Bobby went to Esca’s house for a play date today. As it was raining they stayed inside and played Nintendo for most of the day. Esca is not allowed to play video games like Roblox and Minecraft online.
My wife took Katie to see the Courtenay orchestra, which is formally called the Strathcona Symphony Orchestra. After the concert Natalie, who is a friend of Emma’s from school, came up to say hello to Katie. This encouraged Katie immensely and now she is thinking of joining the orchestra once her schedule frees up a bit.
We opened the Advent Calendars this evening. The kids both got “Dark Chocolate Wafer Biscuits” (which I think are made in England). Bobby also got a “wall crawler”, one of those little gummy toys that sticks to the walls and will crawl down it. We used to get them for him at the Dollar Store back in Chapel Hill. Bobby also received a “Magic Cube” trick but now has to read up on how it works. Katie got “Bath Balms” and “Mineral Oils”.
Last week Daisy was talking about autism and New Zealand so I did a web search. Here’s what I found: “New Zealand’s immigration policy has come under renewed scrutiny in 2025 for its treatment of autistic applicants. While the country does not explicitly ban autistic people from immigrating, its health requirements remain stringent—especially for children. Autism is still classified as a condition that may disqualify applicants unless they can demonstrate independence and low anticipated public cost. Recent changes have made it even harder for families with autistic children to obtain temporary visas, with new rules barring entry unless a medical waiver is granted. These waivers are possible but rare, requiring detailed documentation and often legal support. Refugees are exempt from these health assessments, but for most migrants, the path remains narrow. New Zealand’s stance reflects a broader tension between inclusion and resource management, raising important questions about how nations define “acceptable” disability in their immigration systems.“