Thursday, September 16, 2010
had a great speech group
Boy had a great speech group, he really enjoyed it! I think this will be great for him!!
speech pep group
Boy started his first speech pep group tonight, which is a group of 5 boys and they teach them social interaction skills. I am really excited for him to be a part of this group!
What they work on:
1) eye contact when speaking to someone else
2) how to introduce yourself to someone
3) how to share a conversation and not just one side chat
4) how to overall interact with other kids
5) how to make friends and keep friendships
5) how to be ok with not playing whatever your obsession is
I can't wait to see how far he comes with this program!!!
What they work on:
1) eye contact when speaking to someone else
2) how to introduce yourself to someone
3) how to share a conversation and not just one side chat
4) how to overall interact with other kids
5) how to make friends and keep friendships
5) how to be ok with not playing whatever your obsession is
I can't wait to see how far he comes with this program!!!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Captain Underpants - sensory delight?
"Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks." ~ Samual Johnson
Everytime that I have seen the Captain Underpants books I have thought, "Who would let their kids read a book about a superhero in underpants with villians named things like Professor PoopyPants?". My boy is now 8 years old and the books totally make sense to me!
What other way to get a kid to crave reading than to give them a book filled with the weird things boys obsess about (or at least my boy!). He cannot put the first book down, which is excellent AND he is comprehending! I pretty much expected these results though...I figured the books would become an obsession due to their content.
However, what I did not expect to find was a cute little sensory "game". Flip-O-Rama -- basically there are instructions you follow (1 sensory point), you hold one page down with the left hand and flip the right page quickly with your thumb and forefinger on your right hand (12 sensory points here!), all the while watching the image on the right pages and focusing your eyes until you see both images become animated (at least another 12 sensory points there!).
When we first tried it, I couldn't get him to close his thumb and forefinger around the page on his own...he was totally confused as to what we were trying to do. Once he figured it out he thought it was so cool and taught his sister how to do it as well.
Super cute, super cute!
Everytime that I have seen the Captain Underpants books I have thought, "Who would let their kids read a book about a superhero in underpants with villians named things like Professor PoopyPants?". My boy is now 8 years old and the books totally make sense to me!
What other way to get a kid to crave reading than to give them a book filled with the weird things boys obsess about (or at least my boy!). He cannot put the first book down, which is excellent AND he is comprehending! I pretty much expected these results though...I figured the books would become an obsession due to their content.
However, what I did not expect to find was a cute little sensory "game". Flip-O-Rama -- basically there are instructions you follow (1 sensory point), you hold one page down with the left hand and flip the right page quickly with your thumb and forefinger on your right hand (12 sensory points here!), all the while watching the image on the right pages and focusing your eyes until you see both images become animated (at least another 12 sensory points there!).
When we first tried it, I couldn't get him to close his thumb and forefinger around the page on his own...he was totally confused as to what we were trying to do. Once he figured it out he thought it was so cool and taught his sister how to do it as well.
Super cute, super cute!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
long time no post....
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." ~ Stephen Wright
I am pretty sure I have used that title before when life has gotten out of control and I've lost contact with my blog! That happens way too much unfortunately!
So, what is new with us? A whole lot of the same unfortunately. Still working through issues with boy, but we are making progress. Maybe we've made a lot of progress, but I keep setting my goals for him higher and higher? Well, I'm not sure how much progress, but we are making progress.
The biggest improvement I see is at sensory therapy. In his session two weeks ago he noticed another boy playing in the sensory play room. His therapist asked him if he would like to go play with him and boy said no; he had it in his head that he wanted to make paper airplanes. Well, at the end of his session he told his therapist that he really *should* have gone and played with the other boy so she took him in there. She said she was utterly amazed because he walked up to the boy, told him his name, age, where he went to school and what he liked to do and then said.....
......wait for it........
...."So, what is your name?" ---- H U G E improvement there! HUGE! I swear her and I both nearly cried as she was telling me this. He interacted with the other boy, asked him his name, his age, and what he liked to play (after somewhat coercing the boy into stating that he liked Super Mario haha). They then decided that they they would play together at the next therapy session which was this past week.
So huge improvement right there, but I am beginning to think that he can interact with other kids like that when someone he feels comfortable with is around (me or therapist for example).
The reason I think this is because this week he is at camp and is having SUCH a hard time making friends. Each day I ask him to come home with just one kids name...finally he had a name yesterday and after I talked to him about it, it ended up that he finally got a name because he was able to read someone's name tag haha.
