to set the paint. So I'm not sure that would be an option.

I mentioned taking her to Kumon which is a place for help with math and reading. She really protested about that. She does need help with math but... Her tutor does not necessarily think that is a good thing for her because they will work on what they think she needs to know and not necessarily what she needs to know or the school thinks she needs to know.

And then there is her birthday in July. She wanted to have a dance party. She had one last year and everyone loved it. But that is out of the question now. Her dance studio does do princess and craft parties but they are aimed more at kids ages 4 to 6. One of the teachers does do a lot of crafts. I suppose I could talk to her and see if she could do something that teens would like. But then I don't know if we could get enough kids to bother with it. One of her friends is moving away right after recital. Last year we had her party in May. But this year on top of the injuries she was really sick with one thing after another and I just pushed the party aside. I have told her maybe she is just old enough not to have a "kid" party any more and just have the family party where we go out to eat. Having a party in our house is out of the question. The house is just too small and the one year we did try it, the kids were miserable because of the heat.

There is a place in Lynnwood called Creation Station. We have not been in there but I have looked at their website. It looks like they mostly do school classes like for field trips but they also take drop ins. They have a lot of craft items and you can make things in there. But when I mentioned arts and crafts today she said she wasn't really good and them and just sort of shrugged it off. I had mentioned that perhaps she could be an assistant for one of the non-dance camps they have at her studio, for the younger kids. She just didn't sound interested. I don't even know if this is a possibility. I was just trying to think of something. Anything she could do.

She just got the corset yesterday and already she is driving me nuts! Normally we would go to my parent's house but they were with us all day at the hospital so they told us just to stay home today. She was bored to death. She does like to go on Facebook. That's about the only other thing she does besides dance. But not too many people were online.

Most summers we do out out in the front yard and play whatever board type games we have that have pieces that won't blow away in the wind. We have a lot of trees surrounding the front yard and it is usually cooler than in our house. But with that corset on, I am not sure she could bend forward enough to play a game. We also do verbal type cames that don't require any game pieces. Such as... Picking a category. Let's say, food. One person names a food. Let's say, tomato. Then the other person takes the last letter of that word and has to come up with another word in that category that starts with that letter. Such as olive. Or making up stories where one person says one word then the next person says the next word. Or 20 questions. Stuff like that. But... These things quickly bore her and are good for only a half an hour at the most.

It is also unlikely that I can get any of her friends over to the house or hers to theirs. Once friend has a summer home and goes away for the entire summer. The other has a mom who works. She is not allowed to leave the house or have kids over. Once in a while the mom will let her go somewhere with us but she seems to be pretty strict. Her other friends don't live near here. But really because she normally does so much dance, her real friends are at the dance studio and they come from all over. Not too many live arond here, few go to her school and...well...they'll be at the dance studio! So... Gah!

She had a slumber party at a hotel one year. There is a hotel in Lynnwood that is used to putting these on. But... Much of the time there was spent in the swimming pool and she can't swim now. Plus we just got two new cats. A mom and a baby. I'm not sure I would feel comfortable either taking them with us to the hotel (not even sure they take pets) or leaving them home for the night. So I'm thinking that is out of the question.

One friend plays golf. Angela is really good at golf but doesn't really enjoy it that much. So that's another thing she does but it's out of the question now with the back thing.

I will look around for other things I can find in the area such as dance shows or plays. But other than that I am coming up empty! Maybe Bingo? Are kids allowed to play that? That is something I used to do with one of my friends. But I rarely seemed to win. And that can be expensive. I don't even know where the Bingo places are any more. Must look that up online and see.

My brother and SIL have AC in their house, but... Her mom is currently in rehab/nursing home for a back injury herself and her elderly dad needs her to care for him so she isn't home much and my brother works a lot of hours. So it's not likely we could hang out at their house. Grandma and Grandpa don't have AC but they do have a basement that is usually cool, but... We tend to get on their nerves. Doesn't seem to take much with them. They have assigned us one day a week to come to their house and maybe we can work in another day or two this summer. My mom keeps saying she wants Angela to spend the night there, but since we moved back here almost 7 years ago, that has only happened once.

