319. Empty nest?

Here’s a break from the kink and some insights into family life which I have shared from time to time.

J graduates from high school in a few weeks.  I’ve shared before that he has some special needs.  We have lived our lives assuming he would have to live with us our entire life, unable to be independent.  His condition has a wide spectrum of issues and some with his condition can be fully independent and some can not.  And while development was not expected to be linear, everything pointed to him needing life long assistance.     A life of all kinds of therapies was producing steady and painfully incremental gains.  Then, Bam! 

About 3-4 years ago those gains began to grow, and grow exponentially.   Physically, cognitively, emotionally.   I credit the three M’s (technically, Mike came up with the three M’s, but I humbling accept them as fact!).   Those are, medicine, maturity, and mom!  Or the way I say, “Mom, maturity, medicine.”  Hell yes, I will take top billing for his progress!   

As for medicine, I don’t just mean prescription meds, I mean the entire medical field, from therapies to prescriptions.  And while maturity was likely to always evolve on its own, he went from a lot of behaviors that were a good 5-6 years behind his age to pretty close to age-appropriate behaviors.   I’d say he is still a couple of years behind, but that difference matters less when you are talking age 16 behaviors at age 18 compared to age 6 behaviors at age 12.

It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that we started leaving him alone at home.  Of course, we always made sure John and Donna (our neighbors, I think you’ve heard of them),  were home, aware, and available in case something came up.

Some of the concern was also physical.  He can lose his balance very easily and has low muscle tone, so the risk of falling was always high.  If he trips over anything, he would always fall and fall awkwardly and hard.  But his strength has improved immensely along with his balance.  He still has issues, but nothing like before.

Our thinking evolved from the idea of him always being at home to perhaps being able to live in the right group setting at some point.  Well, now we are taking that thinking a bit further.

J has been spending a lot of time at T1’s and E’s farm.  He loves caring for the animals and is a big help around the farm.  It has got to the point that right after school on Friday’s we almost always drive J to the farm for the weekend.  For sure every other weekend and sometimes back-to-back weekends.

GULP!  MOVING OUT??
T1 and E came to us with an idea.  They wouldn’t mind adding a few more animals to the farm.  Maybe some goats, or more beehives, or whatever.  But they have to balance their time commitments with their regular full-time jobs.   They were thinking, maybe they get more animals and J comes to live with them to help out.  Initially, in their house, but eventually, we could build him his own place on the property.   There is plenty of room.

The idea has merit, but I am not ready to jump into it.  I worry that he would be an imposition.   T1 and E are adjusting to married life and now this kid with unique needs requires their attention.  That’s a lot to take on.  T1 has always adored J and even though they are eleven years apart,  T1 has always gone out of his way to stay close and connected to him.  And E is amazing with him as she is just an amazing person.  Still, that’s a lot for a couple to take on.  And once they have kids, then what?   Yep. This would only work long term if J continues to develop and becomes more independent.

The vibe on the farm is perfect for J.  T1 and E are easy going, the farm is quiet, and J can be naked all the time.  I can’t understate how nudism has also helped him.  He has always had tactile issues, especially with clothing.  Even before we adopted nudism, around the house he would often wear an oversized t-shirt and loose underwear, nothing else.  It never dawned on me even that created some anxiety in him.  We saw an immediate decrease in anxiety when we ditched the textile norms around the house. 

For now we decided we can ease towards that direction and see how it goes.   After school is out, we told him he can spend a full month at their place (with frequent visits from me).  Then he can come home and we can talk when his next farm visit will be.  We have not told him of the idea of living there and likely never will.  He doesn’t do well with “maybe” but does very well with, “this is just how it is.”   Very black and white, no gray.

In a perfect scenario, I envision that we can get a mobile home or a small one-bedroom home built on the property for him.  I also envision moving closer to them.  3-hour drive is just a bit too far.  I need to be closer to J.  I am not looking to cut those apron strings just yet, but I am willing to consider a long tether.  Just not too long.

WHAT OF TTWD?
While my focus is on what it means for J and making sure he is set up with the greatest chances for success, it does make the three of us think what it means for us. (me, Mike, Kayla).  We’ve already got a little taste of this.  Part of increased adventures this year has been because J has spent a lot of weekends away.  In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for me or for Kayla to stay behind with J.   All three of us going out together was a treat.