So, we continue to keep continuing on and as long as you continue to keep continuing on, then you're doing a really excellent job.
And just some random black and white thinking for ya...
His therapist asked him yesterday "Have you tried any new food lately?" (he doesn't like to try new foods) and he responded "Yes, I ate dirt today." and she said "Really? Dirt? You ate dirt?", his response "Yes, that's what they called it, but I'm pretty sure it was crushed oreos."
Love him.
I am pretty sure I have used that title before when life has gotten out of control and I've lost contact with my blog! That happens way too much unfortunately!
So, what is new with us? A whole lot of the same unfortunately. Still working through issues with boy, but we are making progress. Maybe we've made a lot of progress, but I keep setting my goals for him higher and higher? Well, I'm not sure how much progress, but we are making progress.
The biggest improvement I see is at sensory therapy. In his session two weeks ago he noticed another boy playing in the sensory play room. His therapist asked him if he would like to go play with him and boy said no; he had it in his head that he wanted to make paper airplanes. Well, at the end of his session he told his therapist that he really *should* have gone and played with the other boy so she took him in there. She said she was utterly amazed because he walked up to the boy, told him his name, age, where he went to school and what he liked to do and then said.....
......wait for it........
...."So, what is your name?" ---- H U G E improvement there! HUGE! I swear her and I both nearly cried as she was telling me this. He interacted with the other boy, asked him his name, his age, and what he liked to play (after somewhat coercing the boy into stating that he liked Super Mario haha). They then decided that they they would play together at the next therapy session which was this past week.
So huge improvement right there, but I am beginning to think that he can interact with other kids like that when someone he feels comfortable with is around (me or therapist for example).
The reason I think this is because this week he is at camp and is having SUCH a hard time making friends. Each day I ask him to come home with just one kids name...finally he had a name yesterday and after I talked to him about it, it ended up that he finally got a name because he was able to read someone's name tag haha.
So, we continue to keep continuing on and as long as you continue to keep continuing on, then you're doing a really excellent job.
And just some random black and white thinking for ya...
His therapist asked him yesterday "Have you tried any new food lately?" (he doesn't like to try new foods) and he responded "Yes, I ate dirt today." and she said "Really? Dirt? You ate dirt?", his response "Yes, that's what they called it, but I'm pretty sure it was crushed oreos."
Love him.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
oh monkey bread, how you thwart me!
"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future." ~ J.F.K
Happy Earth day!
Now on to the monkey bread. Last night we made monkey bread, sweet delicious, gooey yumminess that we all enjoyed thoroughly....and seriously within 5 minutes Boy was in his out of focus, can't be reasoned with mood....that quickly I saw the reaction to the milk, totally bizarre. It seems like now that we have been on the diet for a while, the more quickly I will notice a milk attack.
I understand the entire theory behind why this happens to some children and especially children on the spectrum, but seriously? That much of a reaction to just some simple milk? It makes me question the use of milk at all. Why do we as humans ingest the milk of a different species? That's totally weird.
Things that make you go hmmm.....
Happy Earth day!
Now on to the monkey bread. Last night we made monkey bread, sweet delicious, gooey yumminess that we all enjoyed thoroughly....and seriously within 5 minutes Boy was in his out of focus, can't be reasoned with mood....that quickly I saw the reaction to the milk, totally bizarre. It seems like now that we have been on the diet for a while, the more quickly I will notice a milk attack.
I understand the entire theory behind why this happens to some children and especially children on the spectrum, but seriously? That much of a reaction to just some simple milk? It makes me question the use of milk at all. Why do we as humans ingest the milk of a different species? That's totally weird.
Things that make you go hmmm.....
autism awareness - 1 in 110 children
(re-post of one of my old posts that I recently came across...the numbers are amazing)
The most amazing video
One of the most astounding facts from the video...
1980 1 in 5000 children
1990 1 in 1000 children
2000 1 in 500 children
2007 1 in 150 children
2010 1 in 110 children
The most amazing video
One of the most astounding facts from the video...
1980 1 in 5000 children
1990 1 in 1000 children
2000 1 in 500 children
2007 1 in 150 children
2010 1 in 110 children
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
what have you done this month for autism awareness month?
How about bouncing?
Pump it Up of Shelby Township will be holding a 'Bounce for autism' event tomorrow, April 22nd from 5pm to 8pm.
Please consider coming out to this event! Good times to be had by all while spreading autism awareness.
Pump it Up of Shelby Township will be holding a 'Bounce for autism' event tomorrow, April 22nd from 5pm to 8pm.