Can anyone thing of any other places that have AC where we could sit down most of the time that wouldn't cost much money? Thanks!

[sa1937]

Sorry to hear that your daughter has problems and that you are in such a dilemma. And 12 is such a hard age. I can't even begin to imagine having to wear a corset.

Isn't it possible to get room air conditioners so your house is more comfortable? They now even have stand-alone units that don't need to be put in a window. I know that may be a costly option but then some of the other things you suggest aren't exactly cheap either.

[kareng]

What a bummer!

Our libraries have computer & video games you can play. Even tournaments or game (board & video) nights/afternoons. Don't know if your do that.

Is swimming really out? For some injuries, swimming is a good activity because the water takes alot of the load off the bones.

She is not a baby. I would talk to her about finding things to do for herself. Honestly, if it was one of mine at that age I would tell them "its tough but it is what it is. Suck it up & find something to do." & "Think of something you haven't tried that you can try like knitting or computer programming classes. I would insist on continuing the math tutor or summer worksheets.

[Jestgar]

It rarely gets warm enough here to justify buying an ac, even a small unit for one room. I was thinking a fan would work for most days.

Do you have a DVD player with headphones that you could take to the library?

Go to the mall and hang out in the middle part. Read, people watch, talk about what you are going to shop for next, etc.

Why not take her to Kumon? Maybe a different perspective will help her learn better.

[Darn210]

Some libraries (ours does) have a lot of in house programs/classes that you can take . . . it's not all books.

Our parks departments offer a lot of arts/crafts classes . . . not occupy your kid with making popsicle stick log cabins, but learn a legitimate skill in jewelry making, stain glass, photography, etc. See if there is anything that sounds good. Sylvia is right about 12 being a tough age and "nothing" sounds good, especially when your first choice of dancing is out. If you have some classes like that, I might tell her she's taking a class, which one is it?!! and actually force her into trying something new which she might find out she loves.

[sb2178]

Is there a y? they have classes in various things. Or the university may have some sort of programming like language classes. can she study choreography or music somewhere? is pilates an option?

She may not be into "crafts" but something specific like knitting could appeal. it's trendy these days. A netflix subscription might be worth it.

You can also buy the injury-treatment ice packs at CVS and re-freeze them all summer. great to just toss one on your lap or the back of your neck when you're hot.

See if you can pick up a linen skirt or pants at a goodwill or something instead of the sweat pants. lightweight cotton pajama pants (not flannel, more like sheet material)... I'm not a shorts person, but linen is a relatively cool fabric.

[Harpgirl]

Bookstores, the big ones like Barnes and Noble, have activities too. I'm not sure what they have for preteens (I've never paid attentions since our eldest is 3), but it might be worth asking Good thing you don't live here in Florida, our hot weather can last 7-9 months, but generally any building has AC here for that reason.

Ooh, I had another thought! Though you might have touched on it and I can't remember. I read your post this morning and didn't have the chance to reply till just now. Since she's so into dance, has she concidered possibly taking up a musical instrument till her injury heals? For just about any instrument, you have to sit up straight anyway. I've often thought about buying an actual corset for myself to help my posture while I play harp. Perhaps you can find a friend who could lend you something she may be interested in. If she agrees, there are lots of cafes that have family friendly open mike nights. She can set herself a goal to practice enough to play a few songs there.

Too bad you don't live here after all. I could lend you my little harp and even give her a couple of lessons

[GlutenFreeManna]

Does she like to cook or make treats? To keep cool you could help her experiment with making cold treats in the kitchen--things like fruit smoothies, sorbet, homemade popsicles, etc. Could be fun for her to learn and the resulting treat would be something cold she could have.

