Our foster daughter has some pretty extreme behaviors, and today she exploded pretty spectacularly. So we had to call off going TO a fireworks show because helping her regulate in a crowd of people is impossible.
We didn’t deprive her though and went outside to see what we could of the big shows. There were A LOT. She was screaming with joy and jumping in and down out of her mind with glee.
A few houses over a family was setting of some legal fireworks and so she asked if we could go watch. I agreed and we walked over to ask permission to watch.
This family just reached out and ENVELOPED my little girl in love. First offered a sparkler, then a whole box (“don’t let the fun end!”) Then s’mores, and finally they broke out extra chairs for all of us. Grandpa of neighbors teased her like mad. Just such amazing kindness I almost cried several times seeing the joy on this little girl’s face.
There are just good people.
(Also the dad was a smoker and little girl has had some bad experiences with smokers in the past, so it was really healthy of her to have a healthy one.)