Please consider coming out to this event! Good times to be had by all while spreading autism awareness.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
really? why?
there are so many parents undeserving of having children and even more upsetting are the crappy parents who happen to have special needs children. All children are vulnerable, but especially special needs children..why did some of them also have to be given awful parents?
Case in point at therapy today...an autistic boy here with his mom, maybe 4years old...the mom was talking to the therapist and the boy was crying wanting to be held..she wouldn't hold him, he kicked the therapist and what did she do? she hit him SO hard you could hear it, right across his chest then repeatedly yelled at him 'you don't ever hit'...uhm seriously??? That sounds logical..teach a 'no hitting' philosophy by beating your child...AWESOME idea.
Thankfully the therapist picked him up and cuddled hm and he calmed.
Me to parents - get a grip!!!! Our children, no matter how much they may drive us nuts, are vulnerable and scared. They are the most precious gift given to us and the easiest cheapest thing we can provide them with is our love. Don't mistreat them.
Case in point at therapy today...an autistic boy here with his mom, maybe 4years old...the mom was talking to the therapist and the boy was crying wanting to be held..she wouldn't hold him, he kicked the therapist and what did she do? she hit him SO hard you could hear it, right across his chest then repeatedly yelled at him 'you don't ever hit'...uhm seriously??? That sounds logical..teach a 'no hitting' philosophy by beating your child...AWESOME idea.
Thankfully the therapist picked him up and cuddled hm and he calmed.
Me to parents - get a grip!!!! Our children, no matter how much they may drive us nuts, are vulnerable and scared. They are the most precious gift given to us and the easiest cheapest thing we can provide them with is our love. Don't mistreat them.
Monday, April 5, 2010
sensory news update
"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat." ~Malcolm S. Forbes
Quite excited to report that boy has conquered the 2 wheeled bike beast! After working on it for several months during sensory therapy, he finally took off on the 2 wheeler last Tuesday. I felt badly that I got to witness the first solo bike riding moments while practicing...our sensory therapist has worked so hard that I really felt she should have gotten the honor haha, but she was more than excited the following day when he showed her how well he could ride--seriously, we both started screaming and jumping up and down when he told her.
Each day that he takes the bike out he gets better at steering straight, maneuvering around obstacles, keeping his balance...I am so proud of him! We have gone from a kid who couldn't even keep the bike up with training wheels on AND while someone was holding onto the bike to a kid who can balance correct himself, stop, turn, swerve....amazing, absolutely amazing.
Kudos to our therapist who has worked so hard with him. If you are looking for a sensory therapist, please keep in mind that you need to find someone who connects with your child and is, to a degree, emotionally invested in the partnership. You cannot have a therapist who is simply working through the motions of therapy. You need someone flexible who can adapt to your child -- your child should not need to adapt to the therapist. We are extremely blessed to have our therapist!!
Quite excited to report that boy has conquered the 2 wheeled bike beast! After working on it for several months during sensory therapy, he finally took off on the 2 wheeler last Tuesday. I felt badly that I got to witness the first solo bike riding moments while practicing...our sensory therapist has worked so hard that I really felt she should have gotten the honor haha, but she was more than excited the following day when he showed her how well he could ride--seriously, we both started screaming and jumping up and down when he told her.
Each day that he takes the bike out he gets better at steering straight, maneuvering around obstacles, keeping his balance...I am so proud of him! We have gone from a kid who couldn't even keep the bike up with training wheels on AND while someone was holding onto the bike to a kid who can balance correct himself, stop, turn, swerve....amazing, absolutely amazing.
Kudos to our therapist who has worked so hard with him. If you are looking for a sensory therapist, please keep in mind that you need to find someone who connects with your child and is, to a degree, emotionally invested in the partnership. You cannot have a therapist who is simply working through the motions of therapy. You need someone flexible who can adapt to your child -- your child should not need to adapt to the therapist. We are extremely blessed to have our therapist!!
got milk?
"Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit." ~William Somerset Maugham
Ah, we had milk in excess for certain over the weekend! Chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs and cheese pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches...oh did boy get to "cheat" and oh are we paying dearly for it now.
Not only do the milk products affect his behavior and personality, but they also do a number to his tummy...which I still am in shock that he does not have an "official" gastrointestinally diagnosed issue, but I guess overall children with Autism tend to have these issues.
So now we are back to more strictly enforcing the no milk products rule. Thankfully we don't have to truly be strict or use force because he does understand how milk affects his mood and his body and he agrees that milk free is the way to be.