Also since the library is cool AC-wise, you could take her there to look for cookbooks on how to make some new frozen treats or books on how to do different crafts--knitting, drawing, how to build things, etc. The library is more than just books like novels that your sit and read. It's also for researching things you want to learn about or learning new skills. What does she want to do when she grows up? If she wants to be a dancer maybe you could have her research famous dancers and learn more about all they had to do to become dancers. My library also has video games and DVD's for loan for free and computers where you can get online as well as free wifi. You can also usually find out about free activites in the community such as craft clubs, etc.

Another idea, since your daughter is close to being a teen (I know you are probably dreading the teen years) does she like to do any girly things like paint her nails or style her hair? You could do an at home spa day with her using things you already have. Soak your feet in buckets or big bowls full of cool water with bath salts or just nice smelling bubble bath. Put lotion or a mud-type mask on and sit and watch a movie or put some cucumbers over your eyes and just put on some relaxing music. Tell her you will paint her toenails if she paints yours. Do her make up if you're okay with her wearing make-up, etc. It would be more fun for her (and maybe you) if you could get one of her friends to come do it with her of course, but there are many pampering type things she could do that would not cost much or require her to move around a lot.

Would she have any interest in writing letters to people she admires? Like maybe some famous dancers? I know most kids just use e-mail and their computers these days but hand writing a letter makes it more special for the person recieving it. She can use different color markers or colored pencils to give it a special feel. You could also have her make cards for any upcoming relatives/friends birthdays or for holidays. Father's day is coming up if her dad is in her life. Making a card and shopping for a gift could be activites that would fill part of day.

[Juliebove]

Sorry to hear that your daughter has problems and that you are in such a dilemma. And 12 is such a hard age. I can't even begin to imagine having to wear a corset.

Isn't it possible to get room air conditioners so your house is more comfortable? They now even have stand-alone units that don't need to be put in a window. I know that may be a costly option but then some of the other things you suggest aren't exactly cheap either.

No. They have to go in the window or at least be vented to the outside. We live in a high crime area and there is no way I would leave a window open again. That's how we got robbed the first time. We are on the ground floor only. And there is no ductwork so we can't get the whole house kind.

[Juliebove]

What a bummer!

Our libraries have computer & video games you can play. Even tournaments or game (board & video) nights/afternoons. Don't know if your do that.

Is swimming really out? For some injuries, swimming is a good activity because the water takes alot of the load off the bones.

She is not a baby. I would talk to her about finding things to do for herself. Honestly, if it was one of mine at that age I would tell them "its tough but it is what it is. Suck it up & find something to do." & "Think of something you haven't tried that you can try like knitting or computer programming classes. I would insist on continuing the math tutor or summer worksheets.

She will have worksheets from her tutor. The tutor is going through cancer treatments and is taking the summer off. I have already spoken to her math teacher and there are things online that she can do. Sadly she just now broke her netbook. It's the screen that is broken. I don't know if it can be fixed or not. And I can't afford to get her a new one right now. She is good to save her money and she can afford one so said she would buy it or pay for the repair. Whatever.

She can not swim. She is not to do any activities at all except sit or lie down. She is supposed to limit walking and standing as well.

She tried to learn to knit and hated it. And that's not really the kind of thing I would personally want to be doing in hot weather. I never really learned to knit. I can crochet but there is absolutely no need to crochet anything any more. Everyone I know is the recipient of one of my afghans. And we have plenty. I have made sweaters and have tried to make booties. Afghans are pretty much the only thing that comes out right. I am just not handy in that way.

I did tell her that the library has computers but she told me you can't go to Facebook there. I think you probably could. Facebook is pretty much the only thing she uses the computer for unless she has some kind of assignment for school on it. She does have an IPod touch. A gift from relatives who are apparently wealthier than we are. She can go online with that but I think it is a PITA to type on. I could be wrong. I haven't used it very much.

