July 8th, 2010
I’m sure like everyone on the east coast, we are trying to stay cool in this heatwave. This is also the first week of summer rec programs, soccer camp, and art classes. So unfortunatley, we are constantly on the move. If we could just stay home and enjoy the air conditioner, it would be great. But life doesn’t stop for a heatwave. All of the kids are exhausted throughout the day. They have low energy levels and want to go to bed as early as possible. We are all looking forward to the cooler temperatures next week.
hank goodness.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 29th, 2010
As difficult as it is to be the parent of an autistic child, it can be just as difficult to have an autistic brother or sister. The “typically developing” siblings of autistic children are, in fact, the furthest from typical. Often, they are wiser and more mature than their age would suggest. And they have to be, given the many challenges they face: parental responsibility; a feeling of isolation from the rest of their family; confusion, fear, anger and embarrassment about their autistic sibling. And on top of all of it, guilt for having these feelings.
As their parents, there’s a lot we can do to help. For starters, we can educate them early on, by explaining their sibling’s disorder. There are often support groups for siblings where they can share their feelings and experiences with other typical children that understand each other. Siblings will commonly have negative feelings — some might never connect or want to connect with their autistic siblings — but the good news is that typical siblings often turn out to be more compassionate and caring than average. Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 4 Comments »
June 23rd, 2010
As the official school year comes to an end, some children will be staying home for a short break and then returning to school during the summer. This can cause some confusion and/or anxiety during this transitional period. One suggestion is to get a calendar and write “HOME” and “SCHOOL” on the appropriate days. If your child isn’t reading yet, you can color in the boxes one color for home and a different color for school. Every day, show the child the calendar so he/she is prepared for what is happening that day. This will help with this often confusing transitional period.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 22nd, 2010
Last weekend, we attended the Kadampa Fair in Glen Spey. It is absolutely gorgeous up there. Beautiful flowers and shrubs were in bloom as we walked on the grounds. The temple was filled with extraordinary shrines and statutes. My mom and I set up on vendor table to promote autism awareness. Rob and the kids spent the day enjoying the festivities of their “Family Fun day”. Live music created a soothing atmosphere. Just being there gave us a sense of inner peace and serenity. And we could all use more of that sometimes.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 17th, 2010
Wow, Derrick is graduating from preschool today. I can’t believe it/ It’s amazing how fast children grow. I’m sure I will have to bring the box of tissues.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 3 Comments »
June 14th, 2010
Well, we are almost to the end of the school year. This means parties, minimal school work, and more time to play outside. Everyone loves this time of year. The kids are so excited for summer vacation to start. We have a lot of plans this summer so they won’t be bored. It’s also a break for me. With working full time, it’s sometimes stressful to try and get everything done at once. During the summer, I can get caught up on household chores and more importantly, spending quality time with the munchkins. We have two more weeks to go and then our summer vacation can start.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 10th, 2010
Check this out!! A good friend told me about this. And it’s legit. I called the bowling lanes to verify. Visit their site to see of your local bowling lanes participates in the program. It’s so simple. You just sign up all the kids (under age 15) and then they receive coupons through email for 2 free games per day for the summer months. And if parents want to join in, it’s a one time $25 fee. It’s worth it!! We are going to go at least once or twice a week.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 8th, 2010
I finally found a great arts and drama program for the summer. Check out www.arts4everyone.webs.com. The classes are one evening a week for 5 weeks. It provides a supportive environment for special needs children as well as welcoming their siblings. Encouraging participation of an arts and drama classes can provide great social opportunities as well as boosting their self esteem. We have already signed up!
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »
June 6th, 2010
As I was finishing folding my 6th load of laundry today, Destiny did not like the way the corners of the towels didn’t line up. So I said “OK, then you can do it”. And she did. She wanted to fold all of the laundry her way and separate it into piles. It was her first time and she did it perfectly. I was amazed that she wanted to do it and that she did it so well. I am going to add this to her chore list. She can fold her own laundry and put away. I am always looking for opportunities to make her independent and practice life skills. And it takes some work off of me too.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com
Posted in The world of Autism | No Comments »
May 31st, 2010
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.
Kimberly Wragge http:www.kimsautismawareness.com 
Posted in The world of Autism | 1 Comment »