Ah, we had milk in excess for certain over the weekend! Chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs and cheese pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches...oh did boy get to "cheat" and oh are we paying dearly for it now.
Not only do the milk products affect his behavior and personality, but they also do a number to his tummy...which I still am in shock that he does not have an "official" gastrointestinally diagnosed issue, but I guess overall children with Autism tend to have these issues.
So now we are back to more strictly enforcing the no milk products rule. Thankfully we don't have to truly be strict or use force because he does understand how milk affects his mood and his body and he agrees that milk free is the way to be.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Oh the fun of pictures
"Objects in pictures should so be arranged as by their very position to tell their own story." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Today boy had 1st Communion pictures taken with his cousin...oh how much fun can one have at a studio?
Today boy had 1st Communion pictures taken with his cousin...oh how much fun can one have at a studio?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
tv goes Aspergery
Oh for the love of God people...tv attempts to be compelling with a tv show with an Asperger boy in it. I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. The boy was recently diagnosed with Asperger's and cannot stand the sound of the bubbles in the fish tank at school so he breaks it...
The next scene the parents are trying to find a decent school for the boy and are like total goofballs..again, should have expected it.
ha.
The next scene the parents are trying to find a decent school for the boy and are like total goofballs..again, should have expected it.
ha.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
oh how he makes me laugh
"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter" ~ E.E Cummings
Just a few things that made me laugh this past weekend...I hope you also find them funny.
Sunday - shopping for a 1st Communion suit for boy
My youngest daughter was trying to help him get dressed by giving him his pants and she got really mad that he wouldn't take them. Finally he yelled at her "Don't you know you're not allowed ot put pants on before your socks!"
Love him
Just a few things that made me laugh this past weekend...I hope you also find them funny.
Sunday - shopping for a 1st Communion suit for boy
- We go into the fitting room with a few suits to try on. While getting the suit ready for him to put on, I told him "Take off your clothes". A minute later I turn around and he has his socks off and is taking off his underwear...
- It came down to picking between 2 suits so I asked him which one he liked best, his response "The one with the FBI warning"...he noticed in the inside the security tag had an FBI warning on it...
My youngest daughter was trying to help him get dressed by giving him his pants and she got really mad that he wouldn't take them. Finally he yelled at her "Don't you know you're not allowed ot put pants on before your socks!"
Love him
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
pyroluria?
Just received this interesting information from a fellow mom friend, Betsy.
Up to 50% of autism kids test positive for pyroluria, her pediatrician had never even heard of it. Basically it sounds like it causes too much Kryptopyrrole in the blood which leads to a dramatic decrease in zinc and B-6. Some of the symptoms that I read were: poor tolerance of physical and emotional stress, mood swings, depression, sensitivity to light, noise and other tactile sensitivities.
If interested you can ask your pediatrician to run a Kryptopyrrole test done via urine. Betsy's son's levels were indeed elevated.
I will keep everyone posted if I hear anything more on this and I plan on having boy's levels tested as well.
Some interesting reads:
http://kryptopyrrole.com/
http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/content/articles-content.php?heading=Pyroluria
Thank you again Betsy for sharing this information!!!
Up to 50% of autism kids test positive for pyroluria, her pediatrician had never even heard of it. Basically it sounds like it causes too much Kryptopyrrole in the blood which leads to a dramatic decrease in zinc and B-6. Some of the symptoms that I read were: poor tolerance of physical and emotional stress, mood swings, depression, sensitivity to light, noise and other tactile sensitivities.
If interested you can ask your pediatrician to run a Kryptopyrrole test done via urine. Betsy's son's levels were indeed elevated.
I will keep everyone posted if I hear anything more on this and I plan on having boy's levels tested as well.
Some interesting reads:
http://kryptopyrrole.com/
http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/content/articles-content.php?heading=Pyroluria
Thank you again Betsy for sharing this information!!!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
aaah.....
Today I am paying for letting boy have milk yesterday! ugh! He really enjoys having pizza on Fridays at school, but of course it is riddled with milk products.
The result? Out of control crazy kid. No focus, glazed over eyes, easily frustrated, and his voice takes on a different tone...it's totally hard to explain...but trust me, it can easily drive you mad.
Coping and trying to survive the day...
The result? Out of control crazy kid. No focus, glazed over eyes, easily frustrated, and his voice takes on a different tone...it's totally hard to explain...but trust me, it can easily drive you mad.
Coping and trying to survive the day...
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
news - hormone oxytocin to help autism?