My mom told me today to tell her to suck it up. When I was her age I had all sorts of hobbies. I did all kinds of crafts. I loved to sketch and paint. I have tried to get her interested in that stuff but she just never is. Of course we didn't have computers when I was her age and I read a lot of books. I tried to buy her magazines today but she didn't want them.

[Juliebove]

It rarely gets warm enough here to justify buying an ac, even a small unit for one room. I was thinking a fan would work for most days.

Do you have a DVD player with headphones that you could take to the library?

Go to the mall and hang out in the middle part. Read, people watch, talk about what you are going to shop for next, etc.

Why not take her to Kumon? Maybe a different perspective will help her learn better.

Kumon is pretty expensive and if they are not going to help her and only confuse her further, I don't think I want to do that. She does have learning disabilities. Her tutor seems to think they will only do harm and no good. The special ed teacher at her elementary school (she is now in Jr. High) said that having her do the same thing over and over again only frustrates her and makes her want to give up. I think it takes a special person to be able to work with her. I know I can't. We just fight.

I don't personally like going to the mall and to get to the middle part would be more walking than she could do. Our mall here is really big and I think because of the skylights they have in it, it is not a cool place to be. As in temperature. It's actually pretty hot.

She has a DVD player and headphones but what would she do with it at the library? Do they have DVDs there or something? She doesn't really use it except to watch her old recital videos. And I think now that she can't dance, that would only depress her.

We do have fans but they don't seem to make cool air. I don't know if it's the way our house sits or because we have a deck that goes around half of it but we can't get cool air in with the window open. And after being robbed when we had a window open, we are kind of frightened to do that. We will only open the window when it gets truly unbearable and only when we are home. We did actually have a window AC that was fairly new. We used it in our house on Cape Cod. There was no way to put it in the window here. So we gave it away.

[Juliebove]

Some libraries (ours does) have a lot of in house programs/classes that you can take . . . it's not all books.

Our parks departments offer a lot of arts/crafts classes . . . not occupy your kid with making popsicle stick log cabins, but learn a legitimate skill in jewelry making, stain glass, photography, etc. See if there is anything that sounds good. Sylvia is right about 12 being a tough age and "nothing" sounds good, especially when your first choice of dancing is out. If you have some classes like that, I might tell her she's taking a class, which one is it?!! and actually force her into trying something new which she might find out she loves.

I will check with the library. AFAIK the only thing the parks department has are day camp type things and they are quite active. We did go to some plays/shows one summer at one park, but... I think that would involve too much walking for her now just to get to the part of the park where we would need to go. Really it is difficult for her just to walk to one aisle in the grocery store. She is in a lot of pain.

[Juliebove]

Does she like to cook or make treats? To keep cool you could help her experiment with making cold treats in the kitchen--things like fruit smoothies, sorbet, homemade popsicles, etc. Could be fun for her to learn and the resulting treat would be something cold she could have.

Also since the library is cool AC-wise, you could take her there to look for cookbooks on how to make some new frozen treats or books on how to do different crafts--knitting, drawing, how to build things, etc. The library is more than just books like novels that your sit and read. It's also for researching things you want to learn about or learning new skills. What does she want to do when she grows up? If she wants to be a dancer maybe you could have her research famous dancers and learn more about all they had to do to become dancers. My library also has video games and DVD's for loan for free and computers where you can get online as well as free wifi. You can also usually find out about free activites in the community such as craft clubs, etc.

Another idea, since your daughter is close to being a teen (I know you are probably dreading the teen years) does she like to do any girly things like paint her nails or style her hair? You could do an at home spa day with her using things you already have. Soak your feet in buckets or big bowls full of cool water with bath salts or just nice smelling bubble bath. Put lotion or a mud-type mask on and sit and watch a movie or put some cucumbers over your eyes and just put on some relaxing music. Tell her you will paint her toenails if she paints yours. Do her make up if you're okay with her wearing make-up, etc. It would be more fun for her (and maybe you) if you could get one of her friends to come do it with her of course, but there are many pampering type things she could do that would not cost much or require her to move around a lot.

