We took the kids to the New York Aquarium. They loved it. We spent the whole day looking at and learning about the ocean life. Afterward, we walked on the Boardwalk near the ocean. These are the precious moments that will stay in our memories for a lifetime.
Well, it’s that time of year again. We are in search of summer programs for the kids. As much as we like to relax during the summer, I like to get the kids involved in fun yet structured activities. I am hoping that Destiny (ASD,10) will be doing arts4everyone and soccer. The arts4everyone program is 5 classes that will include painting, sculpting, and drawing. She is very talented in this area. We are also trying to get her into Challenger Soccer, a soccer league for children with special needs. Anthony (ASD,12) is more “selective” when it comes to participating in programs. He has anxiety about going into unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people. Anthony has high functioning autism which means that some of the special needs program would not be able to provide appropriate social situations at his level. Yet, community summer programs for typical developing children don’t seem to be supportive enough. So we are always caught in the middle. But we are going to keep our fingers crossed that something will come up. Jasmine,9 and Derrick,5, both typical, will be doing soccer and cheerleading/football. And we plan to spend a lot of time at the beach just enjoying the sunshine.
Kimberly Wragge
The best way to avoid a meltdown is to be prepared
Think about the environment your family is going to be in. If it’s waiting for a restaurant, bring activities to keep them busy. If it’s walking through a crowded mall, offer a music player to reduce the anxiety of sensory overload.
Look for warning signs. It might be your child’s voice getting a little louder or they are starting to become more active. Quickly distract them from their thoughts of anger or anxiety. It could be talking about their favorite TV show or movie, giving them a snack, or simply going to the bathroom.
I realize that sometimes meltdowns just happen, but we can try to avoid as many as possible but being prepared.
Paper Mache is a very messy but fun activity. We love to see kids getting their hands dirty and having a good time.
Pour liquid starch into a bowl. Dip long strips of newspaper into the starch and cover the entire balloon. Cover the balloon with 3 layers of wet newspaper. Use strips of plain white copy paper for the last layer. (This makes painting easier) Let dry overnight. Once dry, pop the balloon. Then paint and create anything from an animal to a planet to person
Last Sunday was The 1st Annual Canine Convention sponsored by AMOC. It was a dog walk-a-thon to raise funds for local families living with autism. The weather was absolutely beautiful. It was a picture perfect day. Families were there with their pooches. Dogs of all different breeds and sizes were roaming around the park. The day was filled with kids activities, live music, food, and vendors. There is always a certain atmosphere at these community events. A feeling of goodness filled the air. Mom and I were there as well with the dog lovers and autism awareness merchandise. We love to network and mingle with everyone. We will see you again next year at The Canine Convention!!!!
Kimberly Wragge http://www.kimsautismawareness.com
Club Rec has been such an inspiration to our family. I just had to blog about it. Club Rec is an after school program. It is much more than just latchkey or a babysitter. Anthony (ASD, 12) has been going there since he was 5. I swear that he was able to be mainstreamed into district because of the social skills training he received from Club Rec. He was taught appropriate turn taking and how to handle social situations. The staff saw every moment as a teaching opportunity for Anthony. And the results were very effective. It was also a teaching experience for the general education students who need to be exposed to the diversity of special education. Anthony continues to go there as a volunteer and is learning responsibility and work ethics.
As an OT, I work with a lot of students who have difficulty with handwriting tasks. Handwriting is a complex skill that can be frustrating to children. Here are some great handwriting tips that you can try.
*Darkened the lines on the paper with a thick black marker can help students stay on the line more.
Kimberly Wragge
My daughter, Destiny, is a good example of how art can be used to express emotions. She is mostly non-verbal. But she has a lot to say through her drawings. Destiny will draw out her mood by choosing specific colors (dark colors means grumpy day, light colors mean happy day) Even how hard she presses on the crayon tells me what she is feeling. Destiny will also use her drawings to accurately explain to me some of her bad memories that she has.
Make sense of external confusion and dissatisfaction.
Enhance communication skills in relationships and in doing so develop insight.
Increasing self esteem and confidence.
Kimberly Wragge http://www.kimsautismawareness.com
More and more, we are hearing of children with autism mainstreamed in general education classroom. It’s known as inclusion. There are a lot of benefits to having a child in an inclusion setting. There are more opportunities for social skills development and participation in general academics. What’s most important is that the classroom staff are aware of the different learning styles and their academic program should be modified. Here are some general program modifications for the classroom:
*Use visual tools such as schedules, classroom behaviors expectations, and use visual cues during instruction
*Emphasize positive behavior with reinforcement such as earning a favorite activity at the end of the day
*Provide a quiet, less distracting place to work on assignments
*Use a “hands on “approach when teaching. Children learn more while doing
*Keep instructions simple and straightforward
*Use timer and visual guide to help with transition of activities
*Educate other students about
Last week, we celebrated our 1 year anniversary of adopting our 3 children. Time has just gone by so quickly. Our family has grown so more stronger since then. There is finally a sense of being “together forever”. The children feel very secure and loved unconditionally. They now trust that this family is forever. We asked the kids to choose their favorite restaurant to celebrate this special day. They chose a buffet-style restaurant. They love the feeling of independence when they can get their own food. We all had a great time and will continue this tradition of celebrating this special occasion.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com