"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow." ~ Orison Swett Marden
Here is an interesting article I read today. French researchers believe the hormone oxytocin can help improve eye contact as well as the ability for people with autism to read other people's expressions. Apparently some children with autism have low levels of this hormone.
To read more: Oxytocin hormone help
Here is an interesting article I read today. French researchers believe the hormone oxytocin can help improve eye contact as well as the ability for people with autism to read other people's expressions. Apparently some children with autism have low levels of this hormone.
To read more: Oxytocin hormone help
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Oh holiday
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie
In our house, Valentine's day is celebrated with all of the excitement and enthusiasm of Christmas. And, this is for no reason other than the fact that it is a holiday. Boy LOVES holidays. And, he remembers every holiday and spends the days leading up to the holiday reminiscing about the past year's holidays. It is extremely tiring to listen to, but his enthusiasm is adorable.
On Valentine's day my husband always brings home a little gift for the kids. Boy knows this and can barely contain his excitement over what the little gift might be. His excitement becomes so great that he cannot even wait until Valentine's day itself! All day today he has reminisced about previous Valentine's days and what little trinket was brought home for each of them...going back years. This means a day of non-stop talking...non-stop talking...non-stop talking...all day long! While eating dinner he took a drink and was still talking!
In our house, Valentine's day is celebrated with all of the excitement and enthusiasm of Christmas. And, this is for no reason other than the fact that it is a holiday. Boy LOVES holidays. And, he remembers every holiday and spends the days leading up to the holiday reminiscing about the past year's holidays. It is extremely tiring to listen to, but his enthusiasm is adorable.
On Valentine's day my husband always brings home a little gift for the kids. Boy knows this and can barely contain his excitement over what the little gift might be. His excitement becomes so great that he cannot even wait until Valentine's day itself! All day today he has reminisced about previous Valentine's days and what little trinket was brought home for each of them...going back years. This means a day of non-stop talking...non-stop talking...non-stop talking...all day long! While eating dinner he took a drink and was still talking!
Friday, February 12, 2010
100 posts!
Woo Hoot! 100 posts, wow! Well, 102 with this one. Here's hoping to 1000 more posts and at that marker let's hope that we have even more information about autism.
Aspergers diagnosis to be eliminated?
Wow! The American Psychiatric Association, APA, has drafted a proposal to change the way Autistic Spectrum Disorder is classified; eliminating diagnosis of "Aspergers" and instead using an overall diagnostic category of "Autistic Spectrum Disorder" with levels of severity - mild, moderate, severe. Aspergers would fall under the mild category. PDD-NOS would fall under the new diagnostic category Autism Spectrum Disorder.
I'm not sure how I feel about that or if it even matters to me that they are changing it...hmm... I overall don't like the use of "mild/moderate/severe" as it either makes you feel like everything you are struggling with really isn't a big deal (if considered mild) or on the other end how would it make a parent feel to have to indicate their child's diagnosis is "severe autism"?
Perhaps I am reading too much into it. However, I do feel it just shows how little is still known about Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Maybe this is a step into the right direction though...to stop trying to diagnose and fit someone into the bubble of "aspergers" or "ASD" or "PDD-NOS" and realize that it is all one huge umbrella and not everyone can cleanly fit into one label.
If you would like to read about this: APA press release
I'm not sure how I feel about that or if it even matters to me that they are changing it...hmm... I overall don't like the use of "mild/moderate/severe" as it either makes you feel like everything you are struggling with really isn't a big deal (if considered mild) or on the other end how would it make a parent feel to have to indicate their child's diagnosis is "severe autism"?
Perhaps I am reading too much into it. However, I do feel it just shows how little is still known about Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Maybe this is a step into the right direction though...to stop trying to diagnose and fit someone into the bubble of "aspergers" or "ASD" or "PDD-NOS" and realize that it is all one huge umbrella and not everyone can cleanly fit into one label.
If you would like to read about this: APA press release
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
fun with sensory!
"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful." ~ Mark Victor Hansen
We did a lot of fun stuff at sensory therapy tonight that I just must share with all of you!
Bike riding: We have been working for some time on coordination for boy. One of the struggles he really has is riding a bike and it really bothers him; he is really hoping to be able to ride a 2 wheel, (or 2 liter bike if you ask him) without training wheels, by this summer. To work on this his therapist has him doing laps on a two wheel scooter. At first it was really hard for him to balance on it at all, but now he can go almost 5 seconds without stepping off. You may think this sounds pretty obvious right? Well with boy even the idea of getting on one of these scooters was too overwhelming for him. That's the fun thing though with having someone else that your child works with -- for some ODD reason they are sometimes more trusting of another adult who feels confident they can ride the scooter without fail. Go figure! At our next appointment he may be ready to move to the two wheel bike to try it out. I can't wait to see him do it!