Would she have any interest in writing letters to people she admires? Like maybe some famous dancers? I know most kids just use e-mail and their computers these days but hand writing a letter makes it more special for the person recieving it. She can use different color markers or colored pencils to give it a special feel. You could also have her make cards for any upcoming relatives/friends birthdays or for holidays. Father's day is coming up if her dad is in her life. Making a card and shopping for a gift could be activites that would fill part of day.

Alas she hates to cook. She doesn't usually like to do her nails although she does like the new Sally Hansen stick on nail polish. But on her one application lasts at least two weeks. I wish it were that way for me. She doesn't fix her own hair and won't even try. We were just discussing her hair tonight. She needs to have her highlights touched up. But we don't know how she could get the hair rinsed off! She can't lean back. The brace keeps her totally upright. I will have to call her hairdresser and see if she has any suggestions. She is not supposed to arch her back in any way.

As for the writing, that is something she really hates. She doesn't do well with it for one thing. She is in special ed for writing. Just writing one paragraph is a real struggle for her so it's not something I would make her do. Sad for me because I am a writer.

[Jestgar]

You can check out DVDs from the library, or watch them there.

[kareng]

Sounds like she is just going to be bored. She will have to find a way to amuse herself if she refuses everything you offer. If she starts whining, she can whine in her room with the door closed. Yes she has some medical problems but so do alot of other kids her age.

You really should go to the library & check for what is available in computers, DVDs, music, etc before you shoot that idea down.

[mommida]

Libraries are really trying to have fun activities for kids. Game groups, DVD's, books on tape, computer usage, reading contests, library scavenger hunts.... Check out the library for new things all the time. If you are looking for books look for Newberry Medal winning books. ~The usually won for an excellent story line and that can make the difference for someone learning to love reading.

We live in a pretty "small town" atmosphere. The have $1 matinees for kids. What the heck ask the movie place what they can do for you. Maybe a summer movie pass?

I ALWAYS make my kids do something to keep up with educational skills during the summer. Some are just sneaky like teaching math skills and lessons about gambling. Teach her how to play poker (any style) then teach her about odds and statistics. A great game for spelling skills, Quizzler. It is like a card game of scrabble.

Knitting and arts and crafts types of things. If you can take her to some craft shows (local church or school) or county fair for inspiration. Even the craft stores offer kids craft classes (most classes are about $12 for up to 3 hours) Painting?

I can't say watching local kids play baseball is the coolest temperature thing to do, but it is really fun and exciting especially if you know a kid or two. Bring a shade umbrella and hope some breeze picks up.

Let her make movies with a video camera? Claymation type movies?

I would love for my daughter to learn how to play a harp. It is reported to have a theraputic affect on the body. The musical vibrations enter through the chest. So that may not be the best thing right now but maybe a consideration for later healing and posture is very important for any musical instrument.

Injured athletes should still relax and visualize their activity or sport. The athlete does not lose as much experience level when this is done and done properly. If she is a dancer, there are plenty of movies with dancing.

[tarnalberry]

Well, if she's not even going to try something, then I suppose she can just sit and be bored. There's only so much you can do, and eventually, if she won't even try, then she'll either decide to try something or be bored.

[kareng]

I don't remember whether she has supportive relatives or father, but maybe she could could visit for a day or a week? She can be bored with new scenery & someone new to talk to. Maybe they will have a museum they can take her to (they usually have free wheelchairs)

[Harpgirl]

I would love for my daughter to learn how to play a harp. It is reported to have a theraputic affect on the body. The musical vibrations enter through the chest. So that may not be the best thing right now but maybe a consideration for later healing and posture is very important for any musical instrument.

It is very theraputic. I relax so well when I play. If you ever decide to have your daughter learn, I highly recommend Sylvia Woods' book and DVD. I was able to teach myself to play and have been playing for 15 years and have gotten a little extra income for it.

