by Whitney Barthel posted in Parenting

This summer I set up a pool in the front yard to keep the boys occupied. Of course, a favorite pastime of Daniel (my 6-year-old with Down syndrome) quickly became finding ways to sneak out of the house, get completely naked, and blissfully swim in the nude before his brothers or I could interrupt his leisurely fun.

Thankfully we have very loving and understanding neighbors. However, nothing could have prepared me (or them, I am sure) for the time Daniel decided to cut his skinny-dip short to break into the neighbor?s house.
One afternoon upon noticing Daniel was missing, I popped my head out the door and was not surprised to see the telltale pile of clothes by the pool. I calmly went out to retrieve him, but he was gone. I quickly surveyed the situation and pretty immediately noticed he was across the street pressing his body up against the neighbor?s floor-to-ceiling picture window while peeking inside. ?Daniel! DANIEL, BABY! Come here, honey!? I tried sounding calm, because, like I've said before, he?s a runner.
As I started to come after him, he decided to make a break for it. He went to the door directly to the right and started to jiggle the handle. ?Oh, Lord. I hope they aren?t home and they locked it.? We were going straight from indecent exposure to breaking and entering.
I ran. The moment I got to the driveway our neighbor Duane opened the door, saying ?Hey, buddy.?
I grabbed Daniel and apologized profusely, and Duane of co...