Shaving cream fun: playing with shaving cream is an excellent sensory task! Take it a step further and add glue to the shaving cream. Adding glue allows them to create a picture on construction paper that will stay white and fluffy'ish. SUPER exciting and fun!!
Sticky paint: next time you play with fingerpaint, shake things up a bit and add maple syrup to it (and if you really want to get kooky add sand or glitter to give it a gritty feel). Adding the syrup makes the paint sticky to paint with and also sticky when it dries...it is really interesting and fun.
We did a lot of fun stuff at sensory therapy tonight that I just must share with all of you!
Bike riding: We have been working for some time on coordination for boy. One of the struggles he really has is riding a bike and it really bothers him; he is really hoping to be able to ride a 2 wheel, (or 2 liter bike if you ask him) without training wheels, by this summer. To work on this his therapist has him doing laps on a two wheel scooter. At first it was really hard for him to balance on it at all, but now he can go almost 5 seconds without stepping off. You may think this sounds pretty obvious right? Well with boy even the idea of getting on one of these scooters was too overwhelming for him. That's the fun thing though with having someone else that your child works with -- for some ODD reason they are sometimes more trusting of another adult who feels confident they can ride the scooter without fail. Go figure! At our next appointment he may be ready to move to the two wheel bike to try it out. I can't wait to see him do it!
Shaving cream fun: playing with shaving cream is an excellent sensory task! Take it a step further and add glue to the shaving cream. Adding glue allows them to create a picture on construction paper that will stay white and fluffy'ish. SUPER exciting and fun!!
Sticky paint: next time you play with fingerpaint, shake things up a bit and add maple syrup to it (and if you really want to get kooky add sand or glitter to give it a gritty feel). Adding the syrup makes the paint sticky to paint with and also sticky when it dries...it is really interesting and fun.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Happy
I heard this song and it made me think about all of the moms who work hard every single day to make the world a better place for their children. Their sweet voices will be heard!!
Happy - Leona Lewis
Someone once told me that you have to choose
What you win or lose
You can’t have everything
Don’t cha take chances
Might feel the pain
Don’t cha love in vain
Cause love won’t set you free
I could stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
So unhappy
But safe as could be
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy, yeah
Just wanna be happy, yeah
Holding on tightly
Just cant let it go
Just trying to play my role
Slowly disappear, ohh
All these days I feel like they’re the same
Just different faces, different names
Get me outta here
I can’t stand by your side, ohh no
Watch this life pass me by, pass me by
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy, ohh, happy, ohh
So and it’s just that I can’t see
The kind of stranger on this road
But don’t say victim
Don’t say anything
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
I just wanna be happy
Ohh, yeah, happy, ohh, happy
I just wanna be, ohh
I just wanna be happy
Ohh, happy
Happy - Leona Lewis
Someone once told me that you have to choose
What you win or lose
You can’t have everything
Don’t cha take chances
Might feel the pain
Don’t cha love in vain
Cause love won’t set you free
I could stand by the side
And watch this life pass me by
So unhappy
But safe as could be
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy, yeah
Just wanna be happy, yeah
Holding on tightly
Just cant let it go
Just trying to play my role
Slowly disappear, ohh
All these days I feel like they’re the same
Just different faces, different names
Get me outta here
I can’t stand by your side, ohh no
Watch this life pass me by, pass me by
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
Cause I’m just trying to be happy, ohh, happy, ohh
So and it’s just that I can’t see
The kind of stranger on this road
But don’t say victim
Don’t say anything
So what if it hurts me?
So what if I break down?
So what if this world just throws me off the edge
My feet run out of ground
I gotta find my place
I wanna hear myself
Don’t care about all the pain in front of me
I just wanna be happy
Ohh, yeah, happy, ohh, happy
I just wanna be, ohh
I just wanna be happy
Ohh, happy
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
all we need is a little patience
"We could never learn to be brave & patient, if there were only joy in the world" ~ Helen Keller
Last night boy had a really hard time getting to bed. They had the day off of school yesterday and that, coupled with way too much milk this weekend, made him very restless.
