Harvest Festival
Sacramento County Office of Education,
Infant Development Program
Narrator:
The Sacramento County Office of Education, Infant Development Program sponsors an annual Harvest Festival. This program-wide event brings together families of infants and toddlers with special needs to share a meal, lots of laughs, and a good time. Over 350 students, siblings, and parents attend this annual event. Children enjoy games, and arts and crafts adapted for their special education needs. Entertainment includes live music and clown performances. Hear what some of the families have to say about this event.
Why did you decide to attend?
You know it was a great night just to have fun. We have so much going on managing things at home and visiting doctors that it’s nice to dedicate a night just for our family to smile and laugh and meet other families to have fun with.
We just thought it would be nice to come out here and meet everybody in person, have some good food, get the kids out, and do something fun for the evening.
Well, a couple of reasons: The first one was to meet other families because there are not that many events where you can mix with other families who have kids with special needs. The second reason was because we came last year and we felt so welcomed and supported; It was hard not to come back. Even though there are a lot of people we recognize, there are a lot of people we don’t know but we feel like we have something in common with everybody. So it’s a very supportive environment.
What would you share with other families?
You should come out because it’s a good opportunity to meet people, network, and learn about other things in the community that are available for children with special needs.
As a family we just think it’s a wonderful opportunity to get to meet some of the other families of children with special needs as well as to be able to meet with the some of the staff that we maybe don’t see on a regular basis.
We didn’t start coming out until last year. We used to sit at home. We used to get the invitation but we wouldn’t come. I decided we needed to start coming out and meet people and see what’s going on with other children, what other families are going through, and it also let me know that I’m not going through it by myself. I try to go whenever I can, whatever event it is, I try to go to it.
Well, the event is amazing because you get to see other families having their own journey, but somewhat similar to your own. It also bring a lot of hope, that as people going through the journey, the stages are constantly changing and there’s new things to discover and celebrate together, and meeting other families here—we see that first hand.
I was a little bit nervous before we came the first time, but I kind of forced myself to do it, but I’m really glad I did. Second, the kids seem to really enjoy it too. We are kind of doing it selfishly for us, but the kids love it, because they see kids all over the place and they are interacting and it’s great. It’s great for everybody.
It’s been really, really neat to have some personal…more one on one time with the therapist, to talk to them, see them in a non-professional environment, as well as to see some of the other families and to have time to share really with the whole family.
Helpful Thoughts
If you have any needs from Sacramento County for your infants, like ours were born two months premature, and boy, it’s been more help than we could ever ask for. Helping with their development, helping them walk and talk and all their special needs has just been wonderful.
We think it’s really important that graduates continue to be invited and do come to the event and not just for the sake of the parents and kids who are graduates but for the new families who come because most often, parents are the greatest resources that there are because they’ve been through that or at least they are farther along on the journey and they can be a great support for the new parents that are here. It is hard to meet other parents so this is a great place for new parents to meet other parents who are further along on the journey. It gives them hope, I think. I think it’s easy for parents, especially if they are new to the challenges their child is facing, it’s easy for them to be discouraged until they see there are so many other families out there and children out there and it’s possible. You can do it, especially when there is support like this.
I want to express my happiness and satisfaction given by the services from the Infant Development Program
Narrator:
The Harvest Festival is presented by staff and volunteers of the Sacramento County Office of Education with assistance from community supporters.
