Monday Monday

Monday morning. Those words tend to elicit a groan, but not for me and definitely not today. We had a very busy weekend and I welcome the quiet and routine of the workweek. My husband?s 50th birthday was this weekend. We had a huge party on Friday night and a few relatives and friends stayed all weekend. The house is a mess, there is no food in the fridge and there is a mountain of laundry. I have work projects that I put off until after the weekend that are nagging to be completed. Right this minute, though, Maggie is off to school, Tim has gone to class and Steve is backpacking. The house is quiet and I am enjoying it.
In addition to all the revelry, Maggie and I went to a playground to meet up with Tammy and her kids. Tammy has been telling me about this great playground at St. Mary?s Park* that is accessible for wheelchair users and other kids with special needs. I was skeptical because I have been to these parks before. The efforts at access are commendable, but barriers still exist. Ground cover that isn?t wheelchair friendly, access to the top of the slide but not the bottom, things like that. Playgrounds exist for children to run and climb and making them accessible for those who cannot run and climb presents unique challenges.
St. Mary?s park was the best I have seen. It is build on the side of a hill and the main structure forms a bridge all the way across the playground. The bridge, wide enough for a wheelchair, branches off into several activities and a wheelchair user can take advantage of many of them. At 15, Maggie is too cool for that stuff, but I could see how much fun she had just crossing the bridge.
The design of the playground was good, but it was not the best part. The access the park creates is more than just architectural. It provided access to typical childhood experiences. Watching the kids, both typical and special needs, play with one another was heartwarming. There were several families enjoying the park, including a group of parents with their special needs kids. That made my heart soar. Their kids, all little and playground age, were enjoying the playground and the socialization with other kids. Their parents were enjoying the socialization with each other. This playground is serving a huge need right there. The isolation for parents of special needs kids, especially in those early years, makes a difficult situation harder. These parents have each other. Instead of meeting in the waiting room at the neurologist office or in a formal support group, they are hanging together in a normal childhood setting. That is progress; it is something I certainly never had when Maggie was little.

*St Mary?s park is at Justin and Murray Streets in San Francisco, the playground is down the hill. The accessible entrance is at Justin and Benton Streets. In addition to the playground, there is a baseball field, basketball and tennis courts and a dog run. There is something for everybody. Check it out.