At about 10:30 I was working on some stuff for Girl Scouts and he was still up obsessing over a handful of change that he was counting. Over and over again he counted this handful of change and kept interrupting what I was working on to discuss the handful of change. At 10:30 at night I was beyond tired, needed to get some other stuff done and was on my last bit of patience. I kept telling him "count it tomorrow, go to bed". I was completely missing the clues of anxiety hidden beneath his need to count this change over and over again.
I chanted over and over again "count it tomorrow, go to bed" when finally he came up to me and said "Mom, please count this for me. I can't get it out of my head until you count it.".
Wow.
How grown up of him. Of course I stopped everything and snapped back into "clued in" Mom mode realizing how I had been brushing off his anxiety to deal with my own agenda. We counted the change, still 95 cents the same as he had counted, and visibly relieved he trotted off to bed and voila! was asleep in no time.
I'm not always "clued in". Sometimes I forget. Sometimes at 10:30 at night I just want to deal with my own problems. And sometimes it just takes an extra 30 seconds to finish up whatever is on his mind so he can move on -- I have to remember that. I have to remember that he cannot just let something go.
Yesterday during the day he was cleaning the basement with his sisters. The girls had taken out his Star Wars toys, which clearly troubled him. Before he could officially put them into the bin he first needed to line them up, count them out, make sure that everything was in order. Of course it annoyed the girls to no end, but at the same time they understood that he just needed those few extra moments to make sure everything was ok with them before finishing up the task of putting them away.
Of course everything is at the extremes and the questions that always comes into play are: how do you teach him to control that "OCD" type quality? how do you help him find that happy medium?
I think that it begins with trying to control the anxiety...I think. At least that is what we are trying to work on the most because it seems the OCD'ness of these issues are based on a hidden anxiety...
Unfortunately it is all trial and error!
Last night boy had a really hard time getting to bed. They had the day off of school yesterday and that, coupled with way too much milk this weekend, made him very restless.
At about 10:30 I was working on some stuff for Girl Scouts and he was still up obsessing over a handful of change that he was counting. Over and over again he counted this handful of change and kept interrupting what I was working on to discuss the handful of change. At 10:30 at night I was beyond tired, needed to get some other stuff done and was on my last bit of patience. I kept telling him "count it tomorrow, go to bed". I was completely missing the clues of anxiety hidden beneath his need to count this change over and over again.
I chanted over and over again "count it tomorrow, go to bed" when finally he came up to me and said "Mom, please count this for me. I can't get it out of my head until you count it.".
Wow.
How grown up of him. Of course I stopped everything and snapped back into "clued in" Mom mode realizing how I had been brushing off his anxiety to deal with my own agenda. We counted the change, still 95 cents the same as he had counted, and visibly relieved he trotted off to bed and voila! was asleep in no time.
I'm not always "clued in". Sometimes I forget. Sometimes at 10:30 at night I just want to deal with my own problems. And sometimes it just takes an extra 30 seconds to finish up whatever is on his mind so he can move on -- I have to remember that. I have to remember that he cannot just let something go.
Yesterday during the day he was cleaning the basement with his sisters. The girls had taken out his Star Wars toys, which clearly troubled him. Before he could officially put them into the bin he first needed to line them up, count them out, make sure that everything was in order. Of course it annoyed the girls to no end, but at the same time they understood that he just needed those few extra moments to make sure everything was ok with them before finishing up the task of putting them away.
Of course everything is at the extremes and the questions that always comes into play are: how do you teach him to control that "OCD" type quality? how do you help him find that happy medium?
I think that it begins with trying to control the anxiety...I think. At least that is what we are trying to work on the most because it seems the OCD'ness of these issues are based on a hidden anxiety...
Unfortunately it is all trial and error!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
diary of a wimpy kid- an invasion!
We have been invaded by the biggest obsession in the history of boy's life! What is it? It's a book -- Diary of a wimpy kid.
Boy is addicted to say the LEAST! He cannot put the books down (sounds great so far), but the problem is that he cannot stop talking about each page. It has taken over his every thought. When he isn't reading the book, he's talking about it; he's drawing it; he's journaling it...again, may sound great, but not when it's verbatim from the book.
This obsession is his Aspergers at its best (or worst?).
What to do?
1. We are going to impose limits on his reading - wow, can you even believe I have to set limits on how long he reads?? If we don't make a rule for it, he can't put it down to go to sleep.
2. He cannot tell us every page as he reads it; instead he can only tell us about what he's reading every 5 pages.
3. For each 'chapter' he finishes and tells us about he needs to tell us a story similar to what he read.
The biggest issue that we see is that he just memorizes the book and repeats the book. Total lack of use of his imagination, which he needs to build upon.