It’s not like it never happened.  Since J was born my parents and sisters made it point to coordinate at least one night a week for J to spend with them.  It was their way of giving me and Mike some respite.  And there were the two weeks during the summer that he would stay with my parents – which led to our Immersions.  Hey, when the kids are away, the adults shall play!    But still, having him spend almost every other weekend this year with T1 has been amazing.  No doubt it is part of what allowed us to increase our adult play opportunities without having to leave me or Kayla out to stay with J. 

While our kink is never the priority and has no bearing on our decisions regarding J, I do wonder what it means for TTWD.   No more logistical issues with a spanking such as a sudden and discreet trip to the bedroom.   No more, “Hey, we need to wrap this up, J will be home soon.”  There has been so much play and punishments that have been cut short or modified.  Such is TTWD when there are kids in the house.  

WHAT OF DAY TO DAY LIVING?
And not just the kink, but just life in general.  If any of you have children with any types of unique needs, you know how emotionally and physically draining it can be.  It’s been 18 years of an intense and constant focus.

Not just on J’s immediate needs, but a focus on all the trip-wires, boobytraps, and time bombs that surrounded him.  Those things that would trigger anxiety or injury or obsession that if identified quickly, I could defuse without him noticing or at least quickly redirect.  Mike and I developed a sixth sense about it, like Jason Bourne casing a room and in an instant assessing all the threats and exit strategies.  That’s been my life at least since he was 4.  14 years!

MINI RANT RE RAISING A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD
And just to be clear, we were not that way with T1 or T2.  I believe normally developing children need to deal with age-appropriate adversity.  It’s part of developing the skills you need as an adult.

But when your child is not normally developing, when adversity creates a major set back in their development, in their health (central adrenal insufficiency), in their happiness, in the happiness of everyone around them, that gnaws on them like a parasite, draining them and everyone around them – then what?  You do all you can to keep adversity at bay, allowing it only in the tiniest of doses, in the most controlled setting possible.  This positions the child to successfully overcome it and truly learn from it.   Treat them like a normally developing child and their life will be hell, as will the life of everyone around them.

While J has come a long way, I still have lost all concept of what it is like to suddenly have that sixth sense turned off for more than a breath or two.   The signs are now pointing to a chance that he indeed can thrive fairly independently.  I know I am going to struggle to be an empty-nester.  As long as I know J is thriving, it’s a struggle I can’t wait to take on.  We shall see. 

Post: 320. Domestic Discipline Contract Version 3.1

242. On the Nudie Farm

I just realized that I rarely share Mike’s take on things.  I am not sure why.  The things I ponder in my blog I mull over with him.  His feedback often influences my perceptions, mood, and acceptance or rejection of the meaning of various things.  And it might be interesting to read about the times his views are different from mine.  It’s settled then.   My posts aren’t long enough (sardonic), so expect more insights into Mike.

Still catching up on the various happenings in my life since taking a mini-break from steady blogging.  Two weekends ago we took a trip with T1 and E to visit her cousin’s farm.  It is just under a four-hour drive.  We got in late on a Friday and spent Friday and Saturday night with them before returning home.  Yes, this is the “Nudies” I wrote about in  233. Meet the Nudies.

I hope my calling them “the nudies” is interpreted in the way I intend.  I say it to honor the fun and unapologetic way they go about being nudists.  I admit I am a bit obsessed with the Nudies at the moment.  I am in awe and it makes me even more eager to meet the rest of E’s family at the nudist resort this summer. So no story of discipline here, just more about the Nudies and a cliffhanger!  

BACKSTORY – THE REASON FOR OUR VISIT
My son wanted to show Mike and I a property that they put a bid on.  It is a farm adjacent to the Nudies. 

As E puts it, “her family loves the land.”  One set of grandparents have a ranch, and most of her aunts, uncles, and cousins from that side of the family live on farms or ranches.  And, another little E-family factoid – her grandfather fell for a lot of get rich quick schemes and lo’ and behold, one of them worked.  He ended up a part owner in an oil exploration company that, sure enough, found oil.  Although he is still alive, he has provided his grandkids like E with a nice financial head start in life.  Not like “never have to work” type money, but enough to have a lot of choices when it comes to where to live, which is the point of this — 

The property adjacent to her cousin’s came up for sale and T1 and E are looking to buy it.  It’s 50 acres of mostly trees and brush.  There is a small house on it that they plan to remodel, some pens, a stable and a chicken coop.  It needs a lot of work.  The previous owners were elderly and hadn’t kept up with maintenance needs for years.  A real fixer-upper!