[mommida]

Thanks for the Sylvia Woods tip, I can't find any local lessons!

[Harpgirl]

Thanks for the Sylvia Woods tip, I can't find any local lessons!

No problem. Let me know if I can answer any other harp-related questions

[Juliebove]

Sounds like she is just going to be bored. She will have to find a way to amuse herself if she refuses everything you offer. If she starts whining, she can whine in her room with the door closed. Yes she has some medical problems but so do alot of other kids her age.

You really should go to the library & check for what is available in computers, DVDs, music, etc before you shoot that idea down.

We will check but she isn't really into DVDs or music.

[Juliebove]

Libraries are really trying to have fun activities for kids. Game groups, DVD's, books on tape, computer usage, reading contests, library scavenger hunts.... Check out the library for new things all the time. If you are looking for books look for Newberry Medal winning books. ~The usually won for an excellent story line and that can make the difference for someone learning to love reading.

We live in a pretty "small town" atmosphere. The have $1 matinees for kids. What the heck ask the movie place what they can do for you. Maybe a summer movie pass?

I ALWAYS make my kids do something to keep up with educational skills during the summer. Some are just sneaky like teaching math skills and lessons about gambling. Teach her how to play poker (any style) then teach her about odds and statistics. A great game for spelling skills, Quizzler. It is like a card game of scrabble.

Knitting and arts and crafts types of things. If you can take her to some craft shows (local church or school) or county fair for inspiration. Even the craft stores offer kids craft classes (most classes are about $12 for up to 3 hours) Painting?

I can't say watching local kids play baseball is the coolest temperature thing to do, but it is really fun and exciting especially if you know a kid or two. Bring a shade umbrella and hope some breeze picks up.

Let her make movies with a video camera? Claymation type movies?

I would love for my daughter to learn how to play a harp. It is reported to have a theraputic affect on the body. The musical vibrations enter through the chest. So that may not be the best thing right now but maybe a consideration for later healing and posture is very important for any musical instrument.

Injured athletes should still relax and visualize their activity or sport. The athlete does not lose as much experience level when this is done and done properly. If she is a dancer, there are plenty of movies with dancing.

She can't do much walking so going places where walking must be done is out of the question. As for the library, that sounds like stuff intended for kids and not teens. She absolutely HATES reading so that is not something I would make her do.

She knows how to play poker. Her dad is a gambler. That is not something she could do with me. I am anti-cards.

She is also not really considered a kid. She will be 13 in July. So at the theaters here I have to pay the adult rate. AFAIK none of the theaters have reduced rates.

She does not like crafts at all. I have tried. Spent countless dollars on craft supplies. Just isn't interested.

I don't know of too many movies about dancing. I think she has seen pretty much all of them except for The Turning Pointe. I have tried to get it for her but it costs several hundred dollars used, so I doubt that will happen unless it airs on TV at a time when she can see it. So far the only time I have ever seen it on TV is 3:00 a.m.

[Juliebove]

I don't remember whether she has supportive relatives or father, but maybe she could could visit for a day or a week? She can be bored with new scenery & someone new to talk to. Maybe they will have a museum they can take her to (they usually have free wheelchairs)

Her dad lives in CA. He comes home every few weeks. I do not want her visiting him there because he will go out of his way to feed her wheat. He does not believe in food allergies.

My parents live nearby. She sees them weekly. Doesn't really like to stay with them because they can never remember what she is allergic to and my mom will try to insist that she eat something like crackers. But... They do not have AC so really going there isn't going to help.

I am trying to find places that would have AC.

I will try to look for museums. Neither of us much like going to such places. The only one I know of around here is very small and I don't think they have any wheelchairs.

[domesticactivist]

Where in WA are you? We're in Portland so if it's Vancouver maybe our kids could meet up. My daughter is 12, too. I have ideas but they'll have to wait for the morning.