However, it is amazing that reading would become such a huge obsession. He used to HATE reading! And it is amazing to see his comprehension skills increase so quickly - he's only been reading these since Sunday!
So, while there are drawbacks there also bonuses. One of the things I have learned with him is that he doesn't learn the way everyone else learns. We always have to think outside of the box to figure out ways for it to make sense to him...and when we find that 'a-ha' moment it feels better than anything else in the world!
This is an a-ha moment!
Boy is addicted to say the LEAST! He cannot put the books down (sounds great so far), but the problem is that he cannot stop talking about each page. It has taken over his every thought. When he isn't reading the book, he's talking about it; he's drawing it; he's journaling it...again, may sound great, but not when it's verbatim from the book.
This obsession is his Aspergers at its best (or worst?).
What to do?
1. We are going to impose limits on his reading - wow, can you even believe I have to set limits on how long he reads?? If we don't make a rule for it, he can't put it down to go to sleep.
2. He cannot tell us every page as he reads it; instead he can only tell us about what he's reading every 5 pages.
3. For each 'chapter' he finishes and tells us about he needs to tell us a story similar to what he read.
The biggest issue that we see is that he just memorizes the book and repeats the book. Total lack of use of his imagination, which he needs to build upon.
However, it is amazing that reading would become such a huge obsession. He used to HATE reading! And it is amazing to see his comprehension skills increase so quickly - he's only been reading these since Sunday!
So, while there are drawbacks there also bonuses. One of the things I have learned with him is that he doesn't learn the way everyone else learns. We always have to think outside of the box to figure out ways for it to make sense to him...and when we find that 'a-ha' moment it feels better than anything else in the world!
This is an a-ha moment!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Chase the HOPE for autism -- please vote!
The most amazing video
One of the most astounding facts from the video...
1980 1 in 5000 children
1990 1 in 1000 children
2000 1 in 500 children
2007 1 in 150 children
2010 1 in 110 children
Please show your support and vote on facebook for this wonderful cause.
Please vote here
One of the most astounding facts from the video...
1980 1 in 5000 children
1990 1 in 1000 children
2000 1 in 500 children
2007 1 in 150 children
2010 1 in 110 children
Please show your support and vote on facebook for this wonderful cause.
Please vote here
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
no matter...
no matter how irrational or crazy it may seem...it really was important for us NOT to throw away boy's holed up gringy icky socks. Even though he has several other pairs that are in perfect condition and the same as the ones that needed tossing...to him, the holed up gringy icky socks held a special spot in his heart and the very idea of tossing them in the trash was more than he could handle...meltdown ensued.
It makes no sense to me. It will never make sense to me. But to him, it all makes perfect sense and to him, those socks have a heart and have been with him through many fun adventures, evident by the holed up gringy icky'ness of them.
So, what can you do? Don't throw the socks out, let the tears subside...and pray that someday you will be able to ditch those gringies...
..but even then I know he will count his socks and figure out they are missing!
It makes no sense to me. It will never make sense to me. But to him, it all makes perfect sense and to him, those socks have a heart and have been with him through many fun adventures, evident by the holed up gringy icky'ness of them.
So, what can you do? Don't throw the socks out, let the tears subside...and pray that someday you will be able to ditch those gringies...
..but even then I know he will count his socks and figure out they are missing!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Bowl for autism
| From the Judson Center website Bowl for Autism | |
| January 19th, 2010 07:00 pm | |
| Location: | Fountain View Lanes |
| Address: | 34244 Groesbeck Clinton Twp., MI, 48035 |
| Event Description: | A donation of $20 includes: 2 games of bowling (9 pin no tap), shoes, pizza, and mystery games. 50/50, and raffle tickets for GREAT prizes will be available. |
| Contact Info: | visit www.rideforautism.com |
| Related Documents: | Bowl form autism registration form |
Thursday, January 7, 2010
amazing memory skill
“A smile happens in a flash, but its memory can last a lifetime.” ~ Unknown
Boy has an amazing memory skill. First of all, he has always been able to memorize anything and everything; songs, movies, stories - all word for word and sometimes after only seeing/hearing it once. Well, his new memory skill is with days of the week. He has an absolute fascination with what day a date falls on and has started memorizing them.
I knew that this skill was growing for him, but had NO idea how far it had come! He used to say things like "last year on this date it was a Tuesday and we did a, b, c", but now it has gotten to the point where you can give him a date and he can tell you what day of the week it was this year and what it will be next year.
It's truly amazing to watch him do it and he pretty rarely gets stumped!!
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