It makes me laugh to think of T1 tending to animals.  He was born and raised in suburbia. As they both work they don’t plan to have a lot of animals, maybe a couple of horses and some goats and or pigs, and chickens.  T1 is a pretty good DIY’er when it comes to home improvements, and apparently E is pretty good herself.  It will also be nice to have her cousin’s next door, although the “door” is about a third of a mile away. 

Now the interesting stuff
When we pulled up to the Nudies house, Mrs. Nudie and Daughter2 (their youngest daughter, now aged 11 as she just had a birthday!)  were outside, naked of course.  Their house isn’t visible from the road or any adjacent properties.  AHA!  So that’s why E’s family likes to live on large properties!

Very quickly Mr. Nudie, Son (age 17), and Daughter1 (middle child, age 15) came out to greet us.  It was not lost on me that this is unusual and yet another sign of their warmth.  They could have stayed inside, but no, they came out to greet us and give us a warm welcome.  The kids greeted J like he was a long-lost sibling, and of course J was eager to ditch his clothes and made me help him get naked right there in the car.  J has really taken to nudism.

Mike and I waited to get inside before disrobing.  T1 and E soon pulled up and in no time everyone was in their birthday suits.  Once again the kids treated J wonderfully.

BTW, Kayla didn’t join us.  She had a big paper to work on for school.  Yes, that what it was, a paper.  It had nothing to do with two very prominent purplish rings on her butt.  But that’s another story. 

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
J was sleeping on air mattress in the same room as Mike and I.  T1 and E got the fold out couch.  The youngest daughter wanted J to sleep in her room.  She got very attached to J both during the first time we met them and this visit.  I think it makes her feel good and important as she can “take care of J” if he needs help.  Mike said, “No, he is going to sleep with us, but you can wake him up if you get up before him.”

Our reasoning for having him sleep with us is that simply he was in a strange house and we needed to be able to respond if he needed something at night.  It’s just too much responsibility to put on someone else, let alone a child.   Her response was interesting.

“I know you all are still trying out being naked, but I don’t like boys that way.  We wouldn’t do anything we are not allowed to.”  

She said it in such an innocent way, as if she was trying to reassure us.  I told her, “Yes, we are new, and we really like the way you and your family has made us feel so comfortable.  You are a great example for J but he may need something during the night and that is my job and his dad’s job to take care of him.”  She didn’t argue and just said, “okay.”

Her choice of words intrigued me.  She didn’t say “we wouldn’t do anything bad.”  She said, “not allowed to.”  Later, when the kids were off in another room playing, I asked the Nudies about how do they deal with the topic of sex and at what age?  

BIRDS AND THE BEES WHEN THE BEAK AND THE HONEY ARE IN FULL VIEW?
Their approach to sex ed was fascinating.  I won’t go into all the details.  I will summarize it by saying it was nonchalant, non-judgmental, and very open.  Kind of like their nudism.

The information they provided their children was more detailed, more accurate, and used proper words like penis and vagina instead of baby-talk slang terms.  However, it was also age appropriate.  Once the kid’s curiosity could no longer be satisfied with “babies happen when parents decide they want a child and love each other very much,” they would explain fucking.

Ha!  No they didn’t. I just typed that to see if you were still awake.  Got ya!  No, they didn’t explain fucking.   But at some point in the child’s development they would explain about daddy’s penis touching their mommy’s vagina and if they are lucky, a baby happens, and they were lucky because that is how they happened.  Yeah, in other words, fucking.  lol.

ENOUGH SEX ED, WHAT ABOUT THE VISIT 
The next day the girls wanted to take J exploring around the property — J learned that even a nudist has to wear shoes!  Ha.  I was hesitant as J can lose his balance easily, and the terrain isn’t completely flat, so Mike agreed to join them in their exploring.

I stayed and talked with T1, E, and Mr. & Mrs. Nudie.   Eventually all of us, and Son, went on a tour around their farm. It was so amazing to be walking naked outside.  It reminded me a bit of the time last year when we rented a remote place and were naked outside (151. Immersion 2017 – Forbidden Zone).   It feels so odd, but feels so good.  It really is addicting and writing this give me a craving to do it again. 

