For many of us, the magic of Christmas is strongly tied to the innocence of childhood. But for 10 year old Nick*, sleepless nights waiting for Father Christmas were replaced with sleepless nights spent caring for his Mum. He understands his Mum’s needs come first, meaning sometimes the festivities have to take a back seat. He just couldn’t help wishing things were a little different, that he could be a normal kid whose only worry was which toys he would receive on Christmas morning.
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Because Nick has had to grow up a lot quicker than other children his age, he finds it difficult to make friends. Returning to school after the pandemic made things even harder for Nick. He had gotten so used to being at home with his parents, not going out or socialising, that he had almost forgotten how to interact and play with other children. It was easier to just keep to himself, and this resulted in Nick being picked-on and isolated. Nick’s teacher turned to Go Beyond to help him rediscover his confidence and simply be a child again…
Removed from the struggles and responsibilities he faces every day, Nick found his sparkle again from the moment he walked through the doors of the Go Beyond Centre. Nick’s eyes shone almost as brightly as al the colourful lights an tinsel hung around the cottage, as he looked around and grinned from ear-to-ear. The Break Leaders promised to look after Nick, and told him his only job for the week was to have the best time ever!
So that is what Nick did as he bravely threw himself into every activity and opportunity. His favourite part of the week was learning how to swim, with the Break Leaders supporting him every splash of the way. His chest swelled with pride as he completed his first length of the pool, and he celebrated with squeals of delight as he whizzed down the biggest water slide. Nick also made lots of new friends in the group, like Eve, Holly and Gabriel– they understood his struggles, and were much kinder than the children at school.
Nick became known for his caring and helpful nature which shone through throughout the week. On one day, he borrowed a Break Leader fleece and helped decorate the dining room for a special Christmas feast, exclaiming ‘ I want to come back and work at Go Beyond when I’m older!’ He couldn’t think of any better job than helping make other children’s dreams come true, like his had this week.
He had made so many memories, from cheering at the pantomime, to receiving a super cool football-themed Christmas present. But the best gift of all? Getting to tell his Mum all of the stories from his break, and bringing home with him the magic of Christmas at Go Beyond.
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*Children’s names and some of their story details have been changed to protect their identities.