As they were showing me around we met up with Mike and the kids.  I already had this wonderful feeling from my own nakedness as well as walking with the others who were naked.  Then, coming across Mike and the kids who were also naked . . . ten of us of varying ages, outside on a lovely day, naked.  There is such an immense beautiful deep sense of innocence, vulnerability, and warmth, in witnessing such a thing.  I can’t fully describe it.

Never once did I have a feeling of inappropriateness or of anything sexual.   While I rationally understood that nudism is not sexual, it was only then that I fully felt it.  It never crossed my mind that any of this was inappropriate or sexual in nature.  My only thoughts were of the beauty of it and of being part of it.

The distinction being that prior to that moment, I was very aware of the awkwardness and novelty of everyone being naked, and very aware of my mind saying, “see, this doesn’t feel sexual.”   But in that moment, I lost the awkwardness, I lost the novelty of it, and the mind only thought of the beauty.  I think in that very moment I crossed over to becoming a nudist!  

THEIR NEW HOMESTEAD
The next day we visited the property that E & T2 bid on.  The realtor met us there and E told us in advance that we don’t have to get dressed for him.  The realtor is a friend of her cousin’s and while not a full-fledged nudist, he has been to their house many times and not only witnessed their nudism, but partook in it.  As they told us before, they have introduced a lot of people into at least experimenting with the lifestyle.

It was really odd getting in the car naked and driving to the neighboring property.  A tip we learned was to take our clothes with us, just in case there is car trouble or something unexpected.  (nothing unexpected occurred, but, at least we were prepared if it did). 

The realtor stayed clothed as he showed us around.  It was another odd moment, walking around naked with this clothed stranger.  Perhaps I was premature in calling myself a nudist as clearly I am still very aware of my nudity in such a situation.  And I was watching E and the Nudies closely.  It was clear they had no reservations or uneasiness about their nudity.  Yep, I still have some learning and adjusting before I am fully comfortable as a nudist.  

MIKE’S TAKE
I took to nudism like a fish to water.  I was already looking to go to a nudist resort when we discovered E was a third generation nudist.  Mike has jumped aboard for the ride but it was at my urging.  Mike tends to be less of an initiator when it comes to being adventuresome, but he is quick to climb aboard with my wild ideas.  You don’t have to look further than our DD as an example of that.  (8. Now I am ready to get hubby aboard).

When the opportunity to get naked arose, Mike had more reservations regarding J than I did.  While ultimately I defer to Mike’s authority, we have meaningful and respectful discussions on many topics, even those we differ on.  And it wasn’t that we differed regarding the nudity, it was just that he was uncertain. 

In situations that concern the kids, Mike tends to give more weight to my feedback than to his own.  Not that he doesn’t have great parenting skills, but he values my motherly instincts.  That doesn’t mean I always get my way regarding issues with the kids, but, I mostly do.

And he admits to feeling awkward, just like I do, but that like me, it is quickly fading.  At first he felt awkward just in his own skin.  No more.  Then he felt awkward around E — his soon-to-be daughter-in-law. . . it just seemed weird.  But E’s comfort with it has rubbed off.

He said he still feels a bit awkward around the Nudies kids, especially the girls.  He is afraid of saying or doing something that could be misinterpreted.  He told me that while they were walking around the property he was thinking, what if one of them fell or he had to carry them, or god forbid, what if he got an erection and he isn’t somewhere he can excuse himself?   Not that he felt anything sexual, but, the comfortness of the walk, a nice breeze.  I mean, it wasn’t likely to happen, but, what if, and it weighed on his mind.

Enough about being nudism and the Nudies. 

SAY WHAT???
How about something salacious for my next post?   I mentioned two posts back that there were two things I was reluctant to share.  One rhymed with ski, and I wrote about it in my previous post.  The other rhymed with bartend, and I will write about it in my next post.

What rhymes with bartend?  Could it be “boyfriend?”   Perhaps Kayla got a boyfriend?

Well, that would be half right.   Could it be she got a girlfriend?  Or wait, what if someone else got a boyfriend?  Who could that someone else be?   I wonder?  !!! ???  !!!

Next: 243. I got